I love how food, like yarn, can sew together generations.
My mom and me, circa 1983
I never met my mother’s mother, Maria (she died before I was born), but I think of her often.
I think of her at times, like last week, when after a long day all I wanted was a mug of tea and hot bath, and just as the bath water was warming up, I knocked my tea onto the concrete floor. With glass everywhere, to pray for patience — as my grandmother would have — was all that I could muster: “Dame paciencia Señor.”
And I think of her at times, like this week, when I made caldo de res, a traditional Mexican beef soup, that my grandmother made for my mom and my mom made for us.
The key to caldo de res, I think, is the timing. Here’s why: If you throw in all the vegetables at once, by the time the corn and carrots are cooked, the squash and potatoes will be slop.
So the key is to add the vegetables in the proper order (corn, carrots, celery, onion/tomato/cilantro, cabbage, potato, squash) with about fifteen minutes between each one.
Fifteen minutes between each one?
You mean it takes more than two hours to make this soup?!
Yes.
Dame paciencia Señor.
For a printable recipe, pop over here.
Caldo de Res: Traditional Mexican Beef Soup
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1.5 – 2 lbs. bone-in beef short ribs (about 4 ribs)
1 cob corn, peeled and cut into quarters
2 carrots, peeled and sliced into chunks
2 ribs celery, sliced into chunks
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 yellow onion, sliced thin
1 tomato, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro leaves, plus more for serving
1/2 green cabbage, sliced into two or three wedges
2 white potatoes, scrubbed and sliced into chunks
2 summer squash, sliced into chunks
Salt, to taste
Fresh cilantro, for serving
Lemon or lime wedges, for serving
Sliced fresh jalapeños, for serving
Corn tortillas, for serving
Instructions:
Fill a large pot with water, about 2/3 full.
Add the short ribs.
Bring the water to a boil. Then reduce the heat to medium so the water continues to bubble but is not at a rolling boil.
As foam rises to the top, skim it off with a spoon and discard.
After skimming the foam, set the lid ajar, and cook the short ribs for about 50 minutes.
Then add the corn, set the lid ajar, and cook for about 15 minutes.
Then add the celery, set the lid ajar, and cook for about 15 minutes. While the celery is cooking, heat the olive oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add the onions; cook for 1-2 minutes.
Add the tomatoes; cook for 1-2 minutes.
Add the cilantro and stir.
Pour the onion-tomato-cilantro mixture into the pot of soup. Season the soup with about 1/2 tablespoon salt (you can add more later).
Around this time, you will probably need to add more water, as much of the original water will have evaporated by now. Just dump it right in — about 2-3 cups should bring you back up to the original water line.
Then add the carrots, set the lid ajar, and cook for about 15 minutes.
Then add the cabbage, set the lid ajar, and cook for about 15 minutes.
Then add the potatoes, set the lid ajar, and cook for … you guessed it … about 15 minutes.
Finally, add the squash, and cook for 10 more minutes. Test the veggies; cook for 5-10 more minutes if needed.
Taste; add more salt if needed. Remove pot from heat.
Serve soup warm, with cilantro, lime or lemon wedges, sliced jalapeños, and corn tortillas.
Y el mismo receta en Español:
Caldo de Res
Ingredientes:
1 1/2 – 2 libras de costilla de res con hueso.
1 mazorca de elote pelado y cortado en 4 piezas
2 zanahorias peladas y rebanadas en pedazos
2 porciones de apio, cortado
1 cucharada de aceite de olivo
1/4 de una cebolla rebanada delgada
1 tomate partido
1/4 de una lata de hojas de cilantro
1/2 de un repollo rebajado en 2-3 piezas
2 papás blancas en pedazos
2 calabazas partidas
Un poco de cilantro fresco
Limón
Jalapeño fresco rebanado
Y tortillas para acompañar el caldo
Instrucciones:
1. Llena una hoya con agua más o menos como 2/3 llena.
2. Agregale las costillas de res.
3. Espera a que hierva el agua luego suduce la llama.
4. Remueve la espuma que encuentres enzima del caldo.
5. Después tapa la Hoya y deja que se cueza por 50 min. Más o menos .
6. Agrega el elote y cocina por 15 min.
7. Después el apio también cocina por 15 min. Mientras se cueze el apio calienta el aceite de olivo por 1-2 min. En un sartén chico agrega la cebolla y cocinala por 2 min.
8. Agregarle el tomate Partido.1-2 min.
9. Luego el cilantro y mezclamos.
10. Agregarle esto al caldo. Sazona el caldo con 1/2 de una cucharada de sal. (Puedes agregar más después.)
11. En este tiempo alamejor necesitarás agregar más agua. Por si se evaporo mucha. Agrega más o menos una copa de agua oh como veas que necesite.
12. Ahora agriega la zanahoria y tapa la por 15 min.
13. Después el repollo también por 15 min.
14.Ahora las papas. Si 15 min. también :)!
15. Últimamente agrega la calabaza por 10 min. Chekea las verduras k estén listas sino puedes dejarlas otros 5 min más.
16. Agrega más sal so necesita más después remueve la Hoya de la estufa.
17. Sirve el caldo. Agregarle limón fresco si gusta y cilantro y jalapeño fresco. Y unas tortillas para acompañar el caldo.
i would suggest that you get more flavor if you start with the ribs without water (but a little oil) and brown them first. Then cover with water and boil.
I agree!
When you boil the ribs first you are creating a broth…
however, I agree you lose flavor going this route…
I’ve been researching this dish as my girl is craving her grandmothers dish but I’ve never made it before.
I’m making it tomorrow, following this as a base recipe with the following exceptions.
1. I have my own beef broth made from bones over time.
2. I will be using tri-tip I am going to cube, season, flour and brown.
3. I feel adding cumin will add more earthiness which will compliment the veggies.
I’ll let you know how it comes out….
Tip: save the rib bones. Bake them then crack and boil with celery, carrots and onions salt / pepper to taste. Reduce and add water several times (kind of like french onion soup) finally strain. I like to freeze in Ice cube trays and add to sauces, veggies and other preparations as needed…
Oh wow — I bet your broth was delicious! I will be saving rib bones in the future — thanks for the suggestion! Best, Marie
You are beautiful and a genius. Thanks for making a traditional, some what complicated soup very easy to make.
Hi Nina! Well that is the nicest comment ever :) Thank you for taking time to leave a note. I’m thrilled to hear that you enjoyed the soup. Best, Marie
I dislike all canned soups and will only eat homemade recipes so today I tried yours and am happy to report that it permanently replaces another recipe I was using. I love that the flavors are so bold that I’m able to limit how much salt I add to the soup as I like to watch my sodium intake. As with most made-from-scratch recipes, it did require several hours in the kitchen, but it is absolutely worth it and I have leftovers!! Thank you for sharing your recipe!!
Hi! I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks for the note! Best, Marie
I made caramelized onions for a french onion soup (separate dinner). I had some extra and put about 1/2 cup into the pot of caldo when I reheated it. It added a lot of flavor. It doesn’t change the essential character of the broth, but intensified it.
Oh wow! Love this Alan! Thanks for the idea!
Great recipe! Made it this weekend for the one big storm we get here southern Cali! It was awesome! Gonna try it again once it’s New Mexico green chile season and incorporate them into the onion tomato mixture. Keep up the good work!
Hi Marie, I’ve been married for 40 years n never made caldo always found it was too complicated. Thank you so much yours was so easy to follow. By the way this it was so delicious that I’m making again.
Hello Deborah! How wonderful! I’m so glad it was easy and delicious :) Very best, Marie
I’ve been looking for this recipe a long time gonna make it Sunday.. can’t wait. Thanks so much!
Hi Tonia! Wonderful! Hope it turned out well. Best, Marie
Got hurt at work, at home and love to cook. Wife favorite meal is Caldo, thx for the step by step, wife loved it the 1st time making it again.I know it’s good when my mother in-law gave me the thumbs up…
Hi Joey! Thanks for the note! I’m so happy to hear that your wife and mother in-law approve! Hope you heal quickly. Very best, Marie
I also like it when my mom adds chayote!! Its my fave. This will be my first attempt at making it!
Hi Hilda! Yes, yes chayote if you have it around! I would love to hear how the caldo turned out! What were some other of your favorite dishes of your mom’s? I would love to hear. Best, Marie
It came out great and the hubby loved it too!! :) another one of my favorites is her chilallo (sp check) and her own spin on chiles reyenos, she doesn’t batter them in egg or fry them. And makes a delicious chipotle sauce I have yet to conquer & stuffs them with cheese instead of meat :)
Oh Hilda! That sounds amazing! You are lucky to have had such a good teacher :) Hugs!
This is a great recipe! It takes a little time, but with the vigorous cooking going on, the process is exciting and moves along at a nice pace. Plus, your recommendations for the proper order are spot on. Fresh, hot soup with tender and flavorful meat, vegetables and a wonderful broth have combined to create the best soup I’ve had in years. I am amazed that salt is the only spice and it was plenty! Thanks for the awesome recipe!!!
Oh my goodness what a wonderful note! Thank you Jim! Completely made my day :) I am so glad you enjoyed the soup and thank you for taking time to leave a comment. Stay in touch, won’t ya? Very best, Marie
I was completely shocked that you wrote back and it took a whole month to regain my composure! Thank you. I just checked out your recipe for things to do with perfect beans and my enthusiasm continues. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. Warm regards, Jim
I have searched so many recapee for caldo only you give the correct advice on how to add the veggies thank you so much this is one meal I can make like his mother . god bless you and thanks again .
Hello! Thanks so much for your comment! I am so glad that this recipe is what you are looking for! It is so delicious — he will think his mother made it :) Very best, Marie
I just made this, it was my very first time making a caldo de res. It came out delicious. Thank you for pointing out the fact that the vegetables have to go in in increments. I think I would of had mush if I had not read this. Great recipe!
Hi Mariella! Thank you so much for the note! Yes, the timing of the vegetables is so important for the soup, and I’m so glad that it turned out well for you. With gratitude and best wishes, Marie
It came out delicious. Thank you for the recipe.
Hello Rosarii! I am so glad to hear that you enjoyed the soup! You are most welcome for the recipe. Thank you for your comment. With gratitude and best wishes, Marie
Last night I made this recipe again, and it was even better. Somehow, the steps you provide seem to illustrate a recipe for patience that is just as satisfying as the delicious soup. I really appreciate what you have done. Thank you!
Hi Jim! Thanks for the comment! Isn’t it interesting how cooking can teach us lessons for life? I love that you embrace the patience required for this soup. And I’m so glad that you have continued to enjoy the recipe! Thank you for your comments — I appreciate your feedback and encouragement! With gratitude and best wishes, Marie
Hi Marie, thank you so much for simplifying this recipe. I’m from California where there is good Mexican food everywhere. Well let’s just say that isn’t the case here in Tennessee unless I make it myself. So I love it when I find an authentic recipe such as yours that is user friendly. God Bless you and keep those good recipes coming.
Hi Debbie! Thank you so much for the comment! I’m thrilled to hear that this recipe has been a success for you! What other Mexican dishes have you been missing in Tennessee? I am always looking for new recipes to post and would love to hear a few of your favorites. Thank you again. With much gratitude and best wishes, Marie
I am making this caldo as I type. This is not my first but my fifth time following your guide. I just love it!! Thank You!!!!
Hi Mireya! Thank you so much for the note! Five times! Wow, that is wonderful. I am so glad that you enjoy this soup as much as we do. With gratitude and best wishes, Marie
Hola Marie, I’ve made caldo before but it was always done quickly. After reading your recipe, I decided to take my time & give it a try. I added ground cumino & garlic salt but other that, I followed your recipe… We’ll see how it comes out… Thank you for sharing your story & recipe..
Hola Esther! Thanks so much for the note! I can’t wait to hear how it compares to your quicker recipe! More importantly, I hope it warms you on these cool fall days. Very best, Marie
Been looking fur this recipe to make this caldo this is one my favorite Mexican caldos and will try to make over the weekend it’s getting cold here in Austin Texas gunna try ND master this fur this Bar my uncle works. @ but need to feed LOTS OF PEOPLE HOPE THIS TURNS OUT GOOD THANKS FOR THIS EASY TO DO STEPS I DIDN’T KNOW THAT THE VEGGIES HAD THERE DIFF TIMES SLOTS CAN’T WAIT TO MAKE AND ENJOY THANKS MARIE
Hello Maria, I have never made caldo before so I googled for a recipe. I am so glad I picked yours . I loved the pics and the step by step on adding the veggies.everything was cooked perfect. My husband loved it !!!as did I. It did take some time , but was well worth it .. I will be making this again and again. Thank you for sharing your wonderful receipe
Hi Dahlia! Thanks so much for your note! I am so glad to hear that the pictures and steps were easy to follow, and that you and your husband enjoyed it! That is wonderful. Thank you for sharing — comments like yours inspire me to write more recipes :) Best, Marie
Awesome recipe. I needed a recipe for Caldo de Res to make my Hispanic girlfriend. I left out the squash and potatoes, and added 2 Knorr Caldo de Res bouillon cubes and 1/4 teaspoon of Cumin. Turned out better than any caldo I’ve ever tasted in South Texas. She loved it. Thanks Marie.
Hi Dennis! Thanks so much for the note! I’m thrilled to hear that your girlfriend approved and so flattered that you liked it better than you’ve had before in South Texas! I bet the bouillon cubes and cumin added great flavor — thanks for the tip! Best, Marie
this is a wonderful recipe, and simple to follow. thank you for sharing it! tastes better than the ones I’ve tried at restaurants!
Hi Davee! Thanks for the comment! I’m so glad you enjoyed and were able to follow the recipe. I like it better than restaurants, too! Hooray for home cooking :) Best, Marie
Hi Marie, sound like a great recipe. I don’t eat beef. Can I substitute the beef for chicken?
Hi Indira! Thanks for the note! Yes, you can sub chicken for the beef. In fact, I am planning to write up the same recipe as a Caldo de Pollo soon … just haven’t gotten to it yet! For the chicken, you can use various pieces, but I do recommend bone-in and skin-on for extra flavor. After cooking, you could serve as is, or if you prefer, you could remove the skin and bones and just leave the shredded chicken. Hope you enjoy it! Thanks again and please stay in touch :) Best, Marie
Hi again Indira! One other thing: you won’t need to boil the chicken for the full hour like the beef. 20 minutes is plenty for the chicken, which will continue to cook as you add the other vegetables. Best, Marie
Thank you so much for this recipe,I never really learned how to cook traditional Mexican food.I always crave things like this that my mother would make.The ending result its like my mother was in my kitchen while I was making it! I facetimed her the end result and her response was ” ahora si ya Te puedes casar” lol
Hi Diana! Oh my goodness this made me laugh out loud! I had to immediately call my mother and tell her what your mother said, and then my mom starting laughing, too! Seriously, that is the cutest thing. I’m so happy that it turned out well and that it reminded you of your mom’s cooking. It’s amazing how some memories from childhood can last a lifetime. Thanks so much for taking time to leave a note. I hope you’ll stay in touch! Very best, Marie
Marie: cold front coming in to San Antonio Tx right now & I have tried one other online recipe …. I’m making my caldito texmex style & adding some Arroz to my caldito …. with some tortillas de maiz….thanks for the inspiration. … p.s. I was laughing @ the last comment. …. too funny
I was wondering how soon to add each vegetable so they wouldn’tbe soggy. your recipe helped a lot. Gracias just like my moms caldo. Rima
My husband and I fell in love with this soup from our favorite Mexican restaurant so I decided to try making it myself. Your recipe was spot on!!! My local ethnic market had a fresh kit with the veggies so i just added a few more because I made a huge pot to freeze. It was amazing and the next day even better! Our local restaurant also gives rice on the side to add, but I omitted it from my dish to make it as low carb as possible. There were so many veggies and meat that I never missed the rice or tortillas!
Thank you!
Will be doing this today but I will be adding white bone
I used to live in Indio, California, where there was numerous mexican food restaurants and the competition between them was stiff. One restaurant stood out from the rest when it came to caldo de res. For 15 years I would go here for this and other foods. I always tried to get them to let me in on their secret to the recipe as I would try to make it at home and it never came out near as good as theirs.
Finally, when I retired and had bought property in Northern Arizona, they relented and gave me their recipe. The ingredient that I missed? Instead of water in the recipe, they used chicken broth. I don’t know if anyone else has tried this, but it makes this soup perfect for me.
I think broth is a wonderful idea if you’re in a hurry. The nature of this particular recipe, which takes over two hours if followed as directed, creates all the flavor one might want. Just my opinion of course.
Thank you for the great recipe! If it weren’t for this recipe I’d probably just throw the veggies in all together and have mush.My husband (from Sonora) came home from work and was very excited to see caldo de res simmering away.
I made this recipe .. and I gotta say my gf was super impressed I followed it step by step.. I tried making this before and was unsuccessful.. I found your recipe and thought I’d try it … needless to say I was speechless it was awesome.. I gave some to my mom which she’s a very traditional Mexican woman and given that she knows how to make this I wasn’t sure what she was going to say… she wasn’t impressed with the prior soups I made and so this one ….well blew her socks off … to hear that my mom was loving this soup it brought tears to my eyes… I’m such a momas boy… but wit some minor tweaks.. add in minced garlic and a 8 Oz v8 she said this would be better than restaurant quality soup.. I will be making this from hear on out.
Thank you, thank you so much Maria for this simple, yet delicious recipe! While making this soup it totally took me back to my childhood & suddenly I was standing in the kitchen next to my mom asking if I could skim the foam from the pot!
I made this exactly as you said & it was as delicious as I remember my moms being. I also made my “arroz”/Spanish rice to put in the soup! My family absolutely loved it!
Tip- it really does make all the difference if you use lemon, cilantro & jalapeños for your garnish & don’t forget the corn tortillas:)
Maria, I forgot to mention that the long process of making this soup is actually therapeutic. Thanks again:)
God bless you & your family