Sancocho Colombiano

About This Recipe

Sancocho is the heart of Colombian home cooking, a thick, sustaining stew that appears at Sunday family lunches, after football matches, and at outdoor barbecues (sancocho de campo). Every region has a version: Bogotá's uses hen and papa criolla; Valle del Cauca uses fish; the coast uses three meats. The common thread is guiso — a soffrito of tomato, onion, spring onion and garlic — and a trio of root vegetables that melt into the broth, thickening it naturally. Cilantro and hogao (cooked tomato-onion sauce) are essential finishers.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 1.5 kgchicken pieces(bone-in thighs and drumsticks)
• 300 gyuca (cassava)(peeled, cut into chunks)
• 2green plantains(peeled, sliced 3cm thick)
• 300 gpapa criolla or small potatoes
• 2corn cobs(cut into thirds)
• 1onion(quartered)
• 3spring onions(whole)
• 3garlic cloves(smashed)
• 2tomatoes(quartered)
• 1 bunchfresh cilantro(half tied whole, half chopped to serve)
• 1 tspground cumin
• 2 litreswater
• 2 tspsalt

Instructions

1. 1

   Build the broth base

   Place chicken in a large pot with water, onion, spring onions, garlic, tomatoes, tied cilantro bunch, cumin and salt. Bring to a boil, skim foam, then simmer 20 min.

2. 2

   Add root vegetables

   Add yuca, plantain and corn. Simmer 20 min.

3. 3

   Add potatoes

   Add papa criolla and simmer a further 20–25 min until all vegetables are completely tender and yuca begins to soften the broth.

4. 4

   Shred and finish

   Remove chicken pieces, shred meat and discard bones. Return meat to pot. Remove and discard the tied cilantro bunch. Taste and adjust salt.

5. 5

   Serve

   Ladle into deep bowls. Top with chopped fresh cilantro. Serve with white rice, avocado slices and hogao (tomato-onion sauce) on the side.

   Eating sancocho with rice inside the bowl is correct — the starch absorbs the broth beautifully.

Variations

• •

  Three-meat sancocho: add chorizo and pork ribs

• •

  Coastal version uses fish or seafood instead of chicken

• •

  Bogotá style uses only hen (gallina vieja) for a richer, more intense broth

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

Storage

Keeps 4 days refrigerated. Broth thickens considerably when cold — add water when reheating.

Frequently Asked Questions