There are some dishes that feel like a warm hug in a bowl, and this authentic Carne Con Papa recipe is exactly that. It’s a hearty, soulful stew of tender beef and potatoes simmered in a rich, savoury tomato-based sauce, and it has become an absolute staple in our home. I stumbled upon this combination by accident while trying to use up some leftover beef and potatoes, and it’s been a hit ever since. This isn’t just a simple beef and potatoes dish; it’s a stew where every ingredient plays its part, creating layers of flavour that develop beautifully as it cooks.

The magic of this carne con papa lies in the slow simmer. It allows the beef to become incredibly tender, practically melting in your mouth, while the potatoes soak up all the delicious, aromatic sauce. The base of the sauce, a classic sofrito of onions, peppers, and garlic, provides a sweet and savoury foundation that is elevated by fragrant cumin and a touch of smoked paprika. It’s the kind of meal that fills the entire house with an irresistible aroma, drawing everyone to the kitchen.

This recipe is ideal for those chilly evenings when you’re craving something substantial and warming. It’s also a fantastic dish to make for a Sunday lunch, as it feels special without being overly complicated. We love to gather around the table with big bowls of this, a side of crusty bread, and just enjoy the simple pleasure of a well-made meal.

Recipe Overview

This Carne Con Papa recipe delivers a robust and deeply flavourful stew. The beef is browned to create a savoury crust, then slow-cooked until it’s fork-tender. The potatoes become soft and creamy, absorbing the rich, paprika-spiced tomato sauce. I’ve found that letting it rest for 10 minutes before serving really allows the flavours to settle and deepen. Expect a wonderfully satisfying meal that feels both rustic and refined.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
• Servings: 4-6 people
• Difficulty: Medium

Why You’ll Love This Carne Con Papa Recipe

• Genuine Flavour: The taste is rich and complex. You get the deep, savoury notes from the seared beef and rich stock, balanced by the gentle sweetness of the sofrito and a subtle warmth from cumin and smoked paprika. It’s a truly satisfying flavour profile.
• Mostly Hands-Off Cooking: While the total time is over an hour, most of that is simmering. Once you’ve done the initial browning and sautéing, you can let the pot do its work, filling your home with a wonderful aroma.
• Flexible Recipe: This recipe is very forgiving. You can add other vegetables like carrots or peas along with the potatoes. Don’t have beef stock? A good quality vegetable stock works well too. It’s easy to adapt to what you have on hand.
• Great for a Relaxed Weekend: It works beautifully for a relaxed Sunday dinner or a casual get-together with friends. It can be made ahead, and the flavours are even better the next day.
• Family Tested: My kids absolutely devour this every time I make it, especially when there’s extra sauce for mopping up with bread. It’s one of those rare dishes that everyone at the table agrees on.

Carne Con Papa Recipe

⏱️ 20 min prep  •  🍳 135 min cook  •  👥 6 servings

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Ingredients You’ll Need

For the best results, try to use good-quality beef and a waxy potato variety that holds its shape. I often use Mutti Polpa finely chopped tomatoes because they have a brilliant flavour and texture that creates a fantastic sauce base. Here’s what you’ll need:

• 900g braising steak (chuck or brisket work well), cut into 2-3 cm cubes
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 400g tin of finely chopped tomatoes
• 750ml beef stock, preferably low-sodium
• 2 bay leaves
• 800g waxy potatoes (like Maris Piper or Charlotte), peeled and cut into 3-4 cm chunks
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• A small handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped, for garnish

Kira’s Tip: Don’t be tempted to use lean steak for this. The fat and connective tissue in braising steak are essential; they break down during the long, slow cook, making the beef succulent and enriching the sauce. It’s a key part of what makes this beef and potatoes dish so wonderful.

How to Make Carne Con Papa

The process is straightforward. We start by building layers of flavour, searing the beef, creating an aromatic base, and then letting it all simmer gently until everything is tender and delicious. Follow these steps for a perfect result.

1. Sear the Beef: Pat the beef cubes dry with a paper towel and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over a medium-high heat. Working in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan, sear the beef on all sides until a deep brown crust forms, about 5-7 minutes per batch. This browning process, known as the Maillard reaction, is crucial for developing flavour. Remove the seared beef and set aside on a plate.
2. Create the Sofrito Base: Lower the heat to medium. Add the chopped onion and red pepper to the same pot, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened and the onion is translucent.
3. Bloom the Spices: Add the minced garlic, ground cumin, smoked paprika, and dried oregano to the pot. Stir constantly and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant. This step, called blooming, helps to release the full aromatic potential of the spices.
4. Build the Sauce: Stir in the tomato purée and cook for another minute. Then, pour in the tinned tomatoes and the beef stock. Add the bay leaves and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, stirring to combine everything.
5. Simmer the Beef: Return the seared beef (and any accumulated juices from the plate) to the pot. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and let it simmer very gently for at least 1 hour. The key here is a very low heat; the liquid should be barely bubbling.
6. Add the Potatoes: After an hour, the beef should be starting to get tender. Add the potato chunks to the pot, ensuring they are mostly submerged in the liquid. If needed, add a splash more stock or water.
7. Final Cook: Place the lid back on and continue to simmer for another 30-45 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked through and the beef is fork-tender. I find that checking a potato with a knife is the best way to tell; it should slide in with little resistance.
8. Rest and Serve: Remove the pot from the heat. Discard the bay leaves. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper if necessary. Let the stew rest, covered, for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and serve hot. For another fantastic beef dish, you might like my Steak Bites With Garlic Butter Recipe.

Tips From My Kitchen

• Temperature Control: For the best sear on your beef, make sure your pot is properly hot before adding the meat. Also, ensure the beef is dry and not crowded in the pan. This promotes browning rather than steaming.
• The Secret Step: Don’t skip blooming the spices. I learned that gently toasting them in the pot before adding the liquids makes a huge difference, waking them up and deepening their flavour significantly.
• Make-Ahead: This dish is fantastic for making ahead. In fact, its flavour improves overnight. You can prepare the entire stew a day or two in advance. Reheat it gently on the hob until piping hot.
• Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. It also freezes well for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Overcrowding the pan: When searing the beef, if you put too much in the pot at once, the temperature will drop and the meat will steam instead of browning. This means you lose out on a massive layer of flavour. Always sear in batches, giving each piece of beef enough space.
• Wrong temperature: Simmering the stew too vigorously can make the beef tough and chewy, even after a long cooking time. You are looking for a very gentle “plop, plop” simmer, not a rolling boil. Keep the heat on the lowest setting necessary to maintain this.
• Skipping the rest time: It might be tempting to serve this straight from the pot, but letting it rest for 10 minutes off the heat is important. It allows the beef fibres to relax, making the meat even more tender, and gives the flavours in the sauce a chance to meld together perfectly.

Delicious Variations to Try

While this recipe is wonderful as it is, it’s also a great base for experimentation. Here are a few variations we enjoy at home:

• Spicy Version: For a bit of a kick, add 1-2 chopped red chillies or a teaspoon of chilli flakes along with the garlic and spices.
• Vegetarian Option: Create a hearty vegetarian version by swapping the beef for two tins of chickpeas (drained and rinsed) and about 400g of chestnut mushrooms, sliced. Add them at the same time as the potatoes and use a rich vegetable stock.
• Different Protein: This recipe works brilliantly with other slow-cooking meats. Try using diced lamb shoulder or pork shoulder for a different, but equally delicious, result. Adjust cooking times as needed.

What to Serve With Carne Con Papa

This hearty beef and potatoes stew is a complete meal on its own, but a few simple accompaniments can elevate it further.

• Crusty Bread: A fresh, crusty loaf of bread is non-negotiable in our house for mopping up every last drop of the delicious sauce.
• Simple Green Salad: A crisp green salad with a sharp lemon vinaigrette provides a fresh, acidic contrast that cuts through the richness of the stew.
• Wine Pairing: A medium-bodied Spanish red wine like a Rioja Crianza complements the savoury notes of the beef and paprika beautifully. For a non-alcoholic option, a sparkling water with a squeeze of lime is wonderfully refreshing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Carne Con Papa Recipe

A hearty and flavorful beef and potato stew, slow-simmered in a rich tomato and spice-infused sauce until the meat is fork-tender. This classic comfort food dish is perfect for a family meal.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 2 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs 35 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Latin American

Calories: 610

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 900 g braising steak chuck or brisket work well, cut into 2-3 cm cubes
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion finely chopped
• 1 red bell pepper finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 400 g tin of finely chopped tomatoes
• 750 ml beef stock preferably low-sodium
• 2 bay leaves
• 800 g waxy potatoes like Maris Piper or Charlotte, peeled and cut into 3-4 cm chunks
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• A small handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley chopped, for garnish

Method

 

1. Sear the Beef: Pat the beef cubes dry with a paper towel and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over a medium-high heat. Working in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan, sear the beef on all sides until a deep brown crust forms, about 5-7 minutes per batch. This browning process, known as the Maillard reaction, is crucial for developing flavour. Remove the seared beef and set aside on a plate.
2. Create the Sofrito Base: Lower the heat to medium. Add the chopped onion and red pepper to the same pot, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened and the onion is translucent.
3. Bloom the Spices: Add the minced garlic, ground cumin, smoked paprika, and dried oregano to the pot. Stir constantly and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant. This step, called blooming, helps to release the full aromatic potential of the spices.
4. Build the Sauce: Stir in the tomato purée and cook for another minute. Then, pour in the tinned tomatoes and the beef stock. Add the bay leaves and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, stirring to combine everything.
5. Simmer the Beef: Return the seared beef (and any accumulated juices from the plate) to the pot. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and let it simmer very gently for at least 1 hour. The key here is a very low heat; the liquid should be barely bubbling.
6. Add the Potatoes: After an hour, the beef should be starting to get tender. Add the potato chunks to the pot, ensuring they are mostly submerged in the liquid. If needed, add a splash more stock or water.
7. Final Cook: Place the lid back on and continue to simmer for another 30-45 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked through and the beef is fork-tender. I find that checking a potato with a knife is the best way to tell; it should slide in with little resistance.
8. Rest and Serve: Remove the pot from the heat. Discard the bay leaves. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper if necessary. Let the stew rest, covered, for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and serve hot. For another fantastic beef dish, you might like my Steak Bites With Garlic Butter Recipe.

Notes

This stew tastes even better the next day as the flavors have more time to meld. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

I really hope you give this Carne Con Papa recipe a try. It’s a true expression of comfort food, perfect for sharing with the people you love. The deep, savoury flavours of the beef and potatoes make it a dish we return to again and again. If you make it, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below – I love hearing from you! Enjoy your cooking.