Growing up, Colombian beef sancocho was the soup my Colombian mom made whenever I was feeling under the weather. Even now, she still makes it several times a year because it's one of our family's favorite comfort meals. This recipe has been passed down through her family for generations, and now she's passed it down to me so I can continue the tradition in my own kitchen. Made with tender beef, hearty vegetables, and a rich, flavorful broth, this authentic Colombian sancocho is the ultimate comfort food that's perfect for family dinners, chilly days, or anytime you need a warm bowl of homemade goodness.
Why you'll love this Colombian sancocho
- t's a complete one-pot meal. Tender beef, hearty vegetables, and a flavorful broth come together in one pot, making dinner both satisfying and easy to clean up.
- Perfect for meal prep. This soup tastes even better the next day as the flavors continue to develop, making it ideal for lunches and easy weeknight dinners.
- Freezer friendly. Make a big batch and freeze leftovers for a comforting homemade meal that's ready whenever you need it.
- Great for feeding a crowd. Colombian beef sancocho is a hearty recipe that easily serves a large group, making it perfect for family gatherings, holidays, or casual get-togethers.
- Healthy and perfect for soup season. Packed with tender beef and nourishing vegetables, this cozy soup is a delicious way to stay warm on chilly days.
What is sancocho?
Sancocho is a hearty Latin American stew made with meat, root vegetables, and starchy vegetables simmered in a flavorful broth. While every country has its own version, sancocho is known for being a comforting, one-pot meal that's often served at family gatherings, holidays, and special occasions.
Common ingredients include:
- Beef, chicken, pork, or a combination of meats
- Yuca (cassava)
- Plantains
- Potatoes
- Corn on the cob
- Pumpkin or squash
- Garlic, onions, peppers, and fresh herbs like cilantro
The broth is rich and savory, with the vegetables naturally thickening it as they cook. Depending on the region, sancocho may be served with white rice, avocado, lime wedges, or hot sauce.
Some popular regional variations include:
- Dominican Sancocho: Often made with seven different meats ("Sancocho de Siete Carnes") and a variety of root vegetables.
- Colombian Sancocho: Commonly prepared with chicken, beef, pork, or fish and served with rice and avocado.
- Puerto Rican Sancocho: Typically made with beef, pork, root vegetables, and sofrito for extra flavor.
- Panamanian Sancocho: Usually features chicken, yuca, culantro, onions, and oregano in a lighter, herb-forward broth.
No matter the country, sancocho is considered the ultimate comfort food—a nourishing, slow-simmered stew that's perfect for feeding a crowd or enjoying on a chilly day.
Sancocho Colombiano Key Ingredients
For the full list of ingreidents and quantities, scroll to the recipe card
- Beef meat – Beef is the star of this hearty sancocho, becoming fall-apart tender as it slowly simmers while adding rich flavor to the broth.
- Yuca (Cassava) – This starchy root vegetable is a staple in Latin American soups, adding a creamy texture and helping make the broth extra hearty.
- Plantains – Green plantains soften as they cook, naturally thickening the broth and adding a subtle sweetness that balances the savory beef.
- Corn on the Cob – Chunks of sweet corn add color, texture, and sweetness while soaking up the delicious flavors of the broth.
- Potatoes – Potatoes make the stew even more filling, becoming perfectly tender as they cook while helping create a rich, comforting broth.
How to make Sancocho Soup
- In an 8 quart pot or caldero, Add 1 tablespoon of canola oil and set to medium heat. Add in your beef and sear the meat. Depending on the size of your pot, you may need to sear the beef in batches, keeping in mind that you're not trying to cook the meat just simply give it some color.
2. Once all the meat as been seared, add all of the meat back into the pot and add the salt, water, bay leaves cumin. Drop the heat to medium-low. As the soup simmers, skim the foamy brown fat off the top of the stew using a small fine mesh strainer or spoon.
3. After 10 minutes, add in 1 cup of chopped green onion and cup of tomato then drop the heat to low and cover the pot with a lid.
4. Peel the green plantains and cut them into about 2 inch thick slices. Cut your corn into 2 inches pieces as well.
5. After 2 hours, add 4 additional cups of water the corn and plantains.
6. While the soup is cooking, peel your potatoes and and cut into large cubes. Cut your yuca into quarters and be sure to remove the hard center core from the yuca. Leaving the core in imparts a bitter flavor to the soup.
7. After 30 minutes, add the yuca and potatoes. Cook until the potatoes and yuca are fork tender.
8. Serve in a large bowl and top with a slice of avocado, encurtido and white rice.
Sancocho Colombiano Tips
It will be very tempting to stir around your soup once you've added in your vegetables. However, the more you stir the more the vegetables will breakdown and change the consistency of the soup. If you want a thicker soup/stew then feel free to mix mix mix.
The order in which you add your root vegetables matters. The plantains and corn take longer to cook. The yuca and potatoes cook quickly and fall apart when they are overcooked.
What to serve with Sancocho Colombiano
This Colombian soup is typically served with white rice, Colombian encurtido and avocado.
Variations/Substitutions for this sancocho Colombiano
Don't like beef? Feel free to swap out the beef for pork or chicken.
Want a sancocho trifasico? Instead of using 4 pounds of beef, opt instead for a 1.3 lbs of beef, 1.3 lbs of pork meat and 1.3 lbs of chicken.
If you want a thicker stew? Cook the root vegetables for longer so they can get slightly mushy.
Want a spicy sancocho? Add in some fresh jalapeño or your choice of hot sauce to the soup.
Want more vegetables in your soup? Feel free to add calabaza squash, malanga, boniato or whatever root vegetable you'd like.
Storing Sancocho Colombia Soup
- Refrigerator: Allow the sancocho to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Freeze cooled sancocho in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. For best results, leave a little space at the top of the container for expansion.
- To Reheat: Warm the soup in a pot over medium heat until heated through, or microwave individual portions in 1-minute intervals, stirring between each.
- Add Broth if Needed: The vegetables will continue to absorb liquid as the soup sits. Add a splash of beef broth or water when reheating to reach your desired consistency.
- Make Ahead Tip: Sancocho tastes even better the next day after the flavors have had time to meld, making it an excellent meal prep option.
Check out these other soup recipes
Sancocho De Res
Ingredients
- 14 cups water separated
- 2 lbs bone-in beef short ribs
- 2 lbs beef stew meat
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 3 tablespoon salt
- 3 ears of corn cut into 2-3 inch chunks
- 1.5 lbs of yuca
- 3 green plantains cut into 2-3 inch chunks
- 1 cup green onion chopped
- 4 red potatoes peeled and cut into cubes peeled and cut into cubes
- 2 roma tomato chopped
- 1 teaspoon of bijol
- 2 bay leaves
Instructions
- In an 8 quart pot or caldero, Add 1 tablespoon of canola oil and set to medium heat. Add in your beef and sear the meat. Depending on the size of your pot, you may need to sear the beef in batches, keeping in mind that you're not trying to cook the meat just simply give it some color.
- Once all the meat as been seared, add all of the meat back into the pot and add the salt, 10 cups water, bay leaves cumin. Drop the heat to medium-low. As the soup simmers, skim the foamy brown fat off the top of the stew using a small fine mesh strainer or spoon.
- After 10 minutes, add in 1 cup of chopped green onion and cup of tomato then drop the heat to low and cover the pot with a lid.
- Peel the green plantains and cut them into about 2 inch thick slices. Cut your corn into 2 inches pieces as well.
- After 2 hours, add 4 additional cups of water the corn and plantains.
- While the soup is cooking, peel your potatoes and and cut into large cubes. Cut your yuca into quarters and be sure to remove the hard center core from the yuca. Leaving the core in imparts a bitter flavor to the soup.
- After 30 minutes, add the yuca and potatoes. Cook until the potatoes and yuca are fork tender.
- Serve in a large bowl and top with a slice of avocado and white rice.
dalia says
I saw the meat picture I got hungry!!