Chile Colorado is a classic Mexican stew of beef simmered in a vibrant red chile sauce. This is the best Beef Chile Colorado (also called Carne con Chile Rojo) we’ve made at home.
I used to order Chile Colorado at restaurants, but now I prepare it at home because it’s healthier and you control the ingredients and fat content. The result is rich, comforting, and full of authentic chile flavor.
Types of Chiles for Chile Colorado:
Dried chiles are the foundation of the sauce. My favorites are New Mexico chiles and Guajillo chiles—sometimes I combine them. If you want more heat, add a few Chile de Arbol. Both New Mexico and Guajillo chiles provide a deep, slightly fruity red flavor; Guajillo tends to give a touch more spice.
Trim the stems and remove the seeds, then rinse the pods. I recommend wearing kitchen gloves when handling seeds to avoid skin irritation.
Chile de Arbol is optional and adds heat; omit it if you prefer a milder stew.
How to cook Chile Colorado with Beef
The process divides into two main parts: make the red chile sauce and prepare the beef. After that, combine everything in a large pot and simmer until the beef is tender—usually a couple of hours.
Tips for making the Red Chile Sauce:
Toast the dried chiles briefly in a hot skillet until fragrant and lightly browned—about 1–2 minutes. Toasting deepens the flavor but don’t let them burn; stir and flip while toasting.
Then soak the toasted chiles in hot broth for 15–20 minutes to soften. Sauté onions and garlic until translucent, then blend the softened chiles with the broth, onions, and garlic until smooth. If you have a high-powered blender, the sauce will puree very fine and may not require straining. With a regular blender or food processor, pass the sauce through a fine mesh sieve to remove any remaining seeds or bits.
Tips for Beef Preparation:
- Season cubed beef with salt and pepper, then sear in a hot pan with a little oil. Work in batches on medium-high heat, about 5 minutes per batch, to achieve a good brown crust.
- Searing enhances texture and adds caramelized flavor. Don’t crowd the pan—crowding causes steaming instead of browning. The goal here is browning the exterior; the meat will finish cooking during the simmer.
- I used a large cast-iron skillet and seared the beef in two batches. More batches give better spacing and browning, but it still turns out flavorful even if you’re pressed for time.
- If you’re short on time, you can skip searing—the stew will still be tasty—but searing is worth the extra step for increased depth of flavor.
Types of Beef for Chile Colorado:
I used chuck steak cut into 1″ cubes and trimmed of excess fat. Other good options include stew meat, London broil, or sirloin. Any cut that benefits from slow cooking will work, since the meat simmers until tender.
Cooking Methods for Chile Colorado:
I slow-cooked this on the stovetop in a large pot for 2–2.5 hours. You can also use a slow cooker or Instant Pot. For those methods, reduce the broth by ½ cup because they don’t allow the sauce to reduce as much as stovetop simmering. If needed, thicken the sauce with Masa Harina or flour at the end.
How to Use Leftover Sauce:
Leftover chile sauce is valuable—don’t discard it. Use it as enchilada sauce for a small tray of enchiladas, add it to browned ground beef for a quick chili, use it inside or over burritos, or drizzle it over other dishes to boost flavor.
Slow-Cooker Method:
- Use ½ cup less broth than the stovetop recipe. Make the sauce and (optionally) sear the meat. Add everything to the slow cooker and cook on Low for 6–8 hours or High for 3–4 hours.
Instant Pot:
- Use ½ cup less broth. Set Instant Pot to Sauté high to cook onions, garlic, and to sear beef in batches. Turn off Sauté, add all ingredients, seal, and cook on Manual/High for 30 minutes. Allow a natural release of 10–15 minutes.
How to Serve:
Serve Chile Colorado with rice, warm corn tortillas, and beans or roasted vegetables. For a Mexican-themed meal, add chips and guacamole for a complete spread. Garnish the stew with chopped cilantro and serve with lime wedges if desired.
Enjoy!
If you try this recipe, please leave a review and star rating in the comments section to let me know how it turned out.
Chile Colorado {Beef Stewed in a Red Chile Sauce}
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Equipment
- 12″ Cast Iron Skillet
- Large Stockpot
- High-powered blender (optional)
Ingredients
For the Sauce:
- 12 New Mexico chiles or Guajillo chiles, dried
- 1–4 Chile de Arbol (optional, for added heat)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, sliced
- 6 garlic cloves, whole
- 2 cups chicken broth (or beef broth)
For the Beef & Stew:
- 3 lbs beef chuck roast or steak, cut into 1″ cubes, trimmed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cups chicken broth (or beef broth)
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- Salt & pepper to taste
Optional:
- 1–2 tablespoons Masa Harina or all-purpose flour (to thicken if needed)
Instructions
For the Sauce:
- Remove stems and seeds from the dried chiles, rinse, and pat dry.
- Toast the chiles in a skillet over medium heat until lightly browned and fragrant, about 1–2 minutes.
- Bring 2 cups of broth to a boil in a saucepan large enough to hold the chiles, then turn off the heat.
- Submerge the toasted chiles in the hot broth, cover, and soak for 15–20 minutes to soften.
- Meanwhile, sauté the garlic and onions in 1 tablespoon olive oil until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Blend the softened chiles with the soaking broth, sautéed onions, garlic, and Chile de Arbol (if using) until smooth. Strain if desired or if your blender leaves bits behind.
For the Beef & Stew:
- Sear the cubed beef in a hot skillet with 1 tablespoon oil in 2–3 batches until well browned, about 5 minutes per batch.
- In a large stockpot, combine the blended sauce, seared beef, 2 cups broth, and spices.
- Bring to a boil, then partially cover and simmer on low for 2–2.5 hours, or until the meat is tender. If you prefer a thicker sauce, whisk Masa Harina or flour with some sauce and stir in during the last 15 minutes of cooking.
- Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Serve garnished with cilantro and with rice, tortillas, or your preferred sides.
Notes
Short on time? Skip searing—your stew will still be delicious, though searing adds extra depth.
If you have a high-powered blender, straining the sauce may not be necessary. Otherwise, pass the blended sauce through a fine sieve to remove seeds and bits.
To thicken a thin sauce, mix 1–2 tablespoons Masa Harina or all-purpose flour with about 1 cup of the sauce, then stir it back into the pot and simmer 10–15 minutes.
Leftover sauce works well for enchiladas, chili, or as a red sauce for burritos and other dishes.
Slow-Cooker:
- Use ½ cup less broth. Make the sauce and (optionally) sear the meat, then cook on Low 6–8 hours or High 3–4 hours.
Instant Pot:
- Use ½ cup less broth. Use Sauté to cook onions/garlic and sear beef, then add all ingredients and cook on Manual/High for 30 minutes with a natural release of 10–15 minutes.
Nutrition Facts
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