Pabellón Criollo
Recipe Tested & Approved by Mia Hartwell
Every recipe is developed, cooked, and tested by Mia in a real home kitchen using everyday ingredients to ensure reliable, repeatable results.
Venezuela on a plate: shredded stewed beef, black beans, white rice, and caramelised ripe plantain, arranged in four distinct sections with the plantain around the rim.
By Mia HartwellUpdated July 30, 2026
Developed using tested cooking methods — cook to the temperatures given and adjust times to your equipment.
Why you'll love this recipe
- The Venezuelan national dish, four components on one plate
- 48g of protein per serving
- One shared sofrito flavours both the beef and the beans
- Pressure cooker method brings it in around 70 minutes
Pabellón Criollo
1 hr 10 min totalServes 4
Nutrition (per serving)
Values are estimates. See our disclaimer for details.
- Calories
- 760kcal
- Protein
- 48g
- Carbs
- 88g
- Fat
- 24g
- Fiber
- 12g
- Sugar
- 16g
Step-by-Step Instructions
- 1
Season the beef with 1/2 tsp salt and the black pepper. Put it in an electric pressure cooker with the roughly chopped onion half, 2 of the garlic cloves, and 1 cup water or broth, meeting your cooker’s minimum liquid requirement.
- 2
Pressure-cook on high 20 minutes, then let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes before venting the rest.
- 3
As soon as the pressure cycle starts, rinse the rice and put it in a saucepan with 1 3/4 cups water, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1 tsp oil. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce to low, and cook 15-18 minutes. Remove from the heat and rest, covered, 10 minutes.
- 4
Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium. Add the finely diced onion and the bell pepper and cook 6-7 minutes.
- 5
Add the remaining 2 garlic cloves and cook 30 seconds, then move about a third of this sofrito to a small saucepan for the beans.
- 6
Lift the beef out and shred it with two forks, reserving at least 1/2 cup (120 ml) of the cooking liquid.
- 7
Add the shredded beef, tomato sauce, cumin, oregano, Worcestershire if using, remaining 1/2 tsp salt, and the reserved 1/2 cup cooking liquid to the larger portion of sofrito.
- 8
Simmer uncovered over medium-low 10-12 minutes, until moist but no longer soupy.
- 9
To the small saucepan of reserved sofrito, add the beans with their liquid and 1/4 cup water. Simmer 10 minutes, mashing a few beans to thicken, and season to taste.
- 10
Peel the plantains and cut on the diagonal into pieces about 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) thick. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a skillet over medium and cook 2-3 minutes per side, until caramelised and tender, working in batches if needed.
- 11
Fluff the rice. Plate the rice, beans, and beef in distinct sections and arrange the plantain slices around the outer edge.
Pro Tips for the Best Results
- Cook the components in parallel, not one after another. Start the beef under pressure, put the rice on immediately, build the shared sofrito while both cook, then simmer beef and beans side by side and fry the plantains last.
- One sofrito serves two dishes. Splitting it saves a pan and ties the beef and beans together on the plate.
- Use plantains whose skins are heavily spotted or almost fully black. Yellow ones with little spotting stay starchy and will not caramelise.
- Tough beef needs more time, not harder shredding. Return it to pressure for 5-10 minutes with enough liquid.
Cooking from your phone or kitchen? Print this recipe or save it as a PDF to keep it handy.
How to Cook Pabellón Criollo
New to this dish? Follow along with the detailed guide below — we break down each stage so you get perfect results the very first time.
Run the four components in parallel
The dish is only difficult when it is cooked sequentially. Beef goes under pressure first, rice goes on the moment the cycle starts, and the sofrito is built while both are busy. That leaves only the plantains to fry at the end, and everything reaches the plate at the same time.
Split one sofrito two ways
Onion, pepper, and garlic soften into a single base, and a third of it is set aside for the beans before the tomato sauce goes in. It saves a pan and gives the beans and the beef a shared backbone of flavour, which is what makes the plate taste like one dish rather than four.
Reduce the beef until it is glossy
After shredding, the beef simmers uncovered with tomato sauce and some of its own cooking liquid for 10-12 minutes. You are looking for moist strands coated in sauce rather than beef sitting in liquid, so keep going until the pan no longer floods when you drag a spoon through it.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Refrigerate the beef, beans, rice, and plantains in separate shallow containers within two hours and use within 3-4 days. Reheat each to 165°F (74°C), adding a spoonful of broth or water to the beef and beans so they do not dry out. Beef and beans freeze well for 2-3 months and rice for about a month; plantains are best cooked fresh.
Serving Suggestions
This pabellón criollo pairs beautifully with a crisp green salad, crusty bread, or your favorite grain. Add a simple side of roasted vegetables for a complete, satisfying dinner the whole family will enjoy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make it without a pressure cooker?+
Yes. Cover the beef with water and simmer gently for about 1 1/2 hours, until it shreds easily, then carry on with the sofrito and the reduction exactly as written. The pressure cooker is a time saver rather than a change to the dish.
What is pabellón con baranda?+
It is the presentation where the plantain slices are arranged around the outside of the plate like a railing, which is what baranda means. Keeping the four components visibly separate rather than mixed together is part of the dish.
How do I make a vegetarian version?+
Replace the beef with 20 oz (565 g) drained young green jackfruit or 1 1/2 lb (680 g) shredded king oyster mushrooms, and cook them directly in the sofrito and tomato sauce for 15-20 minutes. Use vegetable broth and leave out the Worcestershire sauce unless it is a vegan brand.
Is this dish gluten free?+
The core ingredients are, but check the labels on your broth, any adobo or seasoning blend, and the Worcestershire sauce, which varies by market and may contain wheat or fish. Leave the Worcestershire out if you are unsure.
You might also like
One-Pot Taco Rice
Seasoned ground beef and rice simmered together in one pot with all the flavors of a taco. Everything cooks in the same pan, so the rice soaks up the beefy, spiced broth as it cooks.
- Total time
- ⏱ 35 min
- Calories
- 🔥 480 cal
- Protein
- 💪 28g protein
Classic Beef Stroganoff
Ground beef in a rich, savory sour-cream and mushroom gravy served over egg noodles. A weeknight take on the classic that delivers the same creamy, tangy comfort in half the time.
- Total time
- ⏱ 35 min
- Calories
- 🔥 560 cal
- Protein
- 💪 32g protein
Cheeseburger Skillet
All the flavor of a cheeseburger in one cheesy ground beef skillet with pasta. It tastes like a bacon cheeseburger you can eat with a fork, ready in about 30 minutes.
- Total time
- ⏱ 32 min
- Calories
- 🔥 590 cal
- Protein
- 💪 34g protein
Loved this recipe? Pin it so you can find it again — and explore more easy dinners.