Authentic Caldo de Res, Mexican Beef Soup, is a bowl of love, warmth, and goodness.
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If you’re under the weather, try this hearty soup recipe. It has the rich beef flavor you’d expect from a Mexican restaurant.
Think of this as “Mexican penicillin.” It’s guaranteed to make you feel better in an instant.
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.
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.
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.
- Boil 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
- Beef broth lasts up to 4 months in a sealable bag in the freezer.
- Save broth from other Mexican beef recipes like Beef Tamales, Red Beef Pozole, Picadillo
- 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
For this soup, we are using beef shank. Or, you can also use beef stew meat, sirloin steak, round, or chuck.
In the fridge, place the soup in an airtight 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.
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.
You can but you will have to make many adjustments such as cooking time.
More Mexican Beef Recipes
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 arroz mexicano 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.
Can’t wait to make this! 🤗
It’s delicious!
I added a can of Rotel Diced Tomatoes with Cilantro and Lime Juice for a little extra sump’in, sump’in . The soup was delicious! We all agreed the leftovers the next day tasted even better!
Sounds really yummy, I’m glad you liked it!
I use the tomatoes with green chilies for almost everything! It just adds an amazing flavor to everything.
They do! Green tomatoes are delicious!
First time making this and i was impressed. My father in law (picky eater) even said it was really good. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Glad you and your father in law liked it! It’s really good
What makes the caldo red? I don’t see anything that can give it a red color.
That’s a good point. I have no idea. lol. Just made it the other day again, and it also turned out reddish. You can see how I made it on my Instagram highlights.
When do you put the bones in?? It says remove the meat from the shanks, but don’t you cook the bone/marrow too?
Hi. You add the meat and the bones at the same time. I’ll adjust the recipe. Thanks for letting me know. Oh, you can also see when everything is added in the video. Happy cooking!
What a hearty meal for the winter!
This looks so freaking delicious. I wish you could come make it at my house because if I even attempted with the beef shanks it’d be bad. That marrow intrigues me though. I may have to investigate. Thanks for sharing!
Oh my goodness – this looks so amazing! Hearty soups are the ultimate comfort food in the winter. I love spicy flavors and can’t wait to try your recipe.
I love Mexican food especially because it’s spicy. I’m vegan so this recipe is defintely not for me, but I might skip beef what do you think? Or what could I use instead of beef?
Sorry, I was on a wrong line below. Chuckle! I am trying to make a Christmas Calde de Res Soup for my spanish speaking neighbor and family. I can tell your work is very professional and I am learning to cook Mexican food to cheer them up. I was born with deaf-blind genes and spina bifida from my father’s DNA with Agent Orange from World War II. I have been cooking over 55 yrs for I am a homemaker. God bless you letting me having your Calde re Des Soup recipe. Your kindness and thoughtfulness is greatly appreciated.
Mucha Gracias! Feliz Navadid!
That’s so nice of you. Hope you and your friends enjoy this recipe for Caldo de Res. iFeliz Navidad!
I can never deny a nice bowl of caldo de res, but when it comes to favorites i would definitely choose caldo de pollo! Thanks for the awesome recipe!
Yes to both! Yum. Yum.
This soup looks great! I love the great chunks of veggies, such a hearty meal!
Yes. Especially when it’s cold, this soup is awesome! (humbly speaking, of course)
Mmmm the Bf would love this! May have to surprise him with this recipe soon.
Hope you do! Guarantee he’ll love you for it, but I’m sure he already does. 🙂
OH my god that looks absolutely amazing! I have always loved bone marrow, it is so tasty! I need to make this soup soon!
The bone marrow is the BEST part. Enjoy!
A soup very similiar to this was always made on very cold nights in my Puerto Rican household – its the best! Great post xo
That’s awesome! I love being introduced to what I think is a “new” dish, but we just call it something different in Mexico. 🙂
For whatever reason, having a slice of jalapeno settles my nauseous stomach. However, I’m thinking I need to try this soup the next time I have the flu!
I’m not a doctor, but if I were, I would order this to any of my patients. … Next stop, med school! 🙂
My GOD! I love this. In Costa Rica, where I’m from we have a Beef Stew that we call Olla de Carne. It’s very similar to this. Perfect for winter & Hangovers too!
I’ve seen different versions of this soup even within Mexico. It’s called by different names too. Caldo de Res is the most common though. I’ll have to look up Olla de Carne. Saludos!
Can’t wait to try this! 🙂
Awesome! Enjoy!
Looks like a perfect comfort dish!!! Yum!
It is! Right now, it gets cold at night (San Diego’s version of cold). This soup really warms you up. 🙂
Always looking for a hearty warm soup to make for my family. Thinking this would be a winner at the dinner table.
Definitely a winner! Hope you enjoy. 🙂