Ropa Vieja

Country Of Origin: Cuba 🇨🇺

Ropa vieja, Cuba’s national dish, is a flavorful stew made with shredded beef simmered alongside tomatoes, onions, and peppers. Traditionally paired with yellow rice and often enjoyed with a cold beer, it embodies the hearty, comforting essence of Cuban cuisine. Like many culinary treasures of the island, its roots trace back to Spain, carried across the Atlantic by the Spaniards to Cuba and the wider Caribbean.

The dish is thought to have originated with Sephardic Jews from the Iberian Peninsula, who, unable to cook during the Sabbath, would prepare this rich stew in advance. It's name, ropa vieja—meaning “old clothes”—comes from a folktale about a poor man who, having nothing to eat, shredded his clothes and placed them in a pot. As he prayed, the rags miraculously transformed into a savory beef stew.

Today, ropa vieja remains a beloved staple across Cuba and much of the Caribbean, with each region adding its own variations while preserving the dish’s rich history and comforting flavors.

Fun Fact: Although ropa vieja is Cuba's national dish, it's origins are from Spain.

Our Favorite Recipe: https://www.daringgourmet.com/best-ropa-vieja-the-national-dish-of-cuba/

Cuba is a vibrant country with a tremendously rich history and culture. Cuban cuisine is a very big part of that culture and the flavors that come out from this beautiful Caribbean island are absolutely delicious.

Check out these amazing Cuban cookbooks for more inspiration:

The Cuban Table: A Celebration of Food, Flavors, and History https://amzn.to/4mcC0XF

Memories of a Cuban Kitchen: https://amzn.to/4gauevO

The Essential Cuban Cookbook: https://amzn.to/4679e4x

For Desserts: https://amzn.to/3JQHdXH

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