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Saice

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stews•bolivian•contains meat, gluten-free
70 minutes•6 servings•

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 ounces dried red chiles (ají colorado or guajillo/ancho) – stems and seeds removed
  • 1 1/2 cups hot water – for soaking chiles
  • 3 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
  • 2 cups onion – finely chopped (~2.5 medium onions)
  • 4 cloves garlic – finely chopped
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp dried oregano – crushed
  • 2 cups tomato – grated or finely chopped (~3 medium tomatos)
  • 2 1/2 cups beef broth
  • 2 bay leaf
  • 1 pounds potato – peeled and 0.5-inch diced (~3 medium potatos)
  • 1 cups frozen green peas
  • 2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
  • flat-leaf parsley – chopped (for serving)
  • white rice – cooked (for serving)
Saice

Instructions

1. Soak the dried red chiles in the hot water until fully softened, 20–30 minutes. Transfer chiles to a blender with 0.75 cup of the soaking liquid and blend until completely smooth; set the chile paste aside.

2. Heat the vegetable oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up, until well browned with no pink remaining, 6–8 minutes. Scoop the beef to a bowl, leaving a thin film of fat in the pot.

3. Lower heat to medium. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until translucent and lightly golden, 6–8 minutes. Stir in the garlic, ground cumin, and dried oregano; cook until fragrant, 30–45 seconds.

4. Add the chile paste to the pot and cook, stirring often, until it darkens slightly and thickens to a glossy sauce, 6–8 minutes. Stir in the tomato and simmer until the mixture reduces and tastes sweet-savory, 6–8 minutes.

5. Return the browned beef to the pot with any juices. Pour in the beef broth and add the bay leaves and potato. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender and the stew has thickened slightly, 20–25 minutes.

6. Stir in the green peas and simmer until bright and just tender, 4–6 minutes. Season with the kosher salt and black pepper to taste. Remove and discard bay leaves. Let the saice rest off heat for 5 minutes to settle.

7. Serve the saice hot with cooked white rice. Scatter with chopped flat-leaf parsley just before serving.

Saice is a beloved Bolivian beef stew known for its brick-red color, gentle heat, and hearty, homey comfort. Ground beef simmers in an aromatic base of ají colorado (red chile) with onions, garlic, cumin, and tomatoes, then finishes with tender potatoes and sweet green peas. The texture is thick yet spoonable, ideal for nestling against a mound of steamed rice, which soaks up the savory juices. Its flavor is balanced—chile-forward but not searing, rounded by tomato sweetness and the herbal lift of oregano and bay.

Hailing most closely from Tarija in southern Bolivia, saice has long been a midday favorite at markets and home tables alike. The dish reflects Andean and Spanish influences: an ahogado (sofrito) technique for the base, local dried chiles for depth and color, and staple crops like potato and peas. Over time, families have adapted it—some use lard, others oil; some add carrots or a pinch of flour—but the core identity remains a red-chile beef stew served with rice. Its enduring popularity speaks to its satisfying simplicity and regional pride.