Carne con Papas is a classic Mexican beef and potato dish made with tender chunks of beef, potatoes, and a savory tomato and chile sauce. It’s an easy, hearty one-pot meal that’s perfect with warm corn tortillas.
If you’re interested in the regional dishes and traditions behind recipes like this one, read my History of Durango Mexican Food.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe ❤️
- Simple and comforting. Tender beef and potatoes simmer together in a flavorful tomato-based sauce for a hearty, satisfying meal.
- It’s a family favorite. This is the kind of traditional Mexican recipe that reminds me of home, family, and my mom’s cooking.
- Simple ingredients. This recipe uses everyday ingredients like beef, potatoes, tomatoes, onion, garlic, and serrano chiles.
- Perfect for a weeknight dinner. It’s filling, comforting, and easy to serve with warm tortillas, rice, or beans.
A Taste of Durango 🦂
I feel like I can make Carne con Papas in my sleep. LOL. I’ve made it so many times that I don’t really have to think about it.
It reminds me of Durango, my mom, and my aunts cooking. Traditional food from Durango is hearty and comforting, with plenty of meat, potatoes, beans, and homemade tortillas.
If you enjoy this style of Durango cooking, try my Caldillo Durangueño, another traditional dish from my family’s home state.
Ingredients
🥩 To Make The Beef
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 ½ lbs chuck roast beef chopped into 1-inch pieces
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon ground oregano
- ½ onion diced (for the beef)
- 2 potatoes peeled and diced into 1-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
🥫 To Make The Sauce
- 3 Roma tomatoes quartered
- ½ onion rough chopped (for the sauce)
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 serrano peppers stems removed
- 1 teaspoon beef bouillon
- 4 cup water
Serrano chiles are spicier than jalapenos. You can easily use jalapenos instead in this recipe.
For a less spicy dish, use only 1 serrano chile.
Knorr Beef Bouillon is a very common ingredient in Mexican households. If you are not a fan, you can use Better than Bouillon instead.
👩🏼🍳 Instructions
- Chop up the beef into 1-inch pieces.
- Season with salt, pepper, oregano, and cumin.
Here, we are using chuck roast. This is the same cut to make Slow Cooker Birria. It has a good amount of fat in it to give the dish flavor.
For a leaner cut without as much fat, try top loin, bottom round, or eye of round steak.
- Heat the oil in a large stock pot.
- Add the beef and onion.
- Cook for 5 minutes, or until the juices are released.
- Add the tomatoes, serrano, onion, and garlic to the blender.
- Add bouillon and water.
- Blend until smooth.
- Pour the tomato sauce into the pot.
Taste the sauce before you add it to the pot. This is your opportunity to ADJUST if you need to.
- Peel and dice potatoes.
- Add the potatoes to the pot.
- Cook for 10 minutes.
To keep the potatoes from turning brown, place them in water while you’re waiting to add them to the pot.
Hate peeling tomatoes? Me too! Swap out for red potatoes or fingerling potatoes that require NO PEELING.
- Add the tomato paste.
- Stir to combine.
- Cook for an additional 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are fully cooked.
- Check them in 5 minutes. If they are fork tender, then you’re good to go.
The tomato paste will thicken the sauce, making it rich and yummy.
For a thicker cut potato, you might need as long as 15 minutes to fully cook through.
🙋🏻♀️ Frequently Asked Questions
Carne con Papas is a traditional Mexican dish made with beef and potatoes simmered in a savory tomato and chile sauce. It’s a hearty home-style meal that is commonly served with warm corn tortillas, rice, or beans.
I use chuck roast because it has enough fat to stay flavorful and tender as it cooks. Cut the beef into small, bite-sized pieces before cooking. You can also use another beef cut suitable for stewing, but cooking time may vary.
It can be, but it doesn’t have to be. This recipe uses serrano chiles, but you can use fewer serranos for a milder sauce or substitute jalapeños. If the sauce is too spicy, blend in another tomato to balance the heat.
Yes. Carne con Papas can be made ahead and reheated gently on the stovetop or in the microwave. The leftovers are also great the next day, although the potatoes may soften slightly as they sit in the sauce.
No. They are similar Mexican beef and potato dishes, but they are different recipes. Caldillo Durangueño is a traditional dish from Durango that is typically made with chile pasado. Carne con Papas has a tomato-based sauce and is prepared differently.
The names are sometimes used interchangeably, but preparations vary by region and family. This version starts by searing the beef and then simmers it in a tomato and chile sauce with potatoes.
Carne con Papas is simple Mexican comfort food made with tender beef, potatoes, and a flavorful tomato and chile sauce.
Serve it with warm corn tortillas and spoon plenty of that delicious sauce over everything. ❤️
Carne con Papas
Ingredients
To Make The Beef:
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 ½ lbs chuck roast beef chopped into 1-inch pieces
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon ground oregano
- ½ onion diced (for the beef)
- 2 potatoes peeled and diced into 1-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
To Make The Sauce:
- 3 Roma tomatoes quartered
- ½ onion rough chopped (for the sauce)
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 serrano peppers stems removed
- 1 teaspoon beef bouillon
- 4 cup water
Instructions
To Make the Beef:
- In a large stock pot, heat the oil.
- Season the beef with salt, pepper, cumin, and oregano.
- Add the beef and onion to the stock pot and cook for 5 minutes.
To Make the Tomato Sauce:
- While the beef is cooking, add tomatoes, onion, garlic, serranos, bouillon, and water to a blender.
- Blend until smooth.
- Pour sauce into the stock pot with the beef.
- Add the diced potatoes.
- Stir to combine.
- Cover and cook for 10 minutes.
- Add the tomato paste to the pot.
- Stir to combine.
- Cook for an additional 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender.
- Serve with plenty of sauce and enjoy!
Another great keeper, Ms. Maggie. The sauce was a bit more liquid than I expected (though I used only about half the suggested amount of stock), but with a wonderful flavor. Maybe my Romas were a bit juicier than normal. Served it with Mayocoba pot beans, which I then fried with bacon drippings.
Thanks again,
Joe
If the roma tomatoes are juicy, yes, that could’ve done it. I like this dish a little runny. If you want to thicken it up, add a squirt of tomato paste next time you’re making Carne con Papas.
Thank you for providing actual measurements! So, very helpful. Is the nutrition info based on a single serving?
My recipe card generates the nutrition based on single servings.
Came out sooo good. My husband and kids loved it!
I love it when I hear that kids liked a recipe. My kiddo can be somewhat picky. Hope you make it again!