Beef Afritada
Table of Contents
Probably one of the most common misconceptions we have with Filipino food is that dealing with beef involves a lot of process and takes long time. While the cooking time might be true, the complexity of cooking beef isn’t entirely true.
Here is a very simple and easy beef recipe that Filipinos love. BEEF AFRITADA is a lutong Pinoy recipe that is perfect for a family dinner or for a fiesta dish!

What You Need
- ¼ cup oil
- 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut in quarters
- 1 large carrot, peeled and cut in cubes
- ½ green bell pepper, seeded and cut in 1-inch cubes
- ½ red bell pepper, seeded and cut in 1-inch cubes
- 1 kg beef chuck, cut in 1 ½-inch cubes
- 1 small minced onion
- 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp patis (fish sauce)
- 2 cups crushed tomatoes
- 2 cups water
- salt and pepper to taste
What To Do
- Heat oil in a skillet on medium heat. Add potatoes and carrots and cook, turning on all sides until they are lightly brown. Remove from pan and drain of excess oil.
- Cook bell peppers next for about 30-45 seconds and remove from pan. Drain on paper towels.
- Leave about 2 tablespoons of oil and cook beef for 1-2 minutes each side or until lightly brown. REMEMBER: Do not overcrowd the pan and cook in batches to avoid undercooking the beef. Remove from pan when don and keep warm.
- If needed, add oil and sauté onions and garlic. Add beef and fish sauce. Let it cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Pour the crushed tomatoes and water. Stir and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and cook for 1-2 hours or until beef is tender with the lid on.
- Add potatoes and carrots and cook for about 7-10 minutes until they are tender and the sauce has thickened and reduced. Then, add bell peppers and cook for another minute or two.
- Adjust the taste with salt and pepper. Serve hot.