vEncebollado de pescado is a popular traditional Ecuadorian soup consisting of fresh tuna, onions, tomatoes, yuca (cassava), and spices. Although albacore tuna is traditionally used, some cooks substitute other types of fish or seafood. Encebollado de pescado is the national dish of Ecuador.
It is often topped with pickled onion and tomato salsa. Avocado, toasted corn nuts, banana chips, and lemon or lime wedges are also popular garnishes.
Origin & Cultural Significance
Encebollado de pescado can be considered an early example of South American fusion cuisine – one that brings together ingredients from different cultures and combines them into one recipe. Hundreds of years ago near the modern coastal city of Guayaquil, this now-famous dish may have begun as a simple stew of fish cooked in its own broth with salt.
Over the years, however, as the region was influenced by a succession of colonisers, including the Inca and the Spanish, the recipe evolved into its current form with tomatoes, yuca, onions, and tangy spices.
Easily found at stalls and markets throughout Ecuador, encebollado de pescado remains an especially popular street food in Guayaquil.
Ecuadorian Encebollado de Pescado Recipe
Encebollado de pescado is a popular traditional Ecuadorian soup consisting of fresh tuna, onions, tomatoes, yuca (cassava), and spices
Ingredients
Soup
- Tuna (or other fresh fish or seafood) - 2 lbs
- Yuca (fresh or frozen) - 2 lbs
- Olive oil or Sunflower oil - 2 tbsp
- Tomatoes (diced) - 2
- Red Onion (diced) - 1/2
- Chili Powder - 1 tsp
- Cumin (ground) - 2 tsp
- Water - 2 litres (8 cups)
- Cilantro (fresh, destemmed) - 1 handful
- Salt - to taste
Onion and Tomato Salsa
- Red onion (thinly sliced) - ½
- Tomatoes (diced) - 2
- Cilantro (finely chopped) - 1 handful
- Limes or Lemons (juiced) - 3
- Olive Oil - 1 tbsp
- Salt - to taste
Instructions
Soup
- Heat oil in a medium pot
- Add diced onions, tomatoes, chilli powder, cumin, and salt
- Add water and cilantro and bring to a boil
- Add fish and cook about 10 minutes or until it is done
- Remove fish and break into bite-sized pieces
- Add yuca to the boiling broth and cook about 30-40 minutes or until tender
- Remove the yuca and break it into small pieces
- Return everything to the pot and re-warm as needed
- Serve with onion and tomato salsa, avocado, toasted corn nuts, banana chips, or lemon/lime wedges
Onion and Tomato Salsa
- Combine the onions and tomatoes into a small bowl
- Drizzle the onions and tomatoes with olive oil and lemon or lime juice and stir
- Add cilantro and salt to taste and stir
- Let rest for about 30 minutes
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 536Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 71mgSodium: 338mgCarbohydrates: 66gFiber: 5gSugar: 6gProtein: 48g
Nutrition is provided and calculated by Nutritionix. It is for general information purposes and is only a rough estimation.