Carne Guisada with Stewed Beans

Ingredients

• Carne Guisada:
• 2 lbs beef chuck or stew meat, cut into cubes 🐄
• 2 tbsp olive oil 🫒
• 1 medium onion, chopped 🧅
• 1 green bell pepper, diced 🫑
• 1 red bell pepper, diced ❤️
• 4 garlic cloves, minced 🧄
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano 🌿
• 1 tsp salt 🧂
• 0.5 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp tomato paste 🍅
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 2 cups beef broth 🍖
• 1 bay leaf 🍃
• Optional: ½ tsp sazón with annatto (for color and flavor)
• Stewed Beans:
• 2 cans (15 oz each) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 tbsp olive oil 🫒
• 1 small onion, chopped 🧅
• 2 garlic cloves, minced 🧄
• 0.25 cup diced green pepper 🫑
• 2 tbsp tomato sauce 🍅
• 0.5 tsp cumin
• 0.5 tsp oregano
• 1½ cups water or vegetable broth
• Salt to taste 🧂
• Optional: pinch of sugar to balance acidity

Instructions

1. 1Brown the beef:
2. 2In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add beef and brown on all sides, about 5–7 minutes. Remove and set aside.
3. 3Sauté the base:
4. 4In the same pot, add a bit more oil if needed. Sauté onion, peppers, and garlic until soft and fragrant.
5. 5Add flavor:
6. 6Stir in cumin, oregano, salt, pepper, and tomato paste. Mix well and let it cook for 2 minutes.
7. 7Simmer time:
8. 8Return beef to the pot. Add tomato sauce, beef broth, and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook on low for 1.5 to 2 hours until meat is fork-tender.
9. 9Make the beans:
10. 10In a separate saucepan, heat olive oil and sauté onions, peppers, and garlic. Add tomato sauce, cumin, and oregano. Stir well.
11. 11Add the beans:
12. 12Pour in beans and water/broth. Simmer uncovered for 20–30 minutes, stirring occasionally until slightly thickened. Add salt to taste.
13. 13Serve it up:
14. 14Spoon the carne guisada onto a plate of white rice 🍚, ladle the beans on the side, and maybe even add a slice of avocado 🥑 or a sprinkle of cilantro 🌿 for flair!