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Carne Guisada Con Carne Molida y Papas (Ground Beef Stew with Potatoes & Flour Tortillas)

This Carne Guisada recipe features ground beef, potatoes, and smoky roasted green chiles in a rich, flavorful stew. Serve with flour tortillas for a satisfying Mexican-style meal.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 6
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb lean ground beef or swap with beef chunks
  • 2 –3 medium russet potatoes peeled and diced
  • 2 –3 smoked Hatch green chiles stemmed, roasted, and peeled
  • 1 onion diced
  • 1 can 14.5 oz diced tomatoes
  • 1 fresh tomato chopped (optional)
  • 1 –2 jalapeño or green chiles diced (optional for extra heat)
  • 1 –2 tbsp flour for thickening
  • Water or broth as needed
  • Cumin powder
  • Garlic granules or minced garlic
  • Kosher salt & coarse black pepper
  • Flour tortillas for serving

Method
 

  1. Prepare components
  2. Roast your green chiles until skins blister, peel, seed, and chop or purée half for sauce.
  3. Dice onions, tomatoes, potatoes, and any additional chiles.
  4. Sauté beef & aromatics
  5. In a large pot, sauté the onion until translucent. Add ground beef, season with cumin, garlic, salt, and pepper, and cook until browned. Drain excess fat if needed.
  6. Thicken the meat
  7. Sprinkle flour over the meat, stir briefly to coat and cook off raw flour taste.
  8. Add potatoes & green chiles
  9. Gently fold in potatoes, chopped chiles, tomatoes, and any fresh tomato. Add enough water or broth to nearly cover.
  10. Simmer & cook through
  11. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat, cover, and cook for ~30–40 minutes or until potatoes are tender and flavors meld.
  12. Adjust seasoning & consistency
  13. Taste and add more salt, pepper, or spices as needed. If too thin, simmer uncovered to reduce or stir in a little more flour slurry.
  14. Serve
  15. Warm your flour tortillas and serve the stew with tortillas on the side. Garnish with fresh cilantro, lime, or queso fresco if desired.

Notes

Don’t skip roasting chiles — it adds smoky depth you can’t replicate.
Dry chiles before adding so they don’t water down the stew.
Seal flavor in layers: season beef first, then add vegetables and liquid.
Leftovers get better: Flavors intensify after sitting overnight.
Storage: Refrigerate in airtight container for up to 3–4 days.
Reheat gently: Warm over low heat; add splash of water or broth if too thick.
Freezing: Cool thoroughly, then freeze in portions for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight.
Spice control: Omit or seed jalapeños for mild version; add seeds or extra chiles incrementally.
Swap proteins: Use cubed steak or shredded chicken instead of ground beef for variation.