Sopa de Mondongo is a traditional soup from Venezuela that is made with beef tripe, a type of offal from the stomach of a cow, along with vegetables and spices. This soup is usually served with crusty bread or arepas to dip into the broth.
The broth of this soup is usually seasoned with cilantro, cumin, and paprika, but this can be adjusted according to personal taste.
The word ‘Mondongo’ in the dish’s name translates to ‘tripe’ in Spanish, due to the main ingredient of this soup dish being cow stomach.
It is important to clean the tripe well, and to slowly cook it for the a long period of time in order to avoid giving the soup a sour flavor or tough texture. Some recipes also call for the tripe to be soaked in citrus juice or bicarbonate of soda to soften it before cooking.
Origin & Cultural Significance
The origin of this dish can be traced back to Spain, where tripe was a common peasant food. It is believed to have been brought to Venezuela by Spanish colonizers several centuries ago.
Sopa de Mondongo is a popular comfort food in Venezuela, it is a common choice for family meals and gatherings, especially during the cold Winter months.
In Colombia, a similar dish called Mondongo is popular, which is also made with tripe slow-cooked with vegetables and spices. Other versions of tripe soup are enjoyed in previous Spanish colonies, such as Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.
Venezuelan Sopa de Mondongo Recipe
Sopa de Mondongo is a traditional Venezuelan soup made with beef tripe, a type of offal from the stomach of a cow, with a variety of vegetables and spices like cilantro, cumin, and paprika.
Ingredients
- Beef tripe (cleaned and sliced) - 1 lb
- Water - 8 cups
- Onion (chopped) - 1
- Bell pepper (chopped) - 1
- Garlic (minced) - 3 cloves
- Tomatoes (chopped) - 2
- Carrots (sliced) - 2
- Potatoes (cubed) - 2
- Cilantro - ¼ cup
- Salt - to taste
- Black pepper - to taste
- Cumin - 1 tsp
- Paprika - 1 tsp
- Bay leaves - 2
- Olive oil - 2 tbsp
Instructions
- In a large pot, bring the water to a boil. Add the sliced tripe and cook for about 10 minutes, then drain and set aside.
- In the same pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
- Add the chopped onion, bell pepper, and minced garlic, and sauté until softened.
- Next, add the chopped tomatoes, sliced carrots, and cubed potatoes to the pot.
- Stir in the cooked tripe, chopped cilantro, bay leaves, salt, black pepper, cumin, and paprika.
- Pour in the water, making sure all ingredients are submerged.
- Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer, covered, for about 1 to 1.5 hours or until the tripe is tender and flavors are well combined.
- Once the soup is almost ready, adjust seasoning if needed. Serve hot, garnished with additional chopped cilantro if desired.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 264Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 52mgSodium: 222mgCarbohydrates: 30gFiber: 5gSugar: 5gProtein: 12g
Nutrition is provided and calculated by Nutritionix. It is for general information purposes and is only a rough estimation.