Caldo De Res (Mexican Beef Soup)

A large bowl of Mexican beef soup with vegetables and garnished with cilantro and limes.

Caldo De Res (Mexican Beef Soup)

Caldo de res is a flavorful Mexican beef soup with vegetables. Large chunks of vegetables and tender morsels of beef make the soup a full meal. It is comforting, hearty, and filling.

It's one of those soups that gets better as it sits, so don't hesitate to make a big batch and enjoy it over the course of a few days.

If you're feeling particularly carnivorous, you can add some chorizo sausage to the soup.

Using beef bones will add a rich, umami flavor to the soup. You can use beef shanks, short ribs, oxtail, or a mix. Try to find bones that have plenty of meat attached to them. You can even use a bone in beef chuck and toss in a few marrow bones for good measure.

5 from 2 votes

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Prep Time: 25

Cook Time: 3

Total Time: 3 25

Servings: servings

Calories: 598kcal

Author: Dahn Boquist

Ingredients

2 pounds bone-in beef such as beef shanks short ribs, or oxtails
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion diced
8 garlic cloves minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1-½ teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
¾ teaspoon chipotle chili powder optional
6 cups beef broth
1 can 15 ounces diced tomatoes
2 bay leaves
10 ounces red potatoes cut into 1-inch pieces
3 carrots cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 ears of corn cut into 1-inch chunks
1 to 2 zucchinis cut into 1/2 inch pieces
½ head of cabbage cut into bite size chunks
¼ cup minced fresh cilantro
¼ cup lime juice or lemon juice

Garnish

2 limes sliced into wedges
6 radishes thinly sliced
1 avocado sliced

Instructions

Make the Base for the Soup

Season the beef with salt and pepper.
Heat the oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium high heat (the pot should hold at least 7 quarts). Working in batches, add the beef and sear on all sides until it has a dark brown crust. Transfer the beef to a plate and set aside.
Add the diced onion to the pot and cook for 3 minutes or until it is soft and translucent. Stir in the garlic, oregano, tomato paste, cumin, chipotle powder, if using and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
Transfer all the beef back to the pot. Add the broth, diced tomatoes, and bay leaves. Stir well and scrape up any brown, cooked on bits that may be stuck to the bottom of the pot.
Bring the mixture to a boil then reduce the heat to a low simmer (small, gentle bubbles). Place the lid on the pot and cook for 2½ to 3 hours or until the meat is very tender.

Finish the Soup

Use a wide spoon to skim off any foam on the top of the broth. Use tongs to transfer the meat and bones to a plate. When it cools enough to handle, separate the meat from the bones and discard the bones along with any fat and grizzle. Skim the fat off the top of the soup in the pot, then return the meat to the pot.
Add the potatoes, carrots, and corn. Cover the pot and cook for 15 to 25 minutes or until the potatoes and carrots are nearly tender. Add the zucchini and cabbage. Cover the pot again and cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until all the vegetables are perfectly tender.
Remove the caldo de res soup from the heat and stir in the cilantro and lime juice. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if needed.
Serve the soup with fresh radish slices, wedges of lime, and slices of avocado.

Notes

Searing the meat and bones first will add extra flavor to the soup.
If you don’t have any bone-in beef cuts, you can make this soup with chunks of stew meat. However, using bones will give the soup a richer flavor as the bone marrow and connective tissues break down.
Some brands of store-bought beef broth can taste fairly bland. If you aren’t using homemade beef broth, you may want to add some beef bouillon.
Finishing the soup with lemon or lime juice will balance the flavors with the added acidity.

Nutrition