Argentine Rice and Beef Stew

Guiso de arroz is a beloved spoon dish in Argentine home cooking, where rice is cooked together with beef, chorizo, and vegetables until it soaks up all the stew’s flavor.

It’s a dish that brings back childhood memories, the smell of grandma’s kitchen, and family gatherings on cold days.

Argentine Rice and Beef Stew

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• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 45 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings
• Category: Main Course
• Cuisine: Argentine

Print Recipe

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Ingredients

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Nutrition

• Calories: 410

Ingredients

• 350 g of beef (top round, eye round, or rump), cubed (about 12 oz)
• 250 g of rice (about 9 oz)
• 1 of chorizo
• 1 of onion, chopped
• 1 of red bell pepper, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1 of carrot, finely cubed
• 1 can of tomato purée (or 3 crushed tomatoes)
• 1 of bay leaf
• to taste of paprika, oregano, and thyme
• to taste of salt and pepper
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• as needed of water or broth

Instructions

1. Prepare the ingredients, finely chop the vegetables, cube the beef, and de-fat the chorizo by boiling it briefly or browning it separately in a skillet.
2. Brown the beef, in a pot with olive oil and the chopped garlic, brown the beef cubes on all sides over high heat.
3. Add the vegetables, lower the heat, add the onion, bell pepper, and carrot, and cook until translucent.
4. Add the chorizo, stir in the de-fatted chorizo, thinly sliced, and let it combine with the rest of the ingredients.
5. Season, add the tomato purée, bay leaf, paprika, oregano, and thyme, and cook a few minutes until the sauce darkens slightly.
6. Add water, stir in 2 cups of water or broth and bring to a boil.
7. Cook the rice, once boiling, add the rice and cook over the lowest heat, stirring occasionally so it doesn’t stick, until the liquid is almost fully absorbed and the rice is done.

Tips for getting it right

• De-fatting the chorizo before adding it keeps the stew from turning too oily.
• The ideal ratio for al dente rice is one part rice to two or two and a half parts water.
• Use budget cuts of beef, since the long cooking time tenderizes them perfectly.
• Cook over the lowest heat once the rice is added, so it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot.

Traditional variations

• Some families add cubed squash along with the other vegetables for extra sweetness.
• It’s also made with chicken instead of beef, following the same procedure.

How to serve

Guiso de arroz is served piping hot as a main dish, straight off the stove.

It’s a classic of Argentine home cooking, perfect for cold days.

Recommended sides

• Crusty bread
• Grated cheese
• Red wine

Did you know?

Guiso de arroz is considered a true emblem of the Argentine table, passed down from generation to generation in family kitchens.

The key to its flavor is letting the rice cook by absorbing all the liquid from the stew, rather than cooking it separately as a side.