Filipino Beef Afritada (Afritadang Baka)

Discover the comforting embrace of Filipino cuisine with our heritage Beef Afritada (Afritadang Baka) recipe.

This beloved dish masterfully combines tender chunks of beef with crisp bell peppers and hearty root vegetables, all simmered in a rich tomato sauce that strikes the perfect balance between savory and bright.

What begins as a simple braise transforms into a deeply flavorful stew that carries the essence of Filipino home cooking.

This one-pot wonder delivers restaurant-quality taste with remarkable ease, proving why it has remained a treasured recipe in Filipino households for generations.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• One-pot meal means easier cleanup
• Budget-friendly yet restaurant-quality taste
• Perfect make-ahead dish (tastes even better the next day!)
• Fork-tender meat that melts in your mouth
• Rich, savory sauce that pairs perfectly with rice
• Loaded with vegetables for a complete meal
• Customizable to your family's preferences

Ingredients

These ingredients create the perfect harmony that makes Beef Afritada so special. Beef chuck is chosen for its rich marbling that becomes melt-in-your-mouth tender after slow cooking. The combination of onions and garlic forms the aromatic foundation, while crushed tomatoes and tomato paste provide the signature tangy-sweet sauce.

Fish sauce adds that uniquely Filipino depth of umami flavor that can't be achieved with salt alone. The trio of potatoes, carrots, and bell peppers isn't just colorful, each vegetable serves a purpose: potatoes absorb the savory sauce, carrots add natural sweetness, and bell peppers contribute freshness and texture.

Together, these simple ingredients transform through slow cooking into a complex, satisfying dish that represents the beautiful blend of Spanish influence and Filipino culinary wisdom.

For the Meat Base:

• 2 pounds beef chuck, cut into 2-inch cubes
• ¼ cup cooking oil
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the Sauce Base:

• 1 onion, peeled and chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 can (15 ounces) crushed tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 cups water

Vegetables:

• 2 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 1 large carrot, peeled and cut into cubes
• ½ green bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
• ½ red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes

Equipment Needed

• Large heavy-bottom pot or Dutch oven: Essential for even heat distribution and preventing burning during the long cooking process
• Sharp knife: Necessary for uniform cutting of meat and vegetables for even cooking
• Cutting board: Provides a stable surface for preparation work
• Measuring cups and spoons: Ensures accuracy in ingredients for balanced flavors
• Wooden spoon: Allows for stirring without scratching the pot and damaging the cookware
• Kitchen tongs: Makes handling and turning meat easier during the browning phase
• Meat thermometer (optional): Helps ensure proper cooking temperature for food safety

How To Make

1. Before starting, gather all your ingredients and equipment. Have three plates ready - one for the cooked vegetables, one for the seared meat, and one lined with paper towels for draining.
2. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add your quartered potatoes and carrot cubes, cooking them until they're lightly browned on all sides. This takes about 3-4 minutes. Remove them to your paper-towel-lined plate to drain.
3. Using the same pot, quickly cook your red and green bell peppers for just 30 seconds until they slightly blister. Remove these to your veggie plate.
4. Turn up the heat to medium-high. Pat your beef cubes dry with paper towels. Add them to the pot in a single layer - don't crowd them. Let them cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until they're nicely browned. Move the browned beef to a clean plate.
5. Lower the heat back to medium. Add your chopped onions and garlic to the pot. Cook them until they're soft and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Put the beef back in the pot and add the fish sauce. Let this cook together for 1-2 minutes.
6. Pour in your crushed tomatoes, water, and tomato paste. Stir everything well. Once it starts bubbling, turn the heat down to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer gently for about 1½ to 2 hours. Check it occasionally - if the sauce looks too thick, add a little water.
7. When the meat is tender enough to cut with a fork, add your potatoes and carrots back to the pot. Let them cook for 4-5 minutes. Finally, add your bell peppers and cook for just 1 minute more.
8. Taste the sauce and add salt and pepper if needed. Let everything rest for 5 minutes before serving with hot rice.

Note: Your beef should reach 165°F inside to be safe to eat, and it's even better the next day.

Tips from Lola's Kitchen

• Choose the right beef cut: Select beef chuck with good marbling for the most tender result and richest flavor
• Patience with searing: Never rush the searing process – it's crucial for developing the deep flavor foundation
• Control the simmer: Keep the simmer gentle to prevent the meat from becoming tough
• Aromatics enhancement: Add a bay leaf for extra aroma that elevates the entire dish
• Layered flavor building: Toast garlic slightly before adding onions for deeper complexity
• Pre-browning vegetables: This extra step creates caramelization that adds sweetness to balance the acidity
• Rest before serving: Allow the afritada to rest for 5-10 minutes after cooking to let flavors settle and deepen
• Perfect thickness: If you prefer a thicker sauce, leave the lid slightly ajar during the last 30 minutes of cooking

Traditional Serving Suggestions

• Steamed white rice
• Fresh calamansi or lemon wedges for brightness
• Filipino pickled vegetables (Atchara) for contrasting acidity
• Crusty pandesal for sauce-soaking
• Banana leaf liner for authentic presentation

Substitutions

• Beef: Pork shoulder or chicken thighs work wonderfully as protein alternatives
• Crushed tomatoes: Substitute with 6 fresh ripe tomatoes (blanched, peeled, and chopped) plus 2 tablespoons tomato sauce
• Fish sauce: Replace with 1 tablespoon soy sauce plus ½ teaspoon salt
• Bell peppers: Long green peppers are a traditional alternative
• Potatoes: Sweet potatoes or turnips provide different flavor profiles
• Tomato paste: 2 tablespoons ketchup can work in a pinch (though slightly sweeter)
• Cooking oil: Olive oil adds a Mediterranean twist to the flavor profile

Troubleshooting

• Tough Meat? Solution: Continue cooking at a low simmer. The meat needs more time to break down the collagen. Add ¼ cup water if needed and check again after 30 minutes.
• Watery Sauce? Solution: Simmer uncovered for 10-15 minutes to reduce. If still too thin, mix 1 teaspoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon cold water and stir into the sauce.
• Too Acidic? Solution: Add ½ teaspoon sugar to balance flavors without compromising authenticity. A small piece of carrot can also help neutralize acidity.
• Vegetables Too Soft? Solution: Next time, add them later in the cooking process. For now, gently fold rather than stir to preserve their shape.
• Sauce Separation? Solution: Lower heat immediately and gently stir to re-emulsify. Avoid boiling once vegetables are added.

Storage & Reheating

• Refrigerator: Keeps for 3-4 days in an airtight container. The flavor actually improves after a day as the ingredients meld together.
• Freezer: Freezes well for up to 3 months (without potatoes, as they can become grainy). Consider freezing the base sauce with meat separately from pre-cooked vegetables.
• Reheating Options:
  • Stovetop: Reheat over medium-low heat with 2-3 tablespoons of added broth or water to refresh the sauce. Stir occasionally until internal temperature reaches 165°F.
  • Microwave: Heat in 2-3 minute intervals at 70% power, stirring between each interval to ensure even heating.
  • Oven: Place in oven-safe dish, cover with foil, and heat at 325°F for about 20 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

FAQ

Related

Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

Filipino Beef Afritada (Afritadang Baka)

Beef Afritada (Afritadang Baka) is a classic Filipino tomato-based stew that showcases tender beef chuck braised with potatoes, carrots, and bell peppers. Distinguished by its bright yet deep tomato sauce enriched with fish sauce, this homestyle dish represents the Spanish-influenced category of Filipino cuisine where meat is gently simmered until fork-tender. Unlike its cousin mechado, which uses soy sauce and calamansi, afritada relies purely on tomatoes for its signature sauce, creating a cleaner, more focused flavor profile. The dish exemplifies Filipino cooking's knack for transforming humble ingredients into satisfying one-pot meals that serve both everyday family dinners and special occasions with equal grace.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 2 hours hrs

Total Time 2 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Filipino, Spanish

Servings 4

Calories 650 kcal

Difficulty Intermediate

Equipment

• Large heavy-bottom pot or Dutch oven (kaldero) For even heat distribution and preventing burning
• Sharp knife (Matanlas na kutsilyo) For uniform cutting of meat and vegetables
• Cutting board (Sangkalan) For preparation work
• Measuring cups and spoons (Panukat) For accurate measurements
• Wooden spoon (sandok na kahoy) For stirring without scratching the pot
• Kitchen tongs For easy meat handling
• Meat thermometer (optional) To ensure proper cooking temperature

Ingredients

 

1x2x3x

For the Meat Base

• 2 pounds beef chuck Laman ng baka, cut into 2-inch cubes
• ¼ cup cooking oil Mantika
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce Patis
• Salt Asin and pepper (Paminta) to taste

For the Sauce Base

• 1 onion Sibuyas, peeled and chopped
• 4 cloves garlic Bawang, peeled and minced
• 1 can 15 ounces crushed tomatoes (Durog na kamatis)
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste Pino na sarsa ng kamatis
• 2 cups water Tubig

Vegetables

• 2 medium potatoes Patatas, peeled and quartered
• 1 large carrot Karot, peeled and cut into cubes
• ½ green bell pepper Berdeng siling pangsigang, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
• ½ red bell pepper Pulang siling pangsigang, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes

Instructions

 

• Before starting, gather all your ingredients and equipment. Have three plates ready - one for the cooked vegetables, one for the seared meat, and one lined with paper towels for draining.
• Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add your quartered potatoes and carrot cubes, cooking them until they're lightly browned on all sides. This takes about 3-4 minutes. Remove them to your paper-towel-lined plate to drain.
• Using the same pot, quickly cook your red and green bell peppers for just 30 seconds until they slightly blister. Remove these to your veggie plate.
• Turn up the heat to medium-high. Pat your beef cubes dry with paper towels. Add them to the pot in a single layer - don't crowd them. Let them cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until they're nicely browned. Move the browned beef to a clean plate.
• Lower the heat back to medium. Add your chopped onions and garlic to the pot. Cook them until they're soft and smell good, about 3 minutes. Put the beef back in the pot and add the fish sauce. Let this cook together for 1-2 minutes.
• Pour in your crushed tomatoes, water, and tomato paste. Stir everything well. Once it starts bubbling, turn the heat down to low, cover the pot, and let it cook quietly for about 1½ to 2 hours. Check it occasionally - if the sauce looks too thick, add a little water.
• When the meat is tender enough to cut with a fork, add your potatoes and carrots back to the pot. Let them cook for 4-5 minutes. Finally, add your bell peppers and cook for just 1 minute more.
• Taste the sauce and add salt and pepper if needed. Let everything rest for 5 minutes before serving with hot rice.
• Remember: Your beef should reach 165°F inside to be safe to eat, and it's even better the next day!

Tips from Lola's Kitchen

• Choose beef chuck with good marbling for the most tender result
• Never rush the searing process – it's crucial for flavor development
• Keep the simmer gentle to prevent tough meat
• Add a bay leaf (Dahon ng laurel) for extra aroma
• Toast garlic slightly before adding onions for deeper flavor

 

Nutrition

Calories: 650kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 49gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 13gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 22gTrans Fat: 2gCholesterol: 156mgSodium: 726mgPotassium: 916mgFiber: 6gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 613IUVitamin C: 35mgCalcium: 60mgIron: 10mg

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

The Story Behind Filipino Beef Afritada

Beef Afritada, known locally as Afritadang Baka, stands as a testament to the Philippines' rich culinary heritage shaped by centuries of colonial influence. This beloved tomato-based stew traces its roots to the Spanish colonial era, when European cooking techniques merged seamlessly with Filipino ingredients and tastes. The name itself comes from the Spanish word "fritada," meaning fried, referencing the crucial first step of searing the meat and vegetables before stewing.

While chicken afritada might be more commonly found on Filipino tables, the beef version holds a special place in celebratory gatherings and Sunday family lunches. The dish emerged during a time when Spanish colonizers introduced tomatoes and new cooking techniques to the Philippine archipelago, forever transforming the local cuisine. What makes Filipino afritada distinct from other tomato-based stews is its unique combination of fish sauce (patis) with tomatoes, creating that unmistakable Filipino flavor that can't be replicated in other cuisines.

In traditional Filipino households, particularly in regions like Pampanga and Manila, beef afritada has evolved from its Spanish roots to become a true Filipino comfort food. Home cooks passed down their own variations through generations, each family adding their special touch while maintaining the dish's essential character. Some regions add liver spread for richness, while others incorporate coconut milk for a creamier sauce, showcasing the versatility of this beloved dish.

Today, beef afritada represents more than just a meal – it's a cultural touchstone that reflects the Philippines' ability to adapt foreign influences into something uniquely its own. Modern Filipino restaurants, both in the Philippines and abroad, often feature this dish as a prime example of Filipino home cooking at its finest. Its popularity has grown beyond family kitchens to become a staple in catering menus, food festivals, and even high-end Filipino fusion restaurants, where chefs experiment with premium cuts of beef while respecting the dish's humble origins.

Whether served at a simple family dinner or presented at a grand celebration, beef afritada continues to captivate diners with its rich flavors and heartwarming appeal. The combination of tender beef, perfectly cooked vegetables, and that signature tomato sauce has earned this dish its rightful place in the pantheon of Filipino cuisine, making it a must-try for anyone exploring the diverse world of Filipino food.