Stewed Sancocho (Puerto Rican Beef & Root Veggie Stew)
Sancocho is a stew with origins in the Caribbean, known for its rich flavors thanks to a blend of stewed beef, chicken, root veggies, and corn. This Puerto Rican version is loaded with flavor thanks to sofrito, sazon, and adobo seasoning, plus lots of fresh veggies like green plantain, yams, potatoes, and squash.
The Ultimate Caribbean Stew
Love the traditional flavors & ingredients in Puerto Rican recipes? Get ready to fall in love with this cozy sancocho stew.
This comforting dish is loaded with a rich broth, chicken and beef, hearty stewed veggies, and warming island spices. It’s super popular throughout the Caribbean & Latin America, just like Asopao de Pollo (Chicken Stew) and Carne Guisada (Beef Stew).
I grew up enjoying it with a squeeze of lime juice and fresh cilantro, and usually ended up fighting with family members over the last bowl.
Ingredients
Step by Step Instructions
Featured Review
This is my second time to make this amazing recipe, suggested by a Puerto Rican friend. This time, I couldn’t get plantains so I opted to put more variety in the other vegetables and added colorful carrots, extra sweet potatoes, and delicata squash. I also had the red sofrito – first time I made this I had green. This time, I used baby corn instead of corn on the cob, and my broth base was from a chicken I had cooked overnight for my dog (really!). Absolutely heavenly. This recipe is going to stay in rotation for me from now on. The blend of flavors is deep and rich and satisfying, especially perfect for cold weather.
Carolyn
Perfect Pairings
Sancocho is especially delicious served over a bowl of white rice or with bread to soak up the broth.
Here are some delicious Puerto Rican sides that go well with this recipe:
Staple Substitutes
If you don’t have time to make your own traditional Puerto Rican staples, here are some easy substitutes:
- Sazon seasoning: Buy a jar or substitute with ¼ tsp each of ground annatto seeds, coriander, cumin, garlic, and oregano.
- Adobo seasoning: Buy adobo seasoning or substitute with ¼ teaspoon each of ground onion, garlic, oregano, paprika, salt and pepper.
- Sofrito: Buy a bottle or substitute with ½ cup of minced cilantro, ½ diced small onion, 2 cloves of garlic, and ½ diced bell pepper.
More Latin Soups & Stews
Buen Provecho,
Stewed Sancocho (Puerto Rican Beef & Root Veggie Stew)
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Soup, Stew, Main Dish, Entree
- Method: Stewed
- Cuisine: Puerto Rican, Caribbean, Latin
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Sancocho is a soup with origins in the Caribbean, known for its rich flavors thanks to a blend of stewed beef, chicken, root veggies, and corn. This Puerto Rican version is loaded with flavor thanks to sofrito, sazon, and adobo seasoning, plus lots of fresh veggies like green plantain, yams, potatoes, and squash.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb beef stew meat, cut into 2 inch cubes
- 1 lb chicken (can be thighs or breasts), cut into bite sized pieces
- 2 tsp sazon seasoning
- 2 tsp adobo seasoning
- 1/2 cup sofrito
- 2 earns of corn, cut into 1 inch rounds
- 1 green plantain, peeled and cut into 1 inch rounds
- 1 yam or sweet potato, cut into 1 inch chunks
- 1 cup baby potatoes
- 1 cup squash (can be butternut, calabaza, or kabocha) peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
- 8 cups water or broth
- salt & pepper to taste
- optional: cilantro, lime juice, and/or pique to garnish
Instructions
- Cook the meat. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a pot before adding beef, chicken, seasonings & sofrito. Brown the meat, mixing every couple minutes to cook evenly.
- Add the vegetables & broth. Add the vegetables to the pot, mix gently to coat with the seasonings before adding the water or broth.
- Cook the veggies. Bring the liquid to a boil before covering, lowering & simmering for 30 minutes. Uncover and continue to simmer until the vegetables & beef are cooked through, about 20 minutes.
- Blend and season. Optional: Blend a few cups of the broth with some of the squash and plantains in a small blender for a thick broth. Taste the broth and season as needed with salt & pepper.
- Serve. Enjoy with a bowl of rice, mofongo, or tostones on the side. Garnish with cilantro, lime juice, and/or pique.
This is my second time to make this amazing recipe, suggested by a Puerto Rican friend. This time, I couldn’t get plantains so I opted to put more variety in the other vegetables and added colorful carrots, extra sweet potatoes, and delicata squash. I also had the red sofrito – first time I made this I had green. This time, I used baby corn instead of corn on the cob, and my broth base was from a chicken I had cooked overnight for my dog (really!). Absolutely heavenly. This recipe is going to stay in rotation for me from now on. The blend of flavors is deep and rich and satisfying, especially perfect for cold weather.
Looks delicious, going to make it during the
Holidays. Love Puerto
food.. the best.
Tried this an the flavors brought me to my grandma’s house..thank you for sharing
Delicious Puerto Rican dish.
Made this tonight, and my husband said it was the best sancocho he’s ever had! Definitely will be a staple in our house!!
Delicioso! Husband could not stop saying how much it tasted like Puerto Rico! I added yucca instead of sweet potato and threw in a couple aji dulce peppers in addition to my sofrito. Served it with white rice. I will definitely make this again and again! Gracias!
WEPPA! I am Puertorican as well as I am told an excellent home cook ( people love my food ). I recommend this recipe…the one thing I would say is to go ahead and use boiling hot salted water instead of the boxed broth – simply because you can control the amount of salt and natural flavors. And, to those that don’t know the difference between packaged and DIY SAZON, ADOBO, and SOFRITO its highly recommended to make your own, bottle and freeze the rest until next time. Buen Provecho!
Trying this recipe today! I have the frozen Goya viandas (contains corn and plantains). Should I let it thaw before adding it or should they stay be frozen? Thanks!
Hey Rachel, I haven’t tested using frozen veggies in this recipe before, but it should work just fine. I would throw them in frozen where originally instructed in the recipe and make sure to bring the broth to a boil once they’re in before lowering to a simmer. Enjoy!
Looks delicious! Can this be done in the crockpot (after browning the meat in a pan)?
Hi Christine, thanks for your question! Yes, this will work in a crockpot. Definitely brown the meat first and then proceed as usual.
I made this recipe and it was so easy to put together and turned out delicious, will definitely make again for sure.
This was amazing!!!!!