Easy Beef Soup (Sopa de res)

This soup is full of flavors, it has different vegetables that make it pretty unique, yet hearty and delicious. It is one of those comfort foods that you want to have on repeat at your home.

What is Sopa de res?

Sopa de res is beef soup made with a variety of vegetables, and beef bones that have meat. You can use shank bones and it works really well. You can also add half meat and half beef bones and it also works really well.

Simple ingredients

Beef bone with meat

This type of bone is specific for soup. The bone provide this soup a deep beef flavor while the meat in it makes it easy to enjoy.

Cassava root

This is an important ingredient because the root makes it more filling adding a unique consistency to the soup.

Chayote

This is family of the squash. It’s such a healthy vegetable. You can switch this one for another type of squash.

Garlic

For this soup, I am using only two garlic cloves without mincing.

Onion

I am using yellow onion, but you can easily swap it for white onion or even shallots.

Celery

This vegetable add to the overall consistency of the soup making it more hearty and healthy.

Tomato

Tomato add color to it, plus its natural flavor.

Cabbage

This is also an important ingredient since it sets this soup aside from other types. You can use white cabbage, green cabbage, or brussels sprouts.

Carrots

Use a couple of medium size carrots, cutting them in roughly one inch size. You can add more if you like carrots, but try to keep all the vegetables in similar proportions.

Plantains

This is also a very unique ingredient, it provides with the sweetness that balance the soup in a very delicious way. Use ripen plantains for better taste.

Corn on the cob

I use white white fresh corn. You can use yellow corn, but I recommend using fresh corn and not frozen, or canned.

Cilantro

This adds to the aroma, and the flavor or the soup. You can switch or even add mint and parsley.

How to make Sopa de res (step by step)

1. Start by bringing water to boil. Rinse beef bones and add to the water, let it boil for about six minutes. Meanwhile, using a small strainer, or napkin, take out all the foam formed on top. Let it boil for 4 more minutes.
2. Peal and cut chayote and cassava and add it to the soup. This are the veggies that take the longest to get soft. Add salt, pepper, bullion, and cumin.
3. Let is boil for 10 minutes and add the rest of the ingredients starting with onion, garlic cloves, carrots, celery, tomato, plantains, cabbage, corn, and cilantro.
4. Give it a good stir, and let it boil at medium heat for about 25 minutes and enjoy!

Cooking tools

I am using a 6 quart size pot for this recipe.

Variations

How to serve

Serve hot for lunch or dinner. You can have it with corn tortillas if you’d like, or rice.

How to store

You can store in the fridge using a airtight container for about two days. This soup does not freeze well since the veggies added have a lot of water and it could make it soggy when defrosted.