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Home » Food » Main Dishes » Soups and Stews » Mexican Beef Stew

Mexican Beef Stew

By Lana Stuart · Published: May 14, 2015 · Last Modified: Oct 20, 2020 · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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Two blue bowls filled with mexican beef stew (caldillo) with lime wedges and tortillas on the side.
Two blue bowls filled with mexican beef stew (caldillo) with lime wedges and tortillas on the side.

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 slow cooking hearty recipe perfect for a cold night by the fire. Serve it with a spritz of lime and warm tortillas on the side.

I have a really delicious recipe for you today. Though 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.

Two blue bowls filled with mexican beef stew (caldillo) with lime wedges and tortillas on the side.

Whenever we go out for dinner on a weeknight, our casual dining place of choice is almost always one of our local Mexican restaurants. There's just something so alluring about that unique combination of flavors that make up Mexican recipes, isn't there?

Now, I am in no way an expert on Mexican food. And I also know very well that what we know as "Mexican" from our American-based restaurants is probably indistinguishable to a person of Mexican heritage. But, oh my goodness, don't we love it anyway?!

Tacos, burritos, and enchiladas of all kinds. Yum!

Well, today's recipe for Mexican Beef Stew (Caldillo) won't be found on many restaurant menus, but it definitely earns a "Yum" rating.

This combination of beef stew meat, 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 some, substitute plain diced tomatoes for the tomatoes and chilies and make sure to use mild tomato salsa and salsa verde. Serve the stew with warm corn or flour tortillas and wedges of lime to squeeze over each serving.

How to Make Mexican Beef Stew (Caldillo)

Beef stew meat and onions in a pot.

In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the beef stew meat, onions, and garlic.

Browned beef stew meat and onions in a pot

Saute, stirring frequently, until the stew meat has browned and the onions are transparent.

Add the remaining ingredients except the potatoes and stir well. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover tightly and cook over low heat for 1 ½ hours or until the meat is very tender.

Cooked stew with potatoes added to the pot.

Stir in the potatoes and continue cooking for an additional 30 minutes or until potatoes are cooked through.

Serve with warm tortillas and lime wedges on the side.

Enjoy!

More Tex-Mex Style Recipes on Never Enough Thyme:

  • Machaca Burritos
  • Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Tacos
  • Carne Asada Tacos
  • Jazzed Up Tacos
  • Mexican Style Corn Salad
  • Layered Mexican Chicken Salad

Mexican and Tex-Mex Recipes from Other Bloggers:

  • Arroz con Pollo from Simply Recipes
  • How to Make a Good Quesadilla from The V Spot
  • Flan from Blissfully Domestic
  • Baja Style Tempura Fish Tacos from Leite's Culinaria

Have you tried this recipe? I'd love for you to give it a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card and/or in the comments section further down.

You can always stay in touch on social media by following me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest and Sign Up to Get my Newsletter, too!


Two blue bowls filled with mexican beef stew (caldillo) with lime wedges and tortillas on the side.

Mexican Beef Stew

Also known as "Caldillo," this beef stew is rich and spicy with delicious Mexican flavors.
4.86 from 7 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Soups and Stews
Cuisine: Southwestern
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 5 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 702kcal
Author: Lana Stuart

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 ½ pounds beef stew meat
  • 2 medium onions roughly diced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 20 oz diced tomatoes with green chilies recommend: RoTel
  • 1 cup tomato salsa
  • 1 ½ cups salsa verde
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp pepper
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 ½ lbs peeled and diced potatoes
  • Tortillas and lime wedges for serving
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Instructions

  • In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the beef stew meat, onions, and garlic. Saute, stirring frequently, until the stew meat has browned and the onions are transparent.
  • Add the remaining ingredients except potatoes and stir well. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover tightly and cook over low heat for 1 ½ hours or until the meat is very tender.
  • Stir in the potatoes and continue cooking for an additional 30 minutes or until potatoes are cooked through.
  • Serve with warm tortillas and lime wedges on the side.

Notes

Adjust the heat level to your liking by using mild, medium, or hot salsas and Rotel where called for in the recipe.
Serve with lime wedges and warm tortillas. 
Leftovers may be stored for up to three days in the refrigerator in a sealed container.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1g | Calories: 702kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 70g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 176mg | Sodium: 2051mg | Potassium: 2452mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 1021IU | Vitamin C: 60mg | Calcium: 163mg | Iron: 9mg

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 health care provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.

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About Lana Stuart

Lana Stuart is the cook and occasional traveler here at Never Enough Thyme. Lana has been cooking since she was tall enough to reach the stove and started this blog in 2009 to share her delicious home cooking recipes. You'll find about 700 recipes here so there's sure to be something your family will like!
More About Lana →

Previous Post: « Cheddar Dill Quick Bread
Next Post: Oven Roasted Tomatoes in Oil »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Marisa says

    November 07, 2019 at 11:46 am

    I had this in mind my father would cook this when I was young I really didnt want to use the stew meat I had to make the same ol stew! I looked all over the internet and FINALLY found this page!! Amazing I will dress this stew with thin sliced cabbage radish cilantro lime and can’t forget tortillas!!
    Thank you so much!

    Reply
    • Lana Stuart says

      November 07, 2019 at 1:45 pm

      You're welcome! I hope you enjoy the recipe.

      Reply
  2. Robbie Moore says

    June 30, 2018 at 7:03 am

    Can this recipe be done in the slow cooker???

    Reply
    • Lana Stuart says

      June 30, 2018 at 1:02 pm

      I'm sure it could. I'd brown the beef a little first and then just cook it like you would any regular beef stew in the slow cooker.

      Reply
  3. Cookin Canuck says

    May 16, 2015 at 3:05 pm

    My husband would love this stew. He goes crazy for anything with Mexican flavors and this looks like a perfect stick-to-you-ribs kind of dish.

    Reply
  4. Lily Lau says

    May 16, 2015 at 1:28 pm

    Mexican beef, what have you just done... :D

    Reply
  5. Martha @ A Family Feast says

    May 16, 2015 at 10:25 am

    I love the new spin you've put on a classic beef stew! And I bet that lime juice at the end is a great contrast to the richness of the beef! Perfect!

    Reply
    • Lana Stuart says

      May 16, 2015 at 1:28 pm

      Yes, Martha, the lime cuts right through all the rich flavors in the stew!

      Reply
  6. Nutmeg Nanny says

    May 16, 2015 at 9:12 am

    This soup looks so good! We are still getting some pretty cool nights so it's perfect for this soup. Love the squeeze of lime on top....yum!

    Reply
    • Lana Stuart says

      May 16, 2015 at 1:27 pm

      Yes, this is great for a cool spring night. And do be sure to include the lime!

      Reply
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Hi! I'm Lana Stuart, the cook and occasional traveler here at Never Enough Thyme. I've been cooking since I was tall enough to reach the stove and started this blog in 2009 so I could share my delicious home cooking recipes with all of you. You'll find almost 700 recipes here so there's sure to be something your family will like!
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