Carne Guisada with Flour Tortillas
Nothing says comfort like a plate of warm, hearty Carne Guisada. This traditional Latin American dish transforms simple ingredients into a flavorful stew that pairs perfectly with fluffy flour tortillas.
Whether you’re looking to spice up your dinner routine or need a satisfying meal to share with friends and family, this recipe promises to deliver in both taste and comfort.
This Carne Guisada recipe brings warmth and flavor to any table, embodying the essence of home-cooked comfort food. Grab a tortilla, scoop up some stew, and enjoy a meal that feels like a hug in every bite.
Preparation Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
Servings: 6-8
Ingredients:
- 3 lbs stew meat
- 1 tablespoon oil (lard, bacon grease, etc.)
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 small green bell pepper, diced (optional)
- 3 tablespoons tomato sauce or 1 large tomato, diced
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder or 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup water or chicken stock
- Flour tortillas, for serving
Instructions:
- Heat the oil in a large pan over high heat. Add the stew meat and brown it until it gets a nice, caramelized crust.
- Toss in the diced onions and green bell pepper. Sauté until the onions become translucent and the peppers soften.
- Stir in the tomato sauce (or diced tomatoes), garlic (powder or fresh), cumin, salt, and black pepper. Mix everything well to ensure the meat is evenly coated with the spices.
- Sprinkle the flour over the meat and vegetables. Stir well to combine, making sure there are no flour lumps. This step will help thicken the stew as it cooks.
- Pour in the water or chicken stock and mix again. Bring the mixture to a boil.
- Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and cover the pan. Let the stew simmer for about 1 ½ hours, or until the meat is tender and breaks apart easily with a fork.
- Check the seasoning and adjust if necessary. The flavors should be robust and the stew thickened.
- Serve the Carne Guisada hot with fresh flour tortillas. You can also serve it with rice or mashed potatoes if you prefer.
Delicious! I did have to add more broth as it cooked. It’s in my rotation. Thank you!!
We make our carne guisada with hamburger meat, cubed potatoes and green beans. Over the years we adapted the recipe due to lean times and larger families. This recipe can easily be expanded by adding more potatoes and green beans. Good eats!