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.
This looks really good. I’ve never had anything like it. I definitely need to give this a try.
Please do and let me know what you think!
This is a soup that my husband would like. I will have to make it for him
It’s delicious. Hope you try it!
This is a great beef soup and I do love Mexican food. This will be a real hearty way to beat any illness or just hungry.
Will work for both 🙂 Hope you try it!
That soup looks delicious I love that you added a tons of veggies including chayote.
Hope you try it! It’s delicious
This is the kind of dinner I would like right now! Hearty, flavorful and delicious!
Hope you try it! Glad you liked it
One of my favorite caldos our there, I need to try this recipe soon, yummy for rainy days
Perfect for rainy days indeed! Hope you try it
I have never heard of this soup before. It would be nice to try something different like this. This has been a cold winter, and I would like to give this a try.
Hope you try it! It’s delicious
I have never heard of this before. It sure does look good though. Looks like there is a lot of great stuff in this recipe too.
It’s delicious. Hope you try it
I am always looking for new recipes to make for my son-in-law he’s going to be really surprised when I make this for him!
So glad you enjoyed this Rena!
We have a Filipino beef soup that almost looks like this. It just don’t have the zucchini and jalapeno. I would love to give this a try.
This recipe is really yummy! Hope you try it
Nice, healthy and heartwarming, this soup is divine and perfect for this winter season. Can’t wait to make it this weekend.
Glad you enjoyed this! Hope you try it!
I love health-foods like this and it actually looks good!
And tastes good too! Hope you try it
It’s nice to know. We also call that vegetable calabasa but ours have an orange color.
Interesting. Hope you try this recipe!
Caldo de Res is one of my favorites from your dishes! It’s really delicious and satisfying!
Thank you very much! Glad you liked it
This dish would take me way out of my comfort zone because of the bones. But I love all the veggies in there! I should try new things!
Hope you try it, it’s one of my favorite recipes!
It looks like a delicious soup and so good for this time of year! Something tells me that we wouldn’t have leftovers for long!
Perfect for this time of year! Hope you try it
One of our friends from Guatemala makes something very similar and it is delicious. I want to try your version too!
Hope you try it!
I’ve never had this before. This looks really flavorful.
Flavorful and delicious
Delicious! Growing up in the Southwest means that caldo is considered a winter staple. I need to try and make a batch here at home.
Warm and delicious. Hope you try it!
Love it!!! So satisfying and very filling, plus, you’re getting all the goodness and vitamins a body needs from all the vegetables. The taste in unbelievable!!!
Delicious and healthy!