Carne guisada, a flavorful Mexican beef stew, is quick and easy when made in the Instant Pot. Try it over rice or served with tortillas.
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What is carne guisada
Carne means meat, but it is often used to refer to specifically to beef, and guisada means stew. Carne guisada is a traditional Mexican-style beef stew flavored with garlic, onions, bell peppers, and tomatoes.
Is carne guisada gluten-free?
This recipe uses flour to thicken the gravy, but you could substitute a mixture of 2-3 tablespoons of cornstarch with the room temperature reserved juices instead (do not heat the liquid when using cornstarch) to make it gluten-free. Serve with corn tortillas or rice instead of flour tortillas.
Time needed
It takes about an hour and a half to make carne guisada in the Instant Pot, including the chopping, sautéing, time to pressure, cook time, and pressure release time.
Ingredients
For the stew:
- water
- beef stew meat or beef roast cut into cubes
- salt and pepper
- tomatoes with green chilies or plain diced tomatoes
- chopped onion
- diced green bell pepper
- minced garlic
- flour
- cumin
- oregano
- chili powder
Garnishes:
- fresh cilantro
- grated cheese
- pico de gallo
- sour cream
How to make carne guisada
These instructions are for making Carne Guisada in the Instant Pot; you can find the instructions for the slow cooker here.
Drain juice from tomatoes with green chilies into a 2 cup measuring cup. While it is draining, put ¾ cup water in Instant Pot and add meat. This is when you are supposed to add salt and pepper, but I forgot. Luckily, this is a very forgiving recipe so it doesn't matter - you can season it after it cooks just as easily.
Place tomatoes with green chilies over meat, and add garlic, onion, and green pepper.
Cook on manual pressure (high if you have the option; my IP only has one button for manual pressure cooking) for 25 minutes. NPR for 15 minutes, then release pressure and open lid.
Add chili powder, oregano, and cumin to cooked beef and stir. Feel free to spice it up—this is the way my family likes it, but adjust the seasonings to your preference.
Add enough water to the reserved juice from tomatoes with green chilies to make 1-½ cups liquid. Heat liquid in microwave or on stovetop. Add flour to liquid and mix well.
Add flour mixture to cooked meat and stir to blend well.
Cook on sauté mode for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly, to thicken the sauce. Turn off Instant Pot to stop the hard boil, and let sit for 10 minutes. Turn back on to slow cooker mode to keep warm while serving.
Garnish with cilantro, cheese, pico de gallo, and sour cream, and serve with tortillas for dipping.
More delicious soups and stews:
Recipe
Carne Guisada for the Instant Pot
Ingredients
- ¾ cup water, plus extra
- 3-4 pounds beef stew meat
- salt and pepper as preferred
- 20 ounces canned diced tomatoes with green chilies or plain diced tomatoes, reserve juices
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons flour
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
Garnishes:
- fresh cilantro
- grated cheese
- pico de gallo
- sour cream
Instructions
- Chop 1 onion and 1 green bell pepper. Mince 3 cloves garlic.
- Put ¾ cup water in Instant Pot and add 3-4 pounds beef stew meat. Add salt and pepper as preferred.
- Drain juice from 20 ounces canned diced tomatoes with green chilies or plain diced tomatoes into a 2 cup measuring cup and place tomatoes with green chilies over meat. Add garlic, onion, and green pepper.
- Cook on manual pressure (high if you have the option) for 25 minutes. NPR for 15 minutes, then release pressure and open lid. Add ½ teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon oregano, and 1 teaspoon chili powder and stir.
- Add enough water to the reserved juice from tomatoes with green chilies to make 1½ cups liquid. Heat liquid in microwave or on stovetop.
- Add 3 tablespoons flour to liquid and mix well. Add flour mixture to cooked meat and stir to blend well. Cook on sauté mode for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly, to thicken the sauce.
- Turn off Instant Pot to stop the hard boil, and let sit for 10 minutes. Turn back on to slow cooker mode to keep warm while serving.
- Garnish with fresh cilantro, grated cheese, pico de gallo, and sour cream, and serve with tortillas for dipping.
Notes
- If you prefer mild vs. spicy food, substitute the canned tomatoes for the tomatoes with green chilies.
- Leftovers from Carne Guisada can be used to make beef enchiladas, Tex-Mex Beef Casserole, or burritos.
- These instructions are for making Carne Guisada in the Instant Pot; you can find the instructions for the slow cooker here.
- Nutrition data does not include garnishes.
- This recipe uses flour to thicken the gravy, but you could substitute a mixture of 2-3 tablespoons of cornstarch with the room temperature reserved juices instead (do not heat the liquid when using cornstarch) to make it gluten-free. Serve with corn tortillas or rice instead of flour tortillas.
Nutrition per serving
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