If you follow this recipe to the letter, you will end up with the most tender, flavorful, satisfying carne guisada ever. Hailing from my own family’s recipe vault, this rich stew meat has a host of Mexican flavors, a luscious gravy, and caramelized veggies that build incredible flavor. We love it most in a tortilla with a generous sprinkle of fresh onion!
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If you’re looking for more warm, cozy dinner recipes, we’ve got you. These Shrimp Jambalaya with Chicken and Sausage and Beef and Potato Stew recipes are incredible.
What is Carne Guisada?
If you’re new to carne guisada, know that it’s a slow-cooked Mexican stew meat. While some recipes have more gravy than others, I like mine thick like you see here. This is ideal for spooning over tortillas or enjoying on a plate next to beans and rice.
Slow and low is the name of the game, so don’t be shy about putting it on a few hours before dinner, letting it slowly simmer away (covered), filling the house with the best smells and your family’s bellies with the best meal a little later.
Ingredients
The list may seem long, but it’s actually full of really common pantry items. Here’s everything you’ll need:
- 1 tablespoon of butter
- 1-1¼ pounds of stew meat
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- ¼ black of pepper
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ white onion, finely diced
- 1 tablespoon of mild chili powder
- 1 teaspoon of cumin
- ½ teaspoon of Mexican oregano
- ¼ teaspoon of ancho chili powder
- 3 tablespoons of flour
- 1 cup of chicken or beef broth
- 1 can of Rotel
- Flour tortillas, for serving
- Cilantro, for garnish
- Avocado, sliced, for garnish
- White onion, diced, for garnish
- Refried beans, for serving
Ingredient Modifications and Variations
If you’re looking for modifications and variations for this homemade carne guisada recipe, we’ve got you!
- Make it gluten-free: if you’re looking for a gluten-free option here, you’re in luck! Simply swap the flour in this recipe for a gluten-free flour (THIS one is our favorite!). If you’re serving your carne guisada in or alongside flour tortillas, be sure to snag gluten-free ones too.
- Make it dairy-free: for dairy-free carne guisada, substitute in olive oil for the butter in this recipe. Easy peasy!
- Use regular oregano: can’t find Mexican oregano? No worries – regular oregano will work just fine here!
How to Make Carne Guisada
- Melt the butter and season the meat – melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a 3-quart pot (with a lid) over high heat. While the butter is melting, season the stew meat with salt and pepper.
- Sear the meat – add the stew meat in a single layer to the pot and sear on all sides, then remove from the pot.
- Saute the garlic and onion – reduce the heat to medium and add the garlic and onion to the pot. Saute for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the spices and flour – add the spices and flour to the garlic and onion and toast, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the rest of the ingredients to the pot – add the broth, meat, and Rotel to the pot. Stir and bring to a simmer, then cover and cook for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Simmer – after 45 minutes, uncover and simmer on low until the sauce reaches your desired thickness.
- Serve and enjoy – spoon the carne guisada into tortillas and top with cilantro, avocado, and diced white onion. Enjoy alongside refried beans (if you want!).
Can I Make Carne Guisada in a Crock Pot?
You can definitely make your carne guisada in a crock pot, but it isn’t quite as simple as most slow cooker recipes. For the best results, you’ll want to grab a skillet and follow steps 1-4 on the stovetop. Then, transfer everything to the crock pot and set to cook on low for 8-10 hours.
How to Serve
There are a couple of ways that you can serve your carne guisada! You can serve it taco-style in warmed tortillas (like we did here) complete with a cilantro, sliced avocado, and diced white onion garnish, or you can eat the carne guisada with a spoon and use a warm flour tortilla to sop up the goodness – the choice is yours, and truly, you can’t go wrong either way!
Frequently Asked Questions
Carne guisada is spanish for “meat stew” – makes perfect sense!
Carne guisada is made using beef stew meat. When cooked for long enough, it will literally FALL apart – so YUMMY.
Carne guisada (“meat stew”) is made with beef cooked in a sauce loaded with delicious Mexican spices.
Carne guisada (what we’re making here!) is a stewed beef dish typically made with chuck roast stew meat, while carne asada is a grilled beef dish typically made with marinated skirt steak or flank steak.
More Favorite Beef Recipes
Carne Guisada Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1-1¼ pounds stew meat
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ white onion finely diced
- 1 tablespoon mild chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon Mexican oregano
- ¼ teaspoon ancho chili powder
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup chicken or beef broth
- 1 can Rotel
- Flour tortillas for serving
- Cilantro for garnish
- Avocado sliced, for garnish
- White onion diced, for garnish
- Refried beans for serving
Instructions
- Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a 3-quart pot (with a lid) over high heat. While the butter is melting, season the stew meat with salt and pepper.
- Add the stew meat in a single layer to the pot and sear on all sides, then remove from the pot.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the garlic and onion to the pot. Saute for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the spices and flour to the garlic and onion and toast, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the broth, meat, and Rotel to the pot. Stir and bring to a simmer, then cover and cook for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- After 45 minutes, uncover and simmer on low until the sauce reaches your desired thickness.
- Spoon the carne guisada into tortillas and top with cilantro, avocado, and diced white onion. Enjoy alongside refried beans (if you want!).
Recipe Notes
- Make it gluten-free: if you’re looking for a gluten-free option here, you’re in luck! Simply swap the flour in this recipe for a gluten-free flour (THIS one is our favorite!). If you’re serving your carne guisada in or alongside flour tortillas, be sure to snag gluten-free ones too.
- Make it dairy-free: for dairy-free carne guisada, substitute in olive oil for the butter in this recipe. Easy peasy!
- Use regular oregano: can’t find Mexican oregano? No worries – regular oregano will work just fine here!
Nutrition
A winner!! When I tried explaining it to hubby before cooking he was skeptical but he loved it and has already asked for it again and the leftovers aren’t even gone yet! It has a kick, but not too much and a great flavor. I’m going to work on making my sauce thicker, but other than that perfect, easy dinner!
Aw, Elyse! We’re so glad you both loved this recipe! Thank you so much for taking the time to share this with us!
Loved the flavor! I am usually a pretty hands off cook so this was a bit of a stretch for me. Would love to see an instant pot version of this. I would suggest waiting for a weekend evening or Friday night for this meal only because it does need plenty of time for simmering. Absolutely worth the time and effort!
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback, Emory!
I’ve always used the tried and true Bolner’s Fiesta Carne Guisada Seasoning recipe when making Carne Guisada- it’s easy and never disappoints. But I’m glad I gave this recipe a try. It was much more flavorful and I can’t wait to have the leftovers tomorrow.
My meat wasn’t as tender as I would like, even after simmering for quite a while. Just a heads up for others who make the recipe— simmer for as long as possible…
Thank you for the feedback, Lee! We’re so glad you enjoyed the flavor!
I have always shied away from making this type of recipe because it always seemed so hard to get the meat tender. Nope! The Fed+Fit Team provided a super easy, straightforward method that is not only tender but PACKED with flavor. My husband grew up eating Carne Guisada and LOVES it and he gave this recipe two thumbs up. He even made a comment about how he couldn’t wait to eat the leftovers. Ha! Wish I hadn’t waited so long to try this but now it will be on our Family Favorites Dinner List I keep. Thanks F+F Team!!
That’s so awesome, Brittany!! Thank you so much for taking the time to share this with us!
Obsessed!!! Every recipe I try is delicious. The pictures are gorgeous and I love the simple layout of your website!! The recipe index is my fave.
That’s so great to hear, Virginia! Thank you so much for taking the time to share this with us – it means a lot!
This recipe was so simple but ended but being so flavorful! I used it to make rice bowls with shredded lettuce, avocado and beans. Will make again as tacos in the future!
Wahoo! So glad you enjoyed it, Allison!
I’ve been making the same carne guisada recipe for MANY years, so I was skeptical, but I gave this one a try and it’s going to be my new go to. So delicious! Everyone loved it.
Awesome, Kristin! We are so glad you all loved it!
Delicious!! I’ve never cared for carne guisada until this recipe! When my husband comes home and realizes I’m making a dinner by Fed and Fit he gets extremely excited because they are all so good. Even my pickiest eater loved it!
Katelyn!! That’s incredible! Thank you so much for sharing this with us!
Great flavor. Will try again
We’re glad you enjoyed it, Suzanne!
So so so good! Being from San Antonio you never expect your food at home to compete with all the incredible Tex mex here. My husband said “it tastes like you got take out”. There is no greater compliment
What a compliment!! That’s awesome, Brittany!
So yummy! I had never heard of this type of taco before but my family loved it! I love all of your taco recipes and that you make them so easy to figure out to make! Even on a more complex taco recipe, it felt simple and they turned out so good! Thank you!!
Aw, Sarah, that’s so awesome. Thank you so much for sharing this with us!
I love all the recipes from Fed & Fit…but this one definitely tops my family’s list. My husband is from Mexico and this recipe hits the spot. The flavor is unmatched!
Lara! That’s awesome! Thank you so much for sharing this with us!
Crowd pleasing recipe! I’ve made this twice and everyone loved it. The meat becomes so tender and it doesn’t have to cook all day
We’re so glad everyone loved this recipe, Rachel! Thank you so much for sharing this with us!
I encouraged my wife to make this (she’s the chef in our household; I’m the recipe provider). It was very tasty. My wife has been dieting for a few months following a year-long bout with cancer, so she’s somewhat selective when it comes to recipes. She called this a “keeper.” I agree!
Kevin, that’s so awesome! Praying for your wife!
This was so flavorful and filling and everyone in my house loved it! The recipe worked perfectly. Will definitely make this again!
Thank you so much for sharing this with us, Meredith! We’re so glad this recipe was a hit at your house!