Carne en salsa verde is a rustic Mexican beef stew built on a charred tomatillo-serrano salsa, simmered with potatoes, poblanos, and calabaza until tender. The smoky, slightly spicy salsa base is the defining element that sets it apart from other beef stews.
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Prep the vegetables: Husk and rinse the tomatillos. Stem and rinse the serrano and jalapeño chiles. Vivi keeps the chiles whole but you can seed, according to your heat tolerance. Peel and slice the onion. Peel the garlic cloves and keep them whole.
In a medium-high hot pan, comal or griddle, place the tomatillos, chiles, onion, and garlic cloves. Sprinkle olive oil and salt on them. Toast until blistered and charred in spots. (Alternately, place the vegetables on a baking sheet in a 375° oven and roast until blistered and charred in spots.)
Place the roasted tomatillos, chiles, onion and garlic cloves in a blender. Add cilantro, cumin, chicken bouillon seasoning and water. Pulse until well blended. Set aside.
Slice the beef into strips. Season with salt and pepper.
Place a large pan on medium-high heat. Coat with olive oil.
Add sliced onion, beef strips and sliced poblano chiles to the hot pan. Cook until tender, stirring occasionally.
Stir in the Mexican calabaza or zucchini and the potato chunks.
Pour in about 2 cups of the salsa verde, so that it covers the meat and vegetables. Stir together.
Bring to a simmer and cover with a lid. Let it cook on low until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
When it’s ready, give the stew one final good stir. Serve in bowls with a dollop of Mexican crema or sour cream, a squeeze of lime, and a side of hot tortillas to dip into the salsa verde sauce.
Store leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days refrigerated. Reheat gently over low heat on the stovetop, adding a splash of water if needed; freezes well up to 2 months.
Comal, griddle, or cast-iron skillet for charring vegetables · Blender for salsa verde · Large heavy-bottomed pan or Dutch oven for braising
Yes. Prepare and blend the salsa verde in step 3 up to 2 days ahead, store covered in the refrigerator, then use it when ready to cook the beef and vegetables.
Moderate heat from serranos and jalapeños. For milder salsa, seed the chiles before blending. For more heat, add extra serranos or leave chiles unseeded.
Sirloin (bistec de res) as called for; it becomes tender when sliced thin and simmered. Flank or skirt steak are good alternatives.
Yes, regular zucchini works well as a 1:1 substitute and cooks in the same timeframe.
Pierce with a fork after 15 minutes of simmering. They should be tender but not falling apart, typically 15–20 minutes total.
