Authentic Caldo de Res, Mexican Beef Soup, is a bowl of love, warmth, and goodness.
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Next time you’re under the weather, I invite you to try this hearty soup recipe. It has the rich beef flavor you’d expect from a Mexican restaurant.
No offense to Caldo de Pollo, Caldo de Albondigas, or Caldo de Pescado. All are GREAT, but I prefer this hearty and filling Mexican soup when I’m sick.
Think of this as “Mexican penicillin.”
It’s guaranteed to make you feel better in an instant.
Table of Contents
What Type of Beef
The best part about this soup is the bone marrow. Look for beef hind shanks or bone-in beef shank (Chamorro de res) at the store.
There are many health benefits associated with marrow bones and bone broth.
If you don’t want to use it, you can use a different cut of beef such as top round, chuck roast, or beef stew meat instead.
Buy one beef shank per person. You want to be able to serve the bone to eat bowl.
Step-By-Step Instructions
- Cut the meat around the bone marrow and season with a teaspoon salt and pepper.
- Heat oil in a large pot and sear the meat.of
- Add onion and cook for 1 minute before adding plenty of water.
- Simmer for 30 minutes.
Chop the beef into 1-inch pieces. Since this is a soup, you want the meat to fit a spoon.
Homemade broth is the best, but you can also use store-bought beef broth and skip the 30 minutes of simmering.
Pro Tip:
Save broth from other Mexican beef recipes like Beef Tamales, Red Beef Pozole, Picadillo
Beef broth lasts up to 4 months in a sealable bag in the freezer.
- Add garlic, jalapeno, bay leaves, fresh ears of corn, more veggies, and more cups of water to the soup pot.
- Stir to combine,
- Cook for 40 minutes.
The Name Game
This soup is most commonly known as “Caldo de Res” or sopa de res. Both terms are translated into “Mexican Beef Soup.”
You’ll also hear “Puchero” or “Cocido.”
For non-Spanish speaking readers, “cocido de res” means “cooked beef.”
Be sure to use a large stockpot. This Caldo de Res recipe feeds 4-6 people, but it can feed more, depending on the size of your bowls.
To EXTEND this recipe to serve more people, add more beef broth and more veggies.
Kinda like Caldo de Verduras, the chunks of vegetables really make this soup.
Lime juice is added to help tenderize the meat and to provide tanginess.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best meat for beef soup?
For this soup, we are using beef shank. Or, you can also use beef stew meat, sirloin steak, round, or chuck.
How do I store it?
In the fridge, place the soup in a sealable container. The Mexican Beef Soup will last for 3-4 days. To freeze leftovers, place in a plastic freezer bag. Remove as much air as possible.
Be sure to cool it before placing it in the freezer. It will last for 4-5 months.
How do I reheat frozen beef soup?
Place the frozen soup in the microwave and heat on high for 4-5 minutes. If doing it on the stove, place in a stock pot. Over medium-high heat, cook for 15 minutes.
Can I make this in an instant pot or pressure cooker?
You can but you will have to make many adjustments such as cooking time.
More Mexican Beef Stews:
Serve your Caldo de Res in a large bowl with warm corn tortillas, lime, and jalapeno slices for some spice.
You can change this up a bit according to your personal preferences. Optional veggies include green beans or perhaps a small white onion. Some people will also add Mexican rice to the soup bowl.
A comforting, satisfying, and delicious soup to warm you up on cold winter nights.
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Did you make this recipe? Please rate the recipe below!
Caldo de Res (Mexican Beef Soup)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
- 3 beef shanks
- ½ onion diced
- 8-10 cups of water
- 2 garlic cloves finely diced
- Juice of 2 limes
- 1 jalapeño finely diced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 chayote diced
- 2 Mexican zucchini diced
- 2 carrots chopped
- ¼ cabbage sliced 3-inch pieces
- 2 corn on the cob 3-inches each
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Cilantro chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Remove the meat from each of the beef shanks.
- Chop meat into 1-inch pieces.
- Season the meat with salt and pepper.
- Heat the olive oil in a large stock pot.
- Add the beef and the bones to the pot.
- Brown on all sides.
- Add onion.
- Stir for one minute, or until translucent.
- Add 8 cups of water, more salt and pepper, and garlic.
- Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, or until beef is tender.
- Add jalapeño, bay leaf, chayote, zucchini, carrots, and corn.
- Taste for salt. Add salt and pepper if needed.
- Make sure there’s enough water to cover all the ingredients. If not, add more water.
- Cover and simmer for 50 minutes.
- In last 10 minutes of cooking, add cabbage slices and lime juice.
- Taste again for good measure.
- Top each bowl with cilantro.
- Serve along with additional lime wedges and tortillas.
- Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- In the refrigerator, Caldo de Res lasts for 3-4 days.
- The Caldo de Res will last 4-5 months in the freezer.
Place in the microwave, heat on high for 4-5 minutes.
On the stove, place in stock pot. Over medium-high heat, cook for 10-15 minutes.
Nutrition
Maggie Unzueta is the writer/blogger, photographer, recipe developer, videographer, and creator of In Mama Maggie's Kitchen. She has been developing easy and authentic Mexican food, Mexican-inspired recipes, and traveling tips since 2010. From family recipes to her extensive travels throughout Mexico, she brings traditional Mexican flavors from South of the Border and into your kitchen. Maggie has been featured in notable culinary websites and other media outlets. For more details, check out her About page.
So delicious, hearty, full of flavor, made with your recipe for Mexican rice and salsa with radishes, lime, homemade tortillas. This is how I remember Abuelita making it. Do nor forget the avocado, Thank you so much from a faithful follower. Highly recommended. but no chayote.
Thank you for the high praise, and I’m glad that my recipe helped you recreate those cherished memories.
Thank you for sharing this delicious Caldo de Res. I made it today with the bone marrow and came out perfect. Lovely for the rainy CA weather and all the health benefits.
I love this soup when it’s cold. The best!
I absolutely love this recipe I’ve tried other’s in the past, this is by far the best thank you mama Maggie 👍
So happy you liked this caldo de res recipe. Thank you!!
I love the way you formatted the recipe with step by step pictures. Easy to follow. Nice job. Can’t wait to try it!
Thanks. It’s an easy caldo de res recipe. Hope you like it!
A very very favorite!!!!!!
Yes! Mine too 🙂
I made your recipe today by cooking the meat first and it really brings out the beef flavor in the broth. Very good. I added potatoes to the caldo along with the step to add the carrots and corn. This recipe is a keeper in my book. Thank you for sharing your delicious recipes.
So happy to hear that you enjoyed the recipe! Adding potatoes to the caldo along with the step to add the carrots and corn is a great idea. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for this recipe, it looks & sounds delicious! Plan to try it soon. How did you get the broth to be such a rich reddish brown color? Did you add chili powder or tomatoes to the soup? If so, how much. Thanks.
Someone else on social media made the same comment about the reddish color. I add some chili powder when I served it. That is completely optional. It’s delicious just as is.
Just made the soup on a hot day, in true Mexican form. Delish! I omitted the lime juice and jalapeños during cooking. I included them as optional toppings!
On a hot day! Too funny. I do that too. Glad you liked it.
Yum. This soup sounds so good. I’ll have to make some soon. My grandma used to make something similar and I can’t wait to give it a try.
Hope you try it! This recipe it’s delicious
This beef soup looks so hearty and full of a lot of good nutrients. Yummy!
Healthy and delicious!
I always crave for soup when it’s raining or when it’s cold. This would be perfect to have today because it’s raining.
Perfect for rainy days! Hope you try it
You never say when to add the garlic. I would guess it should be added when the onions are added to the beef?
It’s in the recipe card. It mentions how much garlic to add and when to add it.
This sounds like not only delicious but also filling beef soup with lot of flavors.
Hope you try it! It’s both filling and delicious
Great soup did aliitle change I added seasoning all a tablespoon it gave more taste. Thank you keeper
Sounds great. Yes, please modify according to your taste. 🙂
This soup looks delicious! I can see why you crave it when you aren’t feeling well.
Glad you enjoyed this! Hope you try it.
This recipe looks really savory and flavorful. Looking forward to making it.
So glad you enjoyed this Tasheena!
This Caldo de res Mexican beef soup was so flavorful! My family loved it and I had hoped to have leftovers for lunch today, but nope, it was all eaten at dinnertime!
So good right? We love this one too
This is something my dad and husband would both enjoy. They do love hearty soups with meat.
Hope you try it!
Thanks for this recipe. It sounds really nice. I hope I could find chayote in our local grocery stores.
I hope you do! Hope you try this recipe