Make Chile Colorado Your New Comfort Food

Make Chile Colorado Your New Comfort Food
November 25, 2025

Chile colorado is all about bold, layered flavors that taste like home in every bite. Guajillo and árbol chiles, onion, garlic, and oregano come together in a rich red sauce that coats tender, masa-coated beef cubes. Browning the beef first and letting the sauce slowly thicken brings out a depth and warmth that can’t be rushed. Serve it with warm corn tortillas and Mexican rice, and you’ll see why this dish is a classic—every simmering bite is packed with aroma, comfort, and a little bit of magic.

La Familia Masa Harina Bundle

Chile Colorado (Mexican Beef Stew)

Chile Colorado (Mexican Beef Stew)

Miguel Guerrero

Servings

4-6

Category

Traditional

Ingredients

  • 10 guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded

  • 2 chiles de árbol, stemmed (optional for heat)

  • ½ medium white onion

  • 3 cloves garlic

  • 1 tsp dried oregano

  • ⅛ tsp ground cumin

  • 2 ½ tsp kosher salt, divided

  • 2 lbs top round beef, cut into 1-inch cubes

  • 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

  • 2 tbsp masa harina or flour

  • 2 tbsp neutral oil

  • 2 cups beef broth, plus more as needed

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  • Corn tortillas

  • Mexican rice

Directions

  1. Add the guajillo and árbol chiles to a saucepan along with the onion. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn off the heat, cover, and let sit for 20 minutes to soften.

  2. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the softened chiles, onion, and garlic to a blender. Add 1 cup of the chile-soaking liquid, along with the oregano, cumin, and 1 tsp salt. Blend until smooth and set aside.

  3. Pat the beef dry and toss with 1 ½ tsp salt, black pepper, and masa harina. Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the beef until golden on all sides.

  4. Pour in the blended chile sauce and 2 cups of beef broth. Stir to combine.

  5. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beef is fork-tender and the sauce has reduced and thickened, coating the meat evenly.

  6. Taste and adjust salt as needed. If the sauce is too thick, add a bit more broth; if too thin, simmer uncovered for 10–15 minutes until reduced to your liking. Serve with warm corn tortillas and Mexican rice. Provecho!

2 comments

MASIENDA |

Hi Boo! Yes, the beef should be cubed before you start cooking, as listed in the ingredient list. You’ll toss the raw 1-inch beef cubes with salt, pepper, and masa harina, then brown those cubes directly in the oil in your Dutch oven until they’re golden on all sides. Separately, you’ll soften and blend the chiles, onion, garlic, and spices into a smooth sauce. Once the beef is browned, that’s when you pour in the chile sauce and the broth, stir everything together, and let it simmer until the beef becomes tender and the sauce thickens around it.

BOO |

The meat in the picture & in all Chile Colorado looks to be cubed. Yet at what point is the meat cubed into small pieces ? When do you add the cooked Chile ? Are we adding the the cubed meat to the heated oil Dutch pot & browning the meat then adding the Chile sauce ? This is very confusing to me, please set me straight with further instruction. Pls answer asap, want to make this.

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