Beef Chile Colorado 

This Beef Chile Colorado is a comforting, deeply flavorful Mexican stew made by simmering tender beef chuck in a rich red chile sauce crafted from dried chilies like ancho, guajillo, and chile de árbol. The dish is slowly cooked until the beef becomes fall‑apart tender, making it ideal for cold-weather dinners or meal prep. Lively, smoky, and cozy, it's best served piping hot with warm tortillas, Mexican rice, and fresh garnishes like cilantro, onion, radish, and lime. Perfect to batch‑cook and enjoy over several days.

Ingredients

• 3 lb (≈1.4 kg) beef chuck roast, cubed
  
  

• 2 tsp kosher salt
  
  

• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  
  

• 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour (for coating the beef)
  
  

• 1 Tbsp neutral oil (for searing)
  
  

• 1 yellow onion, chopped
  
  

• 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
  
  

• 6 guajillo chilies, stems & seeds removed
  
  

• 4 ancho chilies, stems & seeds removed
  
  

• 3 chile de árbol, stems & seeds removed
  
  

• 2 tsp ground cumin
  
  

• 2 tsp ground coriander
  
  

• 1 tsp dried Mexican oregano
  
  

• 2½ cups beef broth
  
  

• 2 bay leaves
  
  

To serve (optional garnishes):

• White onion, diced · Cilantro, chopped · Radish slices · Lime wedges · Warm corn or flour tortillas
  
  

Directions

1. Toast and soak chilies: In a dry skillet, toast the dried guajillo, ancho, and árbol chilies for 2–3 minutes, stirring until fragrant. Transfer them to a saucepan with chopped onion and garlic; cover with water and simmer for 20 minutes until the chilies soften
   
   

2. Blend sauce: Using a slotted spoon, move the soaked chilies, onion, and garlic into a blender. Add 1 cup of the soaking liquid plus cumin, coriander, oregano, and beef broth; blend until completely smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper
   
   

3. Prep beef: Season cubed beef with salt and pepper, then toss in flour to coat evenly.
   
   

4. Sear beef: Heat oil in a Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat. Brown beef cubes in batches on all sides, then remove and set aside. Discard excess fat if needed 

5. Simmer stew: Return beef to the pot, pour in enough chile sauce to just cover the meat, and add bay leaves. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat and cover. Cook for about 2 hours until beef is fork‑tender; check at 90 minutes and adjust as needed
   
   

6. Finish and serve: Skim off any excess oil. Serve chile Colorado hot over rice or with warm tortillas. Garnish with white onion, cilantro, radish slices, and a squeeze of lime
   
   

Nutrients (per serving, serves ~6)

• Calories: ~600 kcal
  
  

• Protein: ~60 g
  
  

• Fat: ~22 g (≈11 g saturated)
  
  

• Carbohydrates: ~17 g
  
  

• Fiber: ~4 g
  
  

• Sodium: ~800 mg