Cachupa Rica is the soul of Cape Verdean cuisine. Hominy corn, several varieties of beans, and a generous mix of pork, chorizo, and chicken are slow-simmered together for hours until the corn absorbs all the flavours of the broth. 'Rica' (rich) distinguishes it from the simpler cachupa pobre (poor) made without meat.
Serves 6
Drain the soaked corn and beans separately. Cover each with fresh water and simmer until just tender — corn takes about 60 minutes, beans 45 minutes. Drain both and set aside.
In a large heavy pot, fry onion and garlic in oil until golden. Add pork and brown on all sides. Add chorizo and cook 2 minutes.
Add the par-cooked corn and beans to the pot. Cover with water by 3 cm. Bring to a boil, reduce to a low simmer, cover, and cook 90 minutes, stirring occasionally, until everything is very tender and the liquid has thickened.
Season with salt and pepper. Serve in deep bowls with crusty bread. Leftovers are traditionally fried the next morning as cachupa frita.
Soaking corn overnight is non-negotiable — it needs longer than beans.
The stew should be thick, not soupy. Add water only as needed.
Taste and adjust salt at the very end — flavors concentrate as liquids reduce, and a final pinch of flaky salt sharpens the whole dish.
Mise en place pays for itself: chop, measure and pre-mix everything before the heat goes on, especially for any step that moves fast.
Cachupa pobre omits meat but is equally satisfying.
Cachupa frita: fry leftover cachupa in a pan with a fried egg on top — a classic Cape Verdean breakfast.
Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.
Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.
Improves greatly overnight. Refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze for 3 months.
Cachupa has been eaten in Cape Verde since the islands were first settled in the 15th century. It reflects the archipelago's Portuguese, West African, and Atlantic trading influences and is eaten for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in different forms.
Yes — rinse and drain canned hominy and add it in the last 30 minutes rather than pre-cooking.
Day-old cachupa fried in a pan until crispy and topped with a fried egg — arguably better than the original.
Yes — most of the components can be prepared up to a day in advance and refrigerated separately. Reheat gently and assemble just before serving so textures stay distinct.
Stay close to the role each ingredient plays: swap aromatics for similar ones (shallot for onion, lime for lemon), and keep the fat-acid-salt balance intact. Spice blends can usually be approximated with what's in the cupboard.
Per serving (420g / 14.8 oz) · 6 servings total
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