Carne Con Tomate (Meat in Tomato Sauce)

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This recipe of Carne Con Tomate (Meat in Tomato Sauce)- is a traditional Spanish recipe, usually made with beef or pork and cooked in tomato salsa.

Carne con Tomate- A classic dish from Andalucia Spain

Carne con Tomate- Meat with tomato is one of the most common recipes in any house in Andalusia and can be found on the tapas list of almost all bars and taverns.

This dish can also be found under the name of Spanish Beef Tomato Stew, Beef Tomato Stew, Spanish Pork And Tomato Stew, or Carne En Salsa, Carne En Salsa Roja, Carne Con Tomates, etc.

There are many different ways to make it, as it usually happens with popular cuisine dishes. However, this version of the popular recipe is one of the richest that I have ever tried.

This recipe will give you instructions on cooking this dish in 3 ways: on the stove, in a Crockpot, and the Instant Pot. You will discover how easy it is to make this recipe using classic or modern methods. 

It is very delicious and easy to make, and you can serve this meat stew with any side dish you enjoy.

The traditional way of serving this dish is with cooked potatoes, like fried, roasted, or even mashed. Rice or pasta is also a favorite.

If you are not in the mood for any side dish, just get some French baguette or crusty artisanal bread and dip it in the sauce.

Why we love stews, and what is the story of this recipe on the blog:

I love stews in any form and at any time of the year. Stews are comfort food for cold seasons and delicious for supper or lunch. In my house, we have them all the time.

There is nothing better than coming home, hungry from work, and warming up a bowl of stew. It makes everything better.

When my daughter lived in Spain for a while, she told me about the Carne con Tomate dish and raved about it. She would tell me that she and her friends would eat it at dinner.

A communal bowl full of the stew and some crusty bread, and they would sit down and eat it until their bellies would be full.

It sounded like so much fun. Then, when we visited her, she took us to a restaurant where they served this stew on a hoagie bun.

Here we were in the south of Spain, sitting by beautiful historical sites and eating a sandwich filled with Carne con Tomate!

With sauce dripping down our hands, the only thing you could hear was our chewing sounds.

She even sent me back home to the US with typical Spanish ingredients, so she could make sure my Spanish recipes would be as authentic as possible. (We take these Spanish dishes seriously in this family)

What kind of ingredients you need to make for this Carne Con Tomate (Meat in Tomato Sauce):

Meat

This dish is made with either beef or pork. Both versions are super delicious and economical. The meat is cut into bite-size chunks and browned in olive oil. You might see recipes that talk only about beef being used in this traditional recipe, but pork is often used with great success.

Beef shank- is a cut of beef taken from the lower leg of the animal. This muscle is very used by the animal, and it has a lot of connective tissue.

This connective tissue is broken down through slow cooking over low heat and results in moist, tender meat with rich flavor.

Chuck beef- it also has a lot of flavors. While not as tender as other beef cuts and can become rather tough if not cooked properly, this cut is perfect to be stewed, slow-cooked or braised to make it more tender.  

Pork– If you choose to use pork instead, then any kind of pork meat is fine. I personally prefer the shoulder part because it has more connective tissue, therefore more flavorful.

Onions and Garlic

I am always flexible with the type of onion I cook with. I always have both white and red onions in the pantry and use them for all kinds of dishes. Keep in mind that red onions are milder and sweeter than white onions, but other than that, both onions are fine to use.

There is no Carne Con Tomate without garlic. Garlic brings flavor and goes really well with tomato sauce and meats.

Olive oil

This is the oil I use for cooking Spanish dishes in particular. Quality always goes over quantity, so please buy the best olive oil you can afford because it makes a huge difference in the taste of the final dish. Not all olive oils are the same.

Wine

The traditional recipes of this Carne Con Tomate use sherry wine, or Vino de Jerez. We will talk more about this wine later.

Nutmeg

This awesome spice is one of the most popular ingredients in Spanish Cuisine, and I encourage you to use it when you make Spanish dishes for more authenticity. Fresh ground nutmeg is better but use what you have in your pantry.

Bay leaves

The bay leaves are mandatory for this dish. Meat, tomato sauce, and bay leaves are a match made in Heaven and they cannot give you that specific taste of the dish if one of them is missing.

Salt and pepper

I hate to give you certain amounts of salt because everyone is different and some of you might look for less salt in their food. I added some amount of salt that I personally like, but use salt according to your taste and needs.

Some other ingredients that are equally popular and you might find in other versions of Carne Con Tomate:

Green peppers, Red peppers, Thyme, Oregano, Red Wine, etc.

Let’s talk a little bit about what is Vino De Jerez(Spanish Sherry wine- fortified):

Vino de Jerez is a versatile wine that tends to adapt to almost all Spanish dishes. This wine can be classified as one of the oldest and most famous in Spain and Europe. It is produced in Andalusia, a Spanish province, favored by a warm climate and calcareous soil.

There are different types of Jerez that are equally used in this dish:

• The Oloroso Wine– dry and light on the palate, between 17º and 22º, it has an amber color, attenuated pungent aroma with a hazelnut flavor. It is considered ideal for enhancing the flavors of tuna, meat stews, aged cheeses and sausages.
• Amontillado Wine– dry and light on the palate, between 17º and 22º, amber color, attenuated pungent aroma with a hazelnut flavor.
• Fino– dry and light on the palate, between 15º and 17º, it is sharp with a delicate aroma of almond.

If you cannot find any of these wines, then use higher content alcohol (from 12.5 percent up) dry wine that you enjoy.

What to serve with this stew:

The traditional way of serving this Carne con tomate is with cooked potatoes, like fried, roasted, or even mashed. Rice or pasta is also a favorite.

Can I freeze this dish?

Yes, you can absolutely freeze it! 

Transfer the stew into a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. You can also transfer it into a single serving portion and freeze it.

It is best to defrost it overnight in the refrigerator before serving. Heat in microwave or stovetop for a few minutes and stir occasionally.

Can I make this recipe in the Crock Pot/Slowcooker:

Of course! Follow the same recipe, but start by browning the meat in a separate skillet, sauté the onion and garlic, then transfer everything in the crockpot, add the rest of the ingredients, cover, and cook for 4 hours on “High” or 6 hours on “Low.”

Can I make this recipe using an Instant Pot:

Yes! See the instructions below or follow the instructions on your Instant Pot. For tender and juicy meat, I recommend cooking it for about 20 minutes per pound on high pressure (the manual setting), plus 15 minutes of natural release.

Some other stew recipes that you might find interesting:

Hungarian Goulash

Easy Potato And Meat Stew

Chicken Stewed in Tomato Garlic and Cinnamon- Kota Kapama

Peas and Chicken Stew

Easy recipe of Mexican Pork in Green Sauce- Puerco en salsa verde

Chicken stew with black olives 

Enjoy!