Magro con Tomate Recipe: Tender Spanish Pork in Tomato 2026

Magro con tomate is a traditional Spanish pork dish that is wonderfully easy to make and delivers deep, savory flavor. Chunks of lean pork simmer slowly with a rich tomato sauce until the meat turns incredibly tender and every bite is infused with the juices it releases along the way.

It is a very economical dish that practically cooks itself: you brown the meat, soften the vegetables, add a good crushed tomato and let the gentle chup-chup of a slow simmer work its magic. As it cooks, the sauce concentrates and soaks up the flavor of the pork, giving it that unmistakable taste so many of us love.

Ingredients for Magro con Tomate

For 4 servings

• 800 g lean pork, cut into chunks
• Salt
• Ground black pepper
• 1 large onion
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 Italian green pepper
• 800 g crushed tomato (or 1 kg ripe tomatoes)
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 150 ml white wine
• 1 or 2 bay leaves
• Parsley (optional)

How to Make Magro con Tomate Step by Step

1. Season the pork

First, prepare 800 g of lean pork. Trim away any excess fat and, if it is not already cut, chop it into bite-sized pieces that are not too small, since smaller pieces can dry out. Season with salt and pepper and set aside so it comes up to room temperature before cooking, which is key to keeping it tender.

2. Chop the vegetables and crush the tomato

Now prepare the vegetables: peel and chop 1 large onion, 4 garlic cloves and 1 Italian pepper, having removed the seeds and stem from the pepper first. For the tomato, use 800 g of canned crushed tomato or crush it at home; in that case you will need 1 kg of ripe tomatoes, which you wash, dry, peel, seed, crush and pass through a sieve.

3. Brown the pork in batches

Grease a wide pot with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and set it over high heat. Add the pork and brown it briefly but on all sides, working in several batches, because adding it all at once drops the temperature and the meat steams instead of browning. As the pieces brown, remove them and set aside.

4. Sauté the onion with the pepper

Lower the heat, add 3 more tablespoons of olive oil and sauté the onion with the pepper over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring now and then so they soften nicely.

5. Add the garlic, return the pork and pour in the wine

Once the vegetables are tender, add the garlic, stir and cook for 1 more minute. Return the pork along with any juices it has released and pour in 150 ml of white wine.

6. Reduce the wine

Raise the heat and cook the mixture to reduce the wine. A couple of minutes will be enough.

7. Add the tomato and bay leaves and simmer

Cover the pork with the crushed tomato and add 1 or 2 bay leaves, which give the sauce a lovely flavor. Let the sauce start to bubble and at that point, before it begins to splatter, lower to low heat and let the magro con tomate chup-chup gently for about 30 to 45 minutes, until the tomato has thickened and the meat is tender. To avoid splatters, you can cover the pot with a fine mesh lid made for this purpose.

8. Adjust the seasoning and add parsley

Finally, taste the sauce and, if you think it needs it, adjust the salt and pepper. You can also add a little finely chopped parsley.

9. Serve right away or let it rest

Your magro con tomate is ready. You can serve it right away or keep it in the fridge until the next day, once it has cooled, so that resting intensifies its flavors. In that case, simply reheat the magro con tomate before serving so you can enjoy it hot and delicious.

Tips for the Best Magro con Tomate

Choose the right cut of pork

For very tender meat it is essential to pick a good piece. Pork loin head is the ideal cut for this dish, since the bit of marbled fat it contains keeps the meat juicier.

Balance the acidity of the tomato

A trick to offset the acidity of the tomato is to add a little sugar at the end of cooking, though we suggest tasting the result first and only making this adjustment if needed. If you follow the recipe as written, it will come out delicious.

How to serve it

You can serve this meat dish as is, as a tapa, or as a main course with a side of white rice or good fried potatoes, or even with a fried egg if you are after something heartier.

30 Top Recipes I Keep Coming Back To at Home

If you're anything like me, your kitchen rotation probably includes a blend of cozy comfort classics, well-loved dishes from around the globe, and desserts that make everyone happy.

When a rich, indulgent treat is calling my name, I typically reach for this La Viña Molten Cheesecake recipe, this refined Original French Crème Brûlée recipe, or a luscious Chocolate Mousse Cake recipe. And whenever something fruity and soothing sounds right, this timeless French Tarte Tatin recipe is my go-to.

For mornings that need an easy start or lighter fare, these fluffy Oatmeal and Banana Pancakes recipe, a hearty Stuffed Sweet Potato recipe, or these bright Eggs Stuffed with Avocado and Salmon recipe are frequent picks. And for a gluten-free staple I can count on, this straightforward Gluten-Free Rice Flour recipe is one I enjoy putting together.

Whenever tapas and Mediterranean cooking are on my mind, I bounce between this punchy Basque Tuna with Tomato recipe, golden Patatas Bravas Air Fryer recipe, velvety Tirokafteri Greek Dip Sauce recipe, and a cooling Burrata Salad with Tomato and Pesto recipe. This elegant Italian Vitello Tonnato recipe is another one I love to serve when the occasion calls for something a bit more upscale.

Come lunch or a comforting supper, I'm always quick to suggest this warming Meatballs in Spanish Sauce recipe, time-honored Meatballs in Almond Sauce recipe, deeply flavored Italian Bolognese Sauce recipe, and silky Chicken Croquettes in Thermomix recipe. Should I be after something more substantial, I'll bake up this Greek Pastitsio Pie recipe, a homey Potatoes and Squid Stew recipe, or the deeply satisfying French Boeuf Bourguignon recipe.

Some nights I'm after street-food vibes or party-ready plates, and that's when I'll whip up this succulent Homemade Chicken Doner Kebab recipe, crunchy Salchipapas recipe, punchy Mexican Pork Carnitas recipe, or these crisp Korean Hobak Jeon recipe. These effortless Air Fryer Zucchini Rings recipe are another favorite of mine to set out as a snack or starter.

And when I'm building drinks and a whole spread for company, I'll regularly match dinner with this cooling Original Cuban Mojito recipe, a potent Long Island Iced Tea recipe, or a pitcher of this fruity Bleeding Spanish Sangria recipe. To fill out the table, I like to add this zesty French Remoulade Sauce recipe alongside, or finish things off with this eye-catching Mediterranean Black Rice with Squid recipe.

Additional Tasty Recipes the Whole Family Will Enjoy

After years of testing and fine-tuning dishes in my own kitchen, I've come to believe the finest recipes are built on straightforward steps, dependable methods, and serious flavor.

What follows are the dishes I genuinely cook over and over—whether it's a fast meal just for me or something memorable for friends and family.

On the sweet side, the rich, silky Orange Chocolate Mousse Recipe is one I turn to when I want something impressive yet simple. Another dessert I adore is the caramelized Trdelnik Slavic Pastry Recipe, modeled on the well-known Central European chimney cake. If baking is your thing, understanding how to make syrup for better dessert texture helps, and my Inverted Sugar Recipe walks through exactly how I do it at home.

When something light and uncomplicated is what I'm after, I'll usually go with the timeless Italian Caprese Salad Recipe or a flawlessly cooked Simple Poached Egg Recipe. For richer comfort cooking, I'm quick to point people to the filling Meatball Sandwich Recipe, the smooth Russian Stroganoff Beef Recipe, and the fast weeknight go-to One Pot Pasta Recipe.

I'm also fond of sharing dishes with global roots, such as the genuine Sorropotún de Bonito Fish Stew Recipe, crisp Chilean Pumpkin Sopaipillas Recipe, and the traditional Spanish Cochifrito Segovian Fried Pig Recipe.

Air fryer cooking is another area I return to often, since it cuts down on time while still delivering excellent results. The ones I make most include Air Fryer Pork Ribs Recipe, Air Fryer Chicken Thighs Recipe, Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes Recipe, Air Fryer Baked Potatoes Recipe, Air Fryer Peppers Recipe, Air Fryer Mixed Sandwich Recipe, Air Fryer Toasted Bread Recipe, and Air Fryer Hard-Boiled Eggs Recipe.

And for those steering clear of wheat, my cozy Gluten-Free Lasagna Recipe shows that classic baked pasta can still be decadent, cheesy, and deeply satisfying without any gluten.

Gluten free Empanada Dough Recipe 🍕 Fluffy Apple Cake Recipe 🍔 Langos Hungarian Fried Bread Recipe 🌭 Gluten Free French Brioche Recipe 🍟 Madeira British Sponge Cake Recipe 🌮 Chocolate Argentinian Cookies Alfajores Recipe 🌯 Barmbrack Irish Sweet Bread Recipe 🥙 Gluten free Cookies Recipe 🥗 Homemade cream Maruxas Galician Biscuit Recipe 🍝 Japanese Dumplings Gyoza Dough Recipe

American Gluten Free Cookies Recipe 🍜 Gluten Free King Cake Recipe 🍲 Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Recipe 🍛 Extremadura Style Chard Recipe 🍣 Keto Sliced Sandwich Bread Recipe 🍱 Gluten Free Waffles Recipe 🍤 Low Carb Keto Pizza Recipe 🍗 Gluten Free Bread Rolls Recipe 🍖 Flourless Gluten Free Bread Buns Recipe 🥓 Protein Ice Cream Recipe 🥞 Chia Pudding Dessert with Seeds Recipe

Fluffy Cloud Bread Pan Nube Recipe 🧇 Quinoa Bread Recipe 🍞 Schiacciata Tuscan Focaccia Flat Bread Recipe 🥐 Shokupan Japanese Milk Bread Recipe 🥨 Potato Sandwich Bread Recipe 🧀 Homemade Breadsticks Recipe 🍳 Stollen German Dried Fruits Cake Recipe 🥚 French Gingerbread Spiced Cake Recipe 🍰 Gluten Free Pancakes Recipe

🥔 Potato-omelet-in-Thermomix 🍓 Smores-Sandwich-Dessert 🍰 Womens-Day-Mimosa-cake ☕ Coffee-Sorbet 🍆 Eggplant-pizza 🍋 Ciambella-Italian-Lemon-Cake 🥖 Zapiekanka-Polish-Snack 🌰 Dukkah-Egyptian-Nuts-Mix 🧆 Best-Hummus 🥑 Best-Avocado