Some recipes can start your mouth watering and stomach growling just from the title alone. Entire classes devoted to food writing dive deep into the fine points of manipulating the reader with descriptions carefully woven together that illicit nostalgia, connect the dots to familiar flavors, and simultaneously stir up excitement over the promises of a new, novel eating experience. Ropa vieja is not like that.

Don’t Judge a Book Based on Its Title

Translating directly as “old clothes,” referring to the shredded, ragged texture of the dish. If you’re expecting a mouthful of ratty cloth, though, you’ll be happily surprised by the smoky umami bomb that meets your tongue instead.

Marvelous Mushrooms

Meaty, tender, yet toothsome shredded oyster mushrooms stand in for overcooked strands of steak, both shortening the cooking time and unlocking even greater umami depth. The name along may not do it justice, but this is one instance where tasting is believing.

Fast, Real Food; Not Fast Food

This is an adaptation of the Enoki Mushroom Ropa Vieja from my cookbook, Real Food, Really Fast. You can genuinely use any type of shredded or sliced mushroom, or even a combination of fungi if you’re feeling especially flush. It can be enjoyed all by itself as a one-pot stew, on top of rice, alongside fried plantains, or with thick slices of crusty bread.

Continue to Content

Yield: Makes 3 - 4 Servings

Oyster Mushroom Ropa Vieja

No Ratings

Print

Shredded oyster mushrooms take the place of meat in this plant-based approach to ropa vieja. Hearty, healthy, and incredibly fast, it's an ideal solution to everyday dinners, celebratory meals, and beyond!

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1/2 Medium Yellow Onion, Thinly Sliced
• 1 Red Bell Pepper, Deseeded and Thinly Sliced
• 2 Cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1/2 Pound Oyster Mushrooms, Shredded
• 1/4 Cup Tomato Paste
• 1 Tablespoon Low-Sodium Soy Sauce
• 1/2 Teaspoon Liquid Smoke
• 1 1/2 Teaspoons Ground Cumin
• 1 Teaspoon Dried Thyme
• 1 Teaspoon Dried Oregano
• 1/3 - 1/2 Cup Water
• 1/2 Cup Pitted Green Olives
• 1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1/4 Cup Cilantro, Roughly Chopped

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over high heat. Begin sautéing the onion, red pepper, and garlic, stirring constantly to begin browning the edges without burning them. After about a minute, pull apart the oyster mushrooms so they sort of look like shredded chicken and add them to the pot. Turn the heat down slightly to medium-low and continue to cook, until the vegetables have softened and the mushrooms have expressed a bit of liquid.
2. Stir in the tomato paste, working it in vigorously to ensure that there are no clumps. Follow that with the soy sauce, liquid smoke, cumin, thyme, oregano, bay leaf, 1/3 cup of the water, olives, and vinegar. Mix well to combine, and don't be afraid to get more aggressive if you need to break up the mushrooms more with you spatula.
3. Bring up to a lively simmer and let cook for another 5 - 7 minutes, until the vegetables have all wilted down and become fork-tender. Add in the remaining stock if needed to prevent the mixture from sticking to the bottom of the pan, or if you prefer your dish on the saucier side.
4. Remove from the heat, top with fresh cilantro, and serve immediately.

Recommended Products

Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking through the link. I have experience with all of these companies and I recommend them because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions I make if you decide to buy something through my links.

• 
  Dynamic Health Laboratories, Organic Raw Apple Cider Vinegar with Mother, 16 fl oz (473 ml)
• 
  Eden Foods, Organic, Shoyu Soy Sauce, 10 fl oz
• 
  La Tourangelle, 100% Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 25.4 fl oz (750 ml)

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 174Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 2gUnsaturated Fat: 11gSodium: 703mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 5gSugar: 5gProtein: 5g

All nutritional information presented within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on BitterSweetBlog.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. Even though I try to provide accurate nutritional information to the best of my ability, these figures should still be considered estimations.