Cuban · main

Ropa Vieja

Ropa Vieja reads umami 7.8, richness 6.2 and salinity 4.3 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Cuban main, about 38 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 8.7 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 3.4 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 2.8 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 2.8 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 6.5 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 3.7 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 7.8 · Richness 6.2 · Salinity 4.3 · Allium 3.4 · Sweetness 2.7 · Fruity 2.4 · Marine & Briny 2.3 · Smoke 2.2 · Sourness 2.2 · Citrus 2.2 · Earthy 2.0 · Funk & Ferment 2.0 · Warm Spice 1.7 · Bitterness 1.6 · Floral 1.3 · Herbaceous 1.3 · Nutty 0.9 · Heat 0.6

What's in it (17)

• 2 lbs flank steak
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 green bell pepper, sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can (14 oz) crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup beef stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 cup green olives
• 2 tbsp capers

Time & effort: about 38 min (28 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 92.5 kcal, 9 g protein, 4.9 g fat, 2.5 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (3 steps)

1. Simmer the beef in salted water with onion and bay leaf until very tender, then shred the meat. Sauté sliced onion, bell peppers, and garlic in olive oil until soft, deglaze with wine, add tomatoes and stock, and simmer the sofrito sauce 10 minutes.
2. Return the shredded beef to the sauce with cumin, paprika, oregano, olives, and capers; simmer together 20 more minutes until deeply flavored.
3. Serve with rice and black beans.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Bacon Cheeseburger Casserole — American
• Tochitură Moldovenească (Moldavian Pork Stew with Mămăligă, Egg and Telemea) — Romanian
• Classic Beef Bolognese with Tagliatelle — Italian
• Harina con Cangrejo (Cornmeal with Crab) — Cuban
• Pancit Canton (Stir-Fried Wheat Noodles) — Filipino

Keep reading: what umami, richness, salinity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.