Main Course · Latin American · Gluten-Free ·

Pabellón Criollo

Name: Pabellón Criollo
Prep time: 70 min
Cook time: 210 min
Total time: 280 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Main Course
Ingredients: 2 lbs flank steak; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 large onion, sliced; 1 green bell pepper, sliced; 1 tsp cumin; Salt and black pepper, to taste; 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 1 cup beef broth; 1/4 cup tomato paste; 2 cups dried black beans, soaked overnight; 1 onion, diced; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 tsp cumin; 1 bay leaf; Salt and black pepper, to taste; 2 ripe plantains, peeled and sliced; Vegetable oil, for frying; 2 cups white rice; 4 cups water; 1 tsp salt

A vibrant and flavorful dish featuring shredded beef, black beans, sweet plantains, and rice.

4.8(862 reviews)

·By Ethan Brooks·July 21, 2025

Pabellón Criollo — Main Course served and photographed from above

Prep

1 h 10 min

Cook

3 h 30 min

Difficulty

Intermediate

Serves

Ingredients

Servings

For the Shredded Beef

For the Black Beans

For the Sweet Plantains

For the Rice

Nutrition

Per serving

Calories: 1429 kcal
Protein: 89.38 g
Carbs: 177.5 g
Fat: 39.5 g
Fiber: 21.4 g

Whole recipe

Total

Calories: 5717 kcal
Protein: 357.5 g
Carbs: 710 g
Fat: 158 g
Fiber: 85.6 g

Breakdown by ingredient▾

Ingredient	Cal	P	C	F	Fib
2 lbs flank steak	1820	226	0	98	0
2 cloves garlic minced	9	0.4	2	0	0.1
1 large onion sliced	60	1.8	14	0.2	2.6
1 green bell pepper sliced	24	1	6	0.2	2
1 tsp cumin	8	0.4	1	0.5	0.6
Salt and black pepper to taste	0	0	0	0	0
2 tbsp vegetable oil	240	0	0	27	0
1 cup beef broth	17	2	1	0.5	0
1/4 cup tomato paste	54	2.7	12	0.4	3.6
2 cups dried black beans soaked overnight	1368	91	249	2	62
1 onion diced	60	1.8	14	0.2	2.6
2 cloves garlic minced	9	0.4	2	0	0.1
1 tsp cumin	8	0.4	1	0.5	0.6
1 bay leaf	0	0	0	0	0
Salt and black pepper to taste	0	0	0	0	0
2 ripe plantains peeled and sliced	440	2	112	1	8
Vegetable oil for frying	240	0	0	27	0
2 cups white rice	1360	28	296	2	4
4 cups water	0	0	0	0	0
1 tsp salt	0	0	0	0	0

These nutrition estimates are approximate and not intended as dietary advice.

Preparation

Get these tasks done before you start cooking.

Marinating the Beef

1
Combine and Marinate
In a large bowl, combine flank steak, garlic, onion, bell pepper, cumin, salt, and black pepper.
2
Refrigerate
Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight for best results.
3
Brown the Beef
Preheat a large pot with oil over medium-high heat, and brown the beef on all sides.

Preparing the Black Beans

1
Rinse Beans
Rinse the soaked beans thoroughly.
2
Sauté Aromatics
In a large pot, sauté onion and garlic until translucent.
3
Cook Beans
Add beans, cumin, bay leaf, and enough water to cover. Bring to a boil.
Tip: Do not add salt to the beans until they’re fully cooked to avoid toughening them. Crush a few beans against the pot to thicken the sauce towards the end of cooking.

How to Make Pabellón Criollo

Total time: 4 h 40 min · Yields 4 servings

1
Simmer Beef
Add beef broth and tomato paste to the browned beef; cover and simmer on low heat until tender, about 2 hours.
2
Cook Beans
Reduce heat to low and simmer beans until tender, about 1-2 hours; season with salt and pepper.
3
Fry Plantains
In a skillet, fry plantain slices in hot oil until golden and caramelized; drain on paper towels.