Bistec Ranchero is a traditional Mexican steak recipe made with tender beef cooked in a rustic preparation of roasted tomatoes, chiles, onions, and potatoes. A beloved homemade classic from Northern Mexico.
The dish gets its name from ranchero, meaning ranch-style, because it is inspired by rustic countryside cooking where meals were made with what was available and transformed into something delicious and satisfying.
Every family and region in Mexico may have its own version, with different chiles, vegetables, or cooking methods.
This recipe for Bistec Ranchero is perfect for a family lunch or dinner because it is hearty, easy to prepare, and full of authentic Mexican flavors.
Ingredients You Need
- Beef: Traditionally, Bistec Ranchero is made with thinly sliced beef. Cuts such as sirloin, top round, or chuck can work well for this recipe.
- Veggies: Tomatoes, jalapeño (or serrano) chiles, onion, potatoes, and poblano peppers.
- Spices & aromatics: garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper.
How To Make Bistec Ranchero
Start by roasting the tomatoes, jalapeño chiles, onion, garlic, and poblano peppers on a comal or cast iron skillet until softened and lightly charred. Peel and slice the roasted poblanos into strips and set aside.
For a more traditional preparation, grind the roasted ingredients in a molcajete, starting with garlic, onion, cumin seeds, and salt, then adding the chiles and tomatoes until you have a rustic mixture.
Season the thinly sliced beef with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and cumin. Sear it briefly in a hot pan.
Then cover and cook over low heat until tender, allowing the meat to release and absorb its own juices.
Once the beef is tender, add the onions, roasted poblanos, and potatoes and cook for a few minutes stirring until the onions start to caramelize.
Pour in the roasted ranchero base, add a little water, and simmer until the potatoes are soft and all the flavors come together.
Little Notes to Make It Even Better
- Thinly sliced beef cooks faster and becomes more tender. Sirloin, top round, chuck, or any thin steak all work well for this recipe.
- Understanding the different beef cuts can help you choose the best option for your dish.
- A molcajete gives the roasted vegetables a rustic texture, but a blender works just as well. Just pulse a few times instead of blending until completely smooth.
- Poblano peppers keep the dish mild, while jalapeños or serranos add more heat. Use your favorite or a combination of both.
- Let the beef become tender before adding the potatoes. If the pan dries out before the meat is cooked, add a small splash of water. Not enough to cover the meat, just enough to help it finish cooking.
Serving Suggestions
Bistec Ranchero is traditionally served with tortillas de harina, perfect for scooping up every bit of the flavorful juices.
For a classic Mexican meal, pair it with frijoles de la olla or refried beans, plus a side of Mexican rice.
If you’re serving it for a family lunch or dinner, add a few slices of avocado and spoonful of your favorite salsa.
How to Store
Allow the bistec ranchero to cool completely before storing.
- Refrigerator: Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. The flavors continue to develop, making it even more delicious the next day.
- Freezer: This dish freezes well. Place it in a freezer-safe container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. For the best texture, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- To reheat: Warm it gently in a skillet over medium-low heat until heated through, adding a splash of water or beef broth if the sauce has thickened too much. You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave, covered, in 30-second intervals, stirring between each interval.
Note: The potatoes may become a little softer after freezing, but the flavor of the dish remains just as delicious.
Other Mexican Beef Dishes
Mexican home cooking is full of comforting beef dishes made with simple ingredients and lots of flavor. Here are some more family-style recipes you might want to try next.
Bistec Ranchero
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lb beef steak (thinly sliced)
- 1 medium onion (sliced)
- 2 medium poblano peppers (read notes)
- 1 lb potatoes (peeled and cut into cubes)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 3 Tablespoon olive oil
- salt and pepper
For the ranchero sauce
- 1 lb tomatoes
- ½ small onion
- 2 jalapeño peppers
- 1 clove of garlic
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- salt (to taste)
Instructions
- Roast the tomatoes, jalapeño peppers, onion, garlic, and poblano peppers on a comal or cast iron skillet until softened and lightly charred.
- Place the roasted poblanos in a bowl, cover, and let them steam for a few minutes. Peel, remove the seeds, and slice them into strips.
- Using a molcajete (or a blender), grind the garlic, cumin seeds, salt, and onion into a paste. Add the jalapeños and tomatoes gradually, grinding until you have a rustic mixture.
- Season the beef with salt, garlic powder, black pepper, and cumin.
- Heat oil in a pan and sear the meat over high heat for about 1 minute per side.
- Cover the pan, reduce the heat to low, and cook until the meat becomes tender and releases its juices, about 30 minutes. If needed, add a small splash of water to create steam and continue cooking.
- Once the beef is tender, add the onion, potatoes, and roasted poblano strips. Cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions begin to soften.
- Add the roasted tomato mixture and season with salt. Pour in enough water to slightly cover the ingredients and bring to a simmer.
- Cover the pan and cook over medium-low heat until the potatoes are tender and the flavors come together, about 10 minutes.
Notes
- Thinly sliced beef works best for this recipe. Sirloin, top round, chuck, or other thin cuts work well.
- Fresh roasted poblano peppers give the best flavor, but you can use canned roasted poblano peppers.
- To make it less spicy, remove the seeds and veins from the jalapeño or serrano peppers before roasting.
- If you don’t have a molcajete, you can use a blender instead. Blend the roasted ingredients briefly to keep a rustic texture.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop, adding a splash of water if needed.
- To freeze, store in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
Nutrition Information
Originally published on June 6, 2021. Updated in July 2026 to improve the instructions for a better cooking experience.
Are we supposed to peel the tomatoes and jalepenos after roasting?
Hi Mari,
Lovely homely stew and perfect here in Britain at the moment. Summer has been wet this year, and none too warm either.
I used Beef Brisket, sliced as thin as I could, a green (bell) Pepper and only 1 Jalapeño as the others in the bag that I bought were mushy. I did add a deseeded Thai Chilli but that didn’t up the heat much.
I’ll be cooking this one again.
Thankyou.
Paul:-)
Love this recipe. Highly recommend.
AMAZING! I loved how detailed and easy to follow this recipe was. It was a 10 out of 10 delicious for my family and I! Thank you for the recipe.
Thank you, Jen! Glad you liked it :)
This Steak Ranchero was a so DELICIOUS! Succulent steak smothered in a rich, smoky ranchero sauce, topped with sautéed peppers and onions – a burst of mexican goodness in every bite. This recipe is going straight to my favorites, perfect for any day and super easy to make!
I made this and let the sauce get real , real thick until the potatoes still had the cubed form and there was no liquid left. My Mom made this when we were kids. She then made tortillas (every day) by hand no measuring cups, using the palm of her hand to measure. She would put the steak potato mixture in the tortilla on plates and serve. She would have bowls of lettuce, salsa, and guacamole on the table. She called them burros or burritos. This is the closet recipe to that childhood memory that I have found. I made these for my sons when they came home for the holidays. They went crazy over them. They both asked for the recipe. Then when they each made them they called for me to walk them through the cooking process. Made for some funny and insightful memories as they talked about their grandmother and all the things she had done for us as they were growing up.
Diana, I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe and had that lovely moment with your sons.
For me it also have many dear memories as my grandma would make it and pack it for lunch for my grandpa and uncles.
This was so good!! I didn’t have a full pound of tomatoes but I had a tomatillo so used that with red tomatoes in the salsa, and roasted mine in a cast iron pan. Still turned out yummy :)
Loved the dish, I’ve had bistec ranchero before but it was more like a beef stew with tomato sauce. Yours has texture and lots of flavor because of the poblanos and potatoes. I served with refried beans and spanish rice, it was superb!