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Salpicón de res (or salpicón de carne) is a Guatemalan shredded beef salad tossed with minced radishes, tomato, onion, and fresh mint, all dressed in lime and bitter orange juice and served cold. It is the rare traditional dish that is also a healthy meal and genuinely easy: boil and shred the beef, chop everything else, toss, chill. My family made it for beach trips because it travels well and tastes better cold. Serve it piled on crispy tostadas at your next BBQ, or over rice as a light dinner on a night when you’d rather keep the oven off.

Guatemalan salpicón de res in a clay bowl with white rice and queso fresco on the side — Salpicón de res served with rice and queso fresco

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Salpicón de Res: The Perfect Beef Salad Recipe

With summer just around the corner, I began looking for light meals we could enjoy on those hot days. Plus, I didn’t want to spend too much time in the kitchen away from my family and all the fun. Then I remembered Salpicón. A shredded beef salad my Abuelita used to make when we went to the beach during Semana Santa break in Puerto de San Jose in Guatemala.

Salpicón de res is a traditional Guatemalan dish full of fresh flavors and absolutely delicious. Not only is it a healthy beef recipe you can make ahead of time, but it is also super easy. Serve it as a whole meal over a bed of white rice, roll it in a soft tortilla, or scoop it onto a crunchy tostada (my personal favorite). So, if you are looking for easy traditional Guatemalan food to try at home, you’ve come to the right place!

What is Salpicón de Res?

Salpicón (also known as salpicón de carne and salpicón de res) is a delicious beef-and-mint salad popular throughout Latin America. The word salpicon refers to the minced veggies and shredded meat tossed in with a citrus lime and orange marinade.

Thanks to its simplicity, you will find many variations of this delicious dish, from lamb to chicken, pork, and even tuna. But the beef version is prevalent in Guatemala, typically served as an easy weekday meal.

Guatemalan salpicón de carne on a white plate with radishes, tomato and onion — Salpicón de carne, the everyday Guatemalan version

Salpicón traveled to the Americas with Spanish cooking, where the word originally meant a chopped mixture of seafood or meat. Each country made it its own: in Guatemala, it became this cold beef and radish salad brightened with hierbabuena, in Nicaragua, a similar minced beef served with rice, and in Colombia, the same word means a fruit cocktail.

The Guatemalan version shows up at beach trips, Semana Santa gatherings, and any table where nobody wants to eat something hot at noon in April.

How to Make Guatemalan Salpicón de Res

Cook the Beef

Season the beef with salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven, add beef, onion, garlic cloves, and bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Add enough water to cover the beef and cook over medium-high heat until the water starts to boil.
Lower the heat and cook for 2 ½ hours or until the beef is tender. Remove it from the pot and let it cool enough to handle.
Using two forks, shred the beef into long strands. Then slice into smaller pieces crosswise. Set aside.

Finely chopping cooked beef on a cutting board for salpicón de res — Chopping the beef fine is what gives salpicón its texture

Chopping Time

While the beef is cooking, trim the radishes and rinse. Chop them finely.
Next, chop the onions and tomato into small cubes. Then, finely chop the mint (you can use cilantro)and pat dry with a paper towel.
Add all the veggies and herbs into a large bowl, add the lime juice and orange juice, and stir. Season the salad with salt and pepper to taste.

Toss Everything Together

Add the shredded meat to the vegetables and stir until well combined. Check for seasoning.
Let it rest for 30 minutes to cool down, and let all the flavors come together.
Garnish with crumbled queso fresco (optional) and serve at room temperature or cold over lettuce leaves.
Serve over white rice or as toppings over crispy tostadas.

Easy Guatemalan salpicón de res with radishes, tomato, onion and fresh mint — Salpicón de res with radishes, tomato and hierbabuena

Tips for Making the Best Salpicón de Res

Take Shortcuts! Although I used a Dutch oven for this recipe, you can also place the beef in a slow cooker and let it cook for a few hours. Or you can take a shortcut and cook the meat in an Instant Pot to cut the cooking time in half!
Great Substitutes: Naranja agria (or bitter oranges) is a preferred ingredient in this traditional Guatemalan recipe. Its tangy touch helps cut through the beef for maximum tenderness. If you can’t find naranjas agrias at your supermarket, you can buy a bottle of Goya Naranja agria; or, better yet, mix your marinade. Combine unsweetened orange juice and grapefruit juice in equal parts in a separate bowl and add to the salad along with the lime juice.

Sour orange and lime juice dress the salpicón
Let it rest: After tossing everything together, let this tasty cold beef dish marinate for a little while to let the beef absorb all the flavors. Then, for best results, I pop it in the fridge for 30 minutes and take it out when it is time to serve.

Half the battle with traditional recipes is tracking down decent fresh ingredients. I order produce and pantry basics from Misfits Market now, which makes cooking from scratch easier and keeps good food out of the trash.

Make Ahead of Time

This traditional Guatemalan dish is one you can prepare ahead of time with a couple of tips. First, cook and shred the beef a couple of days before so it is ready to use. Then place it in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to three days.

You can also pre-cut all the veggies and store them aside in a container in the fridge. Another idea is to combine everything and let it marinate overnight (not longer). Then, the next day, take the shredded beef salad out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes before serving.

How to Store Salpicón

This Guatemalan dish will keep for up to 4 days refrigerated. Place everything (beef, veggies, and juices) in an airtight container and pop it in the fridge. But be mindful that this refreshing beef salad could turn a little sour if it sits in the marinade too long.

You can also cook the beef ahead of time and freeze it for up to 3 months in a freezer bag or freezer-safe container. Remember to label and date everything so you don’t forget how long it has been sitting in your freezer. When ready to use, simply thaw the meat overnight in the fridge and follow the recipe as usual.

What To Serve with Guatemalan Salpicón de Res?

You usually serve this traditional Guatemalan food over a bed of white rice as a complete main course. However, you can also dish up this healthy meal as appetizers, topping them over corn tostada shells or freshly made tortillas.

I love sprinkling bits of queso fresco (or any crumbling cheese I have at hand) with a few slices of pickled jalapeños on top. And if you want to add a bit of creamy flavor, cut a couple of avocados into small cubes. It is my favorite topping for this delicious Guatemalan recipe.

Guatemalan beef salpicón in a blue clay bowl next to a plate of white rice — Guatemalan beef salpicón, ready to serve

If you intend to serve salpicón as an appetizer rather than a main course, see how I prepare it for a game day party on mini fried tostadas. And for a summer gathering, add Peruvian ceviche to the spread for another fresh, citrusy dish that’s easy to share.

Questions I Get About This Salad

What is salpicón de res made of?

Guatemalan salpicón de res is made with boiled, finely shredded beef, mixed with minced radishes, tomato, onion, and hierbabuena (fresh mint), and dressed with lime juice and bitter orange juice, seasoned with salt and pepper. Queso fresco on top is optional but common.

What does salpicón mean?

Salpicón comes from Spanish and refers to a finely chopped or minced mixture. In Guatemala, it means this cold shredded beef salad, in Colombia, the same word names a fruit cocktail, and in Spain, it usually describes a chopped seafood dish.

Is salpicón served hot or cold?

Cold or at room temperature, never hot. The salad needs at least 30 minutes in the fridge so the beef absorbs the citrus, and it tastes best after resting. That make-ahead quality is exactly why it shows up at beach trips and parties.

Where I Eat Salpicón in Guatemala

Salpicón tastes like the coast to me: Semana Santa, Puerto de San José, and beachfront views. We used to sit at a table in the shade under a ranchito, a beachside thatched-roof shelter, and eat salpicón de carne with a tower of soft corn tortillas called muñeco. Beyond the coast, you can find salpicón at traditional restaurants, neighborhood comedores (small family-run eateries), and market stalls throughout Guatemala.

If eating your way through Guatemala is on your list, my two-week Guatemala itinerary covers the route I would actually take, beaches included. And if you want a trip built around food, I plan custom Guatemala itineraries; tell me what you want to taste, and I will map the rest.

Other Traditional Guatemalan Recipes You’ll Love

If salpicón is the first Guatemalan dish you’ve made, here’s where I’d go next. A few of these are weeknight simple; others are worth a Sunday afternoon.

Guatemalan Enchiladas or Jardineras

Guatemalan enchiladas, flat tostadas with beet curtido, beef, cheese and hard-boiled egg — Guatemalan enchiladas layered on a crisp tostada

A traditional Guatemalan dish, enchiladas are a relatively easy recipe. Made with a toasted tortilla topped with a vegetable mixture or escabeche, ground beef, and tomato sauce, it is one of my favorite authentic Guatemalan foods.

Chiles Rellenos

This classic Guatemalan recipe for chiles rellenos differs from the Mexican version. It is made with sweet peppers, filled with a concoction of beef and veggies, and served drizzled with tomato sauce.

Guatemalan Fish Ceviche

Guatemalan ceviche is a cold seafood dish of fresh raw fish cured in lime juice, then mixed with tomato, onion, cilantro, and the two ingredients that surprise everyone: ketchup and a dash of Worcestershire sauce.

Hilachas de Carne

Hilachas, Guatemalan shredded beef in a tomato-and-chile recado — Hilachas, beef shredded into a tomato recado

An easy Instapot and slow cooker shredded beef stew recipe for a traditional Guatemalan dish. Similar to the Mexican Ropa Vieja recipe, Guatemalan hilachas de carne is a flavorful, easy-to-make shredded beef stew simmered in a velvety, tomato-based recado sauce.

Tostadas Guatemaltecas

Guatemalan tostadas topped with guacamol, black beans, and tomato sauce — Crisp Guatemalan tostadas, ready with toppings

This tostadas guatemaltecas recipe is often prepared as snacks or appetizers during holiday festivities. You can spread tostadas with recado salsa (tomato sauce), refried black beans, and guacamole, and top them with onions, cheese, and fresh cilantro.

Pepián de Pollo

Guatemalan pepián in a clay bowl surrounded by dried chiles and garlic — Pepián, Guatemala’s national dish

A thick, deeply spiced chicken stew built on a sauce of roasted pumpkin seeds, sesame, and dried chiles. Pepián de pollo can also be made with beef, pork, or a mix of all three. Add a couple of vegetables, serve it with white rice, and it becomes the kind of complete meal.

Did You Grow Up Eating Salpicón?

When craving a light and refreshing beef dish, look no further than Salpicón de res! This Guatemalan recipe is super nutritious, easy to make, and affordable. It is one of my favorite Guatemalan dishes to serve at parties, whether as a healthy main course or a tasty appetizer. And the best part, this traditional Guatemalan food is so deliciously refreshing that it is perfect for these upcoming warm summer months.

Every Guatemalan family seasons this one a little differently: some swear by cilantro instead of mint, some skip the orange entirely. If you make it, tell me in the comments how your family does it, especially if you are keeping the tradition alive far from Guatemala. Those stories are my favorite thing to read.

Salpicón de Res: An Easy Guatemalan Recipe

Name: Salpicón de Res: An Easy Guatemalan Recipe
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 2 h 30 min
Total time: 3 h
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Guatemalan
Ingredients: 1½ lbs. flank steak; 1 onion, quartered; 2 garlic cloves, peeled; 1 bay leaf; Salt and pepper to taste; Water; ½ red or white onion, diced; 1 bunch of radishes, diced; 1 large tomato, diced; 8 stalks of fresh mint or hierba buena, finely chopped (you can use cilantro); 2 tablespoons of lime juice; 1 tablespoon of orange juice, preferably naranja agria (bitter orange); Salt and pepper to taste; Crumbled Queso Fresco (optional for garnish); Lettuce leaves (optional for garnish)

Yield: 6 portions

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes

Total Time: 3 hours

An easy-to-make shredded beef and citrus salad perfect for a light lunch or dinner

Ingredients

For the Shredded Meat:

1½ lbs. flank steak
1 onion, quartered
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper to taste
Water

For the Salad Added to the Salpicón:

½ red or white onion, diced
1 bunch of radishes, diced
1 large tomato, diced
8 stalks of fresh mint or hierba buena, finely chopped (you can use cilantro)
2 tablespoons of lime juice
1 tablespoon of orange juice, preferably naranja agria (bitter orange)
Salt and pepper to taste
Crumbled Queso Fresco (optional for garnish)
Lettuce leaves (optional for garnish)