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Caldillo Mexican Beef Stew

Caldillo Mexican beef stew with tender potatoes and roasted green chiles simmered in a light tomato broth. Browned beef, layered seasonings, and a gentle simmer create a brothy bowl that's ready to serve with warm tortillas, lime, and cilantro.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Beef chuck
  • 2 lb beef chuck cut into 1-inch cubes
Seasoning
  • 1.5 tsp salt
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
Cooking oil
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
Aromatics
  • 1 onion diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
Green chile and tomato base
  • 1.5 cup roasted Hatch or Anaheim green chiles peeled and chopped
  • 2 Roma tomatoes diced
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp dried Mexican oregano
Broth
  • 6 cup beef broth
Potatoes
  • 1.5 lb potatoes cubed
Topping and serving
  • 2 tbsp fresh cilantro chopped
  • 1 lime wedges for serving
  • 1 warm tortillas for serving

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Brown the beef
  1. Season the beef chuck cubes with salt and black pepper, then brown them in hot vegetable oil in batches in a Dutch oven until browned on the outside, about 5 to 7 minutes per batch.
  2. Transfer browned beef to a plate while you brown the remaining pieces so the pan stays hot for quicker browning.
Build the chile-tomato base
  1. In the same Dutch oven, cook the diced onion for 4 minutes until softened, then add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  2. Stir in the roasted green chiles, diced Roma tomatoes, ground cumin, and dried Mexican oregano, then cook for 3 minutes to coat the vegetables in spices.
Simmer until beef is tender
  1. Pour in the beef broth, add the browned beef, cover, and simmer for 1 1/2 hours until the beef is tender and the stew looks brothy.
Cook the potatoes
  1. Add the cubed potatoes to the pot, recover, and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes until tender when pierced with a fork.
Finish and serve
  1. Turn off the heat and top the caldillo with chopped fresh cilantro so it stays bright and fresh.
  2. Serve hot with lime wedges and warm tortillas alongside so diners can squeeze in lime and dip as desired.

Notes

Pro tip: browning the beef in batches helps the stew develop deeper flavor without steaming. Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container for up to 4 days; reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of broth if needed. Freeze up to 2 months, but for best potato texture, thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat slowly. For a lighter option, use reduced-sodium beef broth and trim excess fat from the chuck before browning.