Colombian Sancocho – A Hearty Meat And Vegetable Soup
Sancocho is a Latin spin on a traditional Spanish soup called Cocido. While there are many variations, every Sancocho contains corn, vegetables, meat, and herbs.
In Colombia, sancocho is often served with rice, avocados, and Ají Picante, a hot sauce made from peppers, cilantro, lime juice, and onions.
For more delicious Colombian recipes, try these Colombian Empanadas and Bunuelos.
Sancocho Colombiano Ingredients
- Liquid Ingredients: Water helps thin out the marinade for a smoother texture. You can also use chicken broth or beef broth.
- Tomatoes: Tomatoes add acidity to Sancocho, creating a beautiful contrast with savory flavors.
- Seasonings: Add salt, black pepper, cumin, and cilantro.
- Meats: Beef ribs serve as the base for the soup broth, providing a meaty flavor after cooking for 40 minutes. Chicken legs or thighs can be used, and pork ribs add a rich, slightly fatty flavor.
- Vegetables: The vegetables typically include potatoes, corn, cassava, ripe plantains, onions, scallions, and garlic.
What Is Colombian Sancocho Served With?
Traditionally, Colombian sancocho is served with rice and avocado.
It’s best to use white rice to maintain a neutral flavor and enhance the flavors of the soup. But you can experiment with wild rice varieties as well.
I always reach for a fresh, perfectly ripe avocado, not too hard, not too soft to ensure the best flavor and texture in my dishes.
I love to pair my hearty soup with a homemade Aji Picante. This spicy Colombian hot sauce, with its lively blend of peppers, fresh cilantro, lime juice, and onions, really takes the flavors to the next level.
You can also serve this absolutely delicious Colombian sancocho recipe with bread, a green salad, or fried tortilla crisps. Also, check out my other Sancocho recipes such as Sancocho Peruano, Sancocho Dominicano, or Olla De Carne.
How To Store and Reheat Colombian Sancocho
This is one of my favorite make-ahead Colombian recipes.
Allow the Colombian sancocho to cool down completely. Place it inside an airtight container and store it in the fridge for 4-6 days. Reheat it slowly over medium heat in a large pot.
Freezing your Colombian sancocho soup
wrap the container in aluminum foil. Freeze it for up to 6 months!
When reheating frozen Colombian sancocho, it’s best to first thaw the soup in the fridge overnight. You can place it in a large stock pot if you want to. Once thawed, reheat on the stovetop.
For a quicker process, place the stew in a pot and leave it over medium-low heat. This will slowly defrost the soup without compromising the pork, chicken thighs, or beef.
Not to mention it will help retain the flavors and textures from your plantains and potatoes a lot better!
More Delicious Recipes you’ll love
Sancocho Colombiano
Ingredients
For the Marinade;
- 1/3 cup Water
- 1 large Onion, cut into cubes
- 3 cloves of Garlic
- 2 Scallions
- 2 Tomatoes, cut into cubes
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Black Pepper
- 1 tsp Cumin
For the Sancocho;
- 6 1/2 cups Water
- 4 Beef ribs, cleaned, trimmed of fat, and cut in half
- 2 ears of Corn, cut in half
- 1 tsp Salt
- 4 Chicken legs
- 4 Pork ribs, cut into small pieces
- 4 medium Potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 Cassava, cut into 4 pieces
- 1 medium ripe Plantain, cut into 4 pieces
- 1 bunch of Cilantro, chopped
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
- 1 tsp Cumin
Instructions
- To make the marinade, place the onions, garlic, scallions, tomatoes, water, salt, pepper, and cumin into a blender and blend the mixture for 1 minute. Set it aside.
- Put the beef in a bowl and add some salt and 2 tablespoons of the marinade. Set it aside for 20 minutes at room temperature. Put the chicken legs into a separate bowl, add 2 tablespoons of the marinade, and place them in the fridge (take them out 15 minutes before you want to use them).
- Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil over medium-high heat in a large pot. Add the marinated beef and cook it for 10 minutes, don’t forget to stir it a few times to prevent sticking.
- Then, add the rest of the marinade with ½ cup of water and let it covert into steam for 20 minutes.
- In the meantime, cut all the vegetables into big chunks and set them aside.
- In the pot with the beef, add 5 cups of water, the chicken legs, cilantro and corn. Cook for 25 more minutes.
- Now you can add the rest of the vegetables. Add the cassava, plantain, 2 adobe chicken seasoning cubes, and cumin. Leave it to cook for 40 more minutes until it starts to thicken.
- Once the Sancocho has thickened up and everything is tender, take it out and place it in a serving bowl.
- Serve with rice, bread, or a fresh green salad, and enjoy!
