Also known as Caldillo, this rich and spicy Mexican Beef Stew is full of beef, potatoes, and all the delicious flavors of Mexico. It’s a slowly cooked hearty recipe perfect for a cold night by the fire.
This recipe for Mexican Beef Stew (Caldillo) may not be found on many authentic restaurant menus, but it definitely earns a “Yum” rating. And although it’s not strictly southern, I would definitely say that these kinds of “Tex-Mex” recipes have been influenced by their Texan (certainly southern) places of origin.
This combination of beef, onions, tomatoes, salsas, and potatoes is rich and spicy. Quite spicy, actually. I’d rate this as a medium, almost hot, level of spicy heat. If you want to tone it down, substitute plain diced tomatoes for the tomatoes and chilies, and make sure to use mild tomato salsa and salsa verde.
Serve this Mexican stew with warm corn or flour tortillas and wedges of lime to squeeze over each serving. It’ll fill you right up and warm you from the inside out!
— This post was originally published on May 14, 2015. It has been updated with new photos and additional information.
Recipe Snapshot
Cuisine: Southwestern
Cooking Method: Stovetop
Total Time: 2 Hours, 15 Minutes
Servings: 8
Primary Ingredient(s): Beef stw meat, onions, tomatoes with chilies, tomato salsa, salsa verde, potatoes
Skill Level: Easy
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING …
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Turned out to be an amazing dinner. I used a chuck roast & did the slow cooker method for 8 hours. This is a keeper!!!!”
— Suzanne T. DeVore
What You’ll Like About This Recipe
- A truly great stew is, first and foremost, satisfying. This one certainly is that!
- Warms you from the inside. Come in from a day spent in the cold, and this Caldillo will bring you back to life.
- Full of Mexican flavors. The chilies, the salsa, the cumin…it all works together to create something really special.
Ingredient Notes
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- Olive oil – Used to saute the meat, onions, and garlic.
- Beef Stew Meat – The beef that you choose for this stew can range from “stew meat” (see my notes about beef stew meat) to chuck roast, to London broil, sirloin, or round. All of these are appropriate for long cooking times. Choose what fits your budget. Regardless of which you choose, it should be cut into bite-sized pieces for cooking.
- Onions and Garlic Cloves – The aromatic vegetables that give depth of flavor to the finished stew.
- Diced tomatoes with Green Chilies – My preferred brand is Rotel. Choose mild, original, or hot according to your taste.
- Chicken Broth – If you have homemade on hand, use it! Otherwise, Swanson makes an acceptable canned broth.
- Tomato Salsa and Salsa Verde – One is salsa with red tomatoes, and the other is salsa made with tomatillos. If you make your own salsas, this is the perfect recipe to highlight them. Otherwise, you might try Pace brand of tomato salsa and Herdez brand of salsa verde.
- Salt, Black Pepper, and Cumin – Typical seasonings for this and other Tex-Mex recipes.
- Potatoes – Use potatoes that won’t cook to mush in the stew. Yukon Gold are perfect!
- Tortillas and Lime Wedges – For serving. Your choice of flour or corn (traditional!) tortillas.
The complete ingredient list with detailed measurements is included in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How To Make Mexican Beef Stew (Caldillo)
- Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large saucepan or Dutch oven.
- Add the beef stew meat, onions, and garlic. Sauté, stirring frequently, until the stew meat has browned and the onions are transparent.
- Add the remaining ingredients except for the potatoes. Stir well.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer.
- Cover tightly and cook over low heat for 1 1/2 hours or until the meat is tender.
- Stir in the potatoes.
- Continue cooking for an additional 30 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked through.
- Serve with warm tortillas and lime wedges on the side.
Recipe Tips
- Any vegetable oil will work if you don’t have olive oil for sauteing.
- Don’t have chicken broth? Beef broth works very well.
- For a thicker stew, make a slurry of two tablespoons of cornstarch and two tablespoons of water. Stir it in just before serving.
- Check and stir the stew occasionally during the cooking time to make sure nothing is sticking. Add broth or water if the level of liquid seems too low.
Recipe Variations to Try
- Taco seasoning will enhance the Mexican flavor of the stew without much additional spiciness.
- To really amp up the heat, consider adding some chipotle in adobo or red pepper flakes.
- Add New Mexico roasted Hatch green chilis for a burst of flavor!
- Use bacon fat in place of olive oil for a smoky background flavor.
Storing Leftovers
Allow any leftover stew to cool completely and then transfer it to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. To freeze, transfer the cooled stew to a freezer-safe container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw before reheating in the microwave or on low heat on the stovetop.
Serving Suggestions
Serve the Caldillo with warm tortillas (flour or corn) on the side and lime wedges to squeeze over the stew. Offer toppings of grated cheese, sour cream, and chopped fresh cilantro.
Pro Tip
Dairy products such as sour cream help to temper the heat from the chilis.
Caldillo pairs well with steamed rice or with salads such as black bean and corn salad or Mexican-style corn salad. Of course, stews naturally partner with bread so something like cheesy green chile cornbread is perfect to soak up all those luscious juices.
More Recipes You’ll Like
Machaca Burritos
Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Tacos
Carne Asada Tacos
Pinto Bean Cakes
Questions About Mexican Beef Stew
You can certainly make Mexican Beef Stew in a slow cooker. Start by browning the meat and onions as directed in the recipe. Add them to the slow cooker along with all the remaining ingredients except potatoes. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 12 hours, or on high for 4 to 6 hours. Add the cubed potatoes about halfway through the cooking time.
The heat level of the finished Caldillo depends entirely on the products you use in the recipe. If you want a very mild version, you could use plain canned diced tomatoes without chilis, mild tomato salsa, and mild salsa verde. If you really want to spice things up, you’d choose from the spicier Rotel options (such as Serrano), hot red salsa, and hot salsa verde plus a bit of chipotle in adobo. Know your ingredients and choose according to your personal tastes.
Have a question or thought to share?
If you have a question about the recipe or if you’ve made it and want to share how it turned out, I would truly enjoy hearing from you. Just scroll down to leave a comment or add your star rating.
Thank you for stopping by. It means a lot to have you here.
Recipe
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Mexican Beef Stew (Caldillo)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 ½ pounds beef stew meat
- 2 medium onions roughly diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 20 ounces diced tomatoes with green chilies recommend: Rotel
- 1 cup tomato salsa
- 1 ½ cups salsa verde
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 ½ pounds peeled and diced potatoes
- Tortillas and lime wedges for serving
Instructions
- Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large saucepan or Dutch oven.2 tablespoons olive oil
- Add the beef stew meat, onions, and garlic. Saute, stirring frequently, until the stew meat has browned and the onions are transparent.2 ½ pounds beef stew meat, 2 medium onions, 2 cloves garlic
- Add the remaining ingredients except for the potatoes. Stir well.20 ounces diced tomatoes with green chilies, 1 cup tomato salsa, 1 ½ cups salsa verde, 1 cup chicken broth, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, 1 teaspoon cumin
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer.
- Cover tightly and cook over low heat for 1 1/2 hours or until the meat is tender.
- Stir in the potatoes.1 ½ pounds peeled and diced potatoes
- Continue cooking for an additional 30 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked through.
- Serve with warm tortillas and lime wedges on the side.Tortillas and lime wedges for serving
Notes
- Choose any type of long cooking beef such as “stew meat, chuck roast, London broil, sirloin, or round. Regardless of which you choose, it should be cut into bite-sized pieces for cooking.
- Adjust the heat of the finished dish by using your choice of chilis and salsas. Serve with warm tortillas (flour or corn) on the side and lime wedges to squeeze over the stew. Offer toppings of grated cheese, sour cream, and chopped fresh cilantro.
- Allow any leftover stew to cool completely and then transfer it to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. To freeze, transfer the cooled stew to a freezer-safe container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw before reheating in the microwave or on low heat on the stovetop.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
I’m Lana Stuart, an award-winning cookbook author, food blogger, and lifelong cook raised deep in Southwest Georgia. I started Lana’s Cooking in 2009 to share the tried-and-true recipes I grew up with. Around here, the food is full of flavor, the traditions run deep, and there’s always room at the table.
delicious! thanks for sharing! I parboil the potatoes before adding them to the stew. 30 minutes of cooking on a low setting is not enough time, IMO! Happy cooking!
Very tasty! Love that it’s different than our normal recipe for beef stew.
Glad you like it!! It’s a nice change from typical beef stew.
Turned out to be an amazing dinner. I used a chuck roast & did the slow cooker method for 8 hours. I added carrots & black beans and taco seasoning. This is a keeper!!!!
So glad you liked it!
Thank you. We especially appreciate the additional notes!
Thanks! I’m glad you found them helpful.
This is an amazing recipe! My family and I eat it with tortillas on the side. I am trying the crockpot recipe for a church luncheon today. I am thankful for Lana adding the crockpot notes on how to in the recipe.