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Caldosa cubaine

Name: Caldosa cubaine
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 2 h
Total time: 2 h 30 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: CU
Ingredients: 600 g pork shoulder, cut into 4 cm chunks; 600 g chicken thighs, bone-in, cut into pieces; 200 g smoked ham or chorizo, diced; 8 cloves garlic, minced; 60 ml sour orange juice (or mix of orange and lime juice); 1 tsp dried oregano; 1 tsp ground cumin; 3 tbsp olive oil; 1 large onion, chopped; 1 green bell pepper, chopped; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 2 bay leaves; 3 litres water or chicken stock; 400 g malanga, peeled and cut into chunks; 400 g yuca (cassava), peeled, cored, cut into chunks; 300 g boniato (white sweet potato), peeled, cut into chunks; 300 g calabaza (Caribbean pumpkin), peeled, cut into chunks; 1 green plantain, peeled, cut into thick rounds; 2 ears corn, cut into thick rounds; to taste salt and black pepper; to serve fresh cilantro, chopped; to serve lime wedges

30m

Prépa

120m

Cuisson

Portions

Moyen

Difficulté

Une soupe copieuse au porc, poulet et jambon fumé, mijotée avec des racines, de la citrouille et du maïs, parfaite à partager en groupe.

#cuban#soup#root-vegetables#pork#chicken#communal#comfort-food

Portions

8portions

Ingrédients

Nutrition

calories480

protein32g

carbs46g

fat18g

fiber5g

Par portion

Étapes

Marinate the meats

In a large bowl, combine the pork, chicken, half the garlic, the sour orange juice, oregano, cumin and a good pinch of salt. Mix well, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes (or overnight if you have time) so the meat picks up flavor and starts to tenderize.

600 g pork shoulder
600 g chicken thighs
4 cloves garlic (half)
60 ml sour orange juice
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp ground cumin
pinch salt

✅ C'est prêt quand : the meat looks glossy and smells of citrus and garlic

⏱30:00

Brown the meats

Heat the olive oil in a very large, heavy pot (at least 8 litres) over medium-high heat. Working in batches so the pot is not crowded, brown the pork, chicken and ham on all sides, about 5–6 minutes per batch, then set aside. Browning builds a deep base flavor that plain boiling never gives.

3 tbsp olive oil
600 g pork (from step 1)
600 g chicken (from step 1)
200 g smoked ham or chorizo

✅ C'est prêt quand : each batch is golden-brown on the outside, not grey or boiled-looking

⏱15:00

Build the sofrito

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Simmer the meats

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Add the slow-cooking roots

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Add the rest of the vegetables

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Rest and serve

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Marinate the meats

600 g pork shoulder
600 g chicken thighs
4 cloves garlic (half)
60 ml sour orange juice
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp ground cumin
pinch salt

✅ C'est prêt quand : the meat looks glossy and smells of citrus and garlic

⏱30:00

Brown the meats

3 tbsp olive oil
600 g pork (from step 1)
600 g chicken (from step 1)
200 g smoked ham or chorizo

✅ C'est prêt quand : each batch is golden-brown on the outside, not grey or boiled-looking

⏱15:00

Build the sofrito

This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.

Simmer the meats

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Add the slow-cooking roots

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Add the rest of the vegetables

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Rest and serve

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History & Culture

The Story Behind the Dish

📍 Rural Cuba, island-wide📅 20th century, rooted in older criollo cooking🍲 CU

Caldosa grew out of the same tradition as ajiaco, the old Cuban stew that mixes Spanish, African and Taíno ingredients: meats cooked slowly with the island's starchy viandas. But caldosa took on its own identity as a looser, soupier dish made specifically for groups, cooked outdoors in a huge caldero over a wood or charcoal fire rather than on a home stove.

It became tied to gatherings: friends playing dominoes, baseball games, Nochebuena, birthdays, or simply a Sunday with nothing else planned. Someone brings the meat, someone brings the root vegetables, and the cooking itself becomes the event everyone stands around.

⭐ Why It's Famous

Caldosa is less a fixed recipe than a social occasion: a big, forgiving pot that stretches a little meat and whatever viandas are on hand into a meal for a crowd, cooked and eaten together.

💡 Fun Fact

In Cuba, "hacer una caldosa" (to make a caldosa) is used almost like a verb for the whole event — the shopping, the chopping, the hours around the fire — not just the soup itself.

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