Sancocho Recipe

What Is Sancocho?

The word comes from the Spanish verb sancochar (meaning parboil in English), and it’s a conventional stew famous in several Latin American countries, just like the Dominican Republic, Colombia, Cuba, and Puerto Rico. It enjoys several variations, however the common factor is that a sancocho recipe is a hearty stew (sometimes known as soup) together with your alternative of meat, broth, vegetables, and tubers. Latins often serve this hearty stew on special occasions and holidays.

Recipe Ingredients

For this recipe, I adopted the Puerto Rican version, then added my very own spin to it to amp up the flavour of this mighty effective comfort food. 😉

1. Meat – You’ll be able to add whatever meat you favor. Nevertheless, chicken, beef, and andouille sausage give this dish excellent layers of meaty flavor.
2. Sofrito – The sofrito is a seasoning mix made with finely chopped and sauteed fresh peppers, garlic, onion, cilantro, and tomatoes for an authentic Puerto Rican flavor.
3. Spices – If it’s your first time trying this dish, you’ll experience a flavor explosion from cumin, oregano, paprika, and sazon. Quite tasty but not overpowering.
4. Broth – You need to use water to thin out the sauce a bit, but I like broth since it adds umami.
5. Vegetables – The starchy veggies, akin to potatoes, pumpkin, and yucca, thicken our sauce naturally while adding a wealthy, creamy taste to your stew. Then the corn and plantain add a natural sweetness.

The right way to Make Sancocho

Prep the Ingredients

• Marinate – Season meat (chicken, beef) on either side with salt and sazon, or simply use your favorite spice mix. Let sit at room temperature for no less than quarter-hour.
• Prep the Pan – Heat a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat. Add oil to the pot.
• Add Meat – If desired, it’s possible you’ll accomplish that in batches or brown the meat and chicken individually. Let it sear for about 2 minutes before turning the meat over.
• Add Sausage – Cook for about 6 minutes or until brown. Add sausage and cook for two more minutes.
• Saute the Seasonings – Add the sofrito, garlic, cumin, paprika, oregano, and a tad more sazon. Sauté until fragrant, a few minute. Then add onions, and cook for about 5 minutes longer.

Let It Simmer

• Simmer – Pour in water or broth. Then return the meat, bring it to a boil, lower the warmth, and simmer for 15-20 minutes, depending on the cut of beef. Cook less if only using chicken.
• Add Vegetables – Next, add root vegetables – starting with the one which needs essentially the most time to cook – on this case, green plantains. Cook for about 10 minutes before adding the yuca, squash, potatoes, and corn.
• Proceed Simmering – Proceed cooking stew for 10 minutes until the veggies begin to melt.
• Adjust Taste – Season with salt and pepper, and taste test to regulate seasonings.
• Final Stretch – Proceed simmering until the basis vegetables are tender, 15-20 minutes. The stew ought to be thick and hearty. If it’s not, smash just a few root vegetables to thicken it.
• Serve in generous bowls and top with chopped cilantro.

Recipe Variations

1. Spicy – Kick up the warmth with habanero, scotch bonnet, and serrano peppers when you’re brave enough for a flame-throwing party. The added heat will certainly comfort you when it gets chilly.
2. More Veggies – Except for the starchy veggies, you too can add more veggies like cabbage, bell pepper, green beans, and beans to make this dish heartier and more nourishing.
3. Soup Base – Add a tropical twist to this stew by adding a few cup or more coconut milk for a richer, creamier finish. You’ll be able to try adding some tomato sauce since the contrasting sweet and tangy will certainly compliment the general taste of this stew.

Suggestions and Tricks

1. Cook the starchy veggies longer when you need a thicker, mushier sauce on your sancocho recipe. But when you need a firmer texture, cook them until they are only fork-tender.
2. Since we’re coping with root veggies, adding them within the order from those that take the longest to cook to those with the shortest cooking time ensures all the pieces cooks evenly.
3. Homemade sofrito is the bomb. And it’s super easy, so go for it.

Make-Ahead Instructions

Luckily, our robust stew keeps well within the fridge and is freezer-friendly. So when you’re a stew-lover like me, I suggest doubling the recipe and storing it within the refrigerator or freezer so that you’ve got it ready when the craving hits. All you wish is to reheat it, and it’ll be on the table very quickly. 😉

Serving and Storage Instructions

Although this dish is kind of enjoyable by itself, nothing beats pouring sancocho over a warm bed of rice. Aah! It’s happiness on a plate. I can eat this combo all day! 👌

I suggest storing leftover sancocho in serving-size containers for simple meal prep. The person servings are also easier to thaw and reheat. It lasts 5 days within the refrigerator and three months within the freezer. But don’t forget to label them with the date to maintain track of their freshness.

Simply thaw your sancocho overnight within the fridge, and warm it up on a stove or microwave the subsequent day. A splash of broth or water will thin your stew if it gets too thick.

FAQs

What to Serve with Sancocho

Traditionally, sancocho is paired with rice, sliced avocado, tostones, and pique (a homemade hot sauce). But you’ll also adore it served with bread recipes below to wash your bowl. ✌️

More Warming Fall Recipes to Try

Conclusion

This super easy sancocho recipe will certainly blow you away with how hearty and flavorful it’s. Would you want more incredible recipes for fall? Take a look at 35 Best Fall Baking Recipes to Try and 35 Best Fall Appetizers Roundup Collection for some drool-worthy dishes. ❤️

Watch The right way to Make It

This blog post was originally published in October 2018 and has been updated with additional suggestions, latest photos, and a video.