Caldo de Res is a hearty and delicious Mexican beef and vegetable soup made with tender beef and seasonal vegetables in a flavorful homemade beef broth. It’s the ultimate comfort food, especially when served with a side of warm tortillas!
What is Caldo de Res?
Caldo de Res is a traditional Mexican beef soup that translates to “beef broth.” It is prized for its rich broth, tender chunks of beef, and variety of seasonal, chunky vegetables. Like this vegetable beef soup recipe, it is hearty and nourishing, making it the perfect recipe for colder fall and winter months.
The base of the soup is a clear broth made by slowly simmering beef bones and meat for several hours, extracting as much flavor and nutrients as possible. Once the broth is prepared, vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, zucchini, cabbage, and corn are added, creating a colorful and nutrient-rich beef stew. You may also enjoy,
Caldo De Res Ingredients
Caldo de res consists of surprisingly simple ingredients that can be broken down into three main categories:
- Beef and Bones: Beef and beef bones (in particular) are essential to this soup as they provide the broth with depth, texture, and flavor. For maximum flavor, the beef and beef bones should be simmered over low heat for several hours. The best types of beef and beef bones include chuck roast, beef shank, short ribs, and oxtail. Read more about the benefits of each type below.
- Vegetables: Just like in caldo de pollo, caldo de res typically includes a variety of vegetables. Popular choices include corn, cabbage, potatoes, carrots, zucchini, squash, and onion. The vegetables are chopped into large pieces to maintain their texture during the cooking process.
- Seasonings: Most of the flavor in this soup comes from the natural flavor of its ingredients. Salt and pepper are often added, as well as fresh garlic and cilantro. Besides that, a squeeze of fresh lime juice is added to each bowl just before serving to enhance the flavors.
*Find the printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.
Carne Para Caldo de Res?
What is the best meat for beef broth?
- Chuck Roast: Hands down, the best choice for tender, flavorful meat due to its rich fat marbling.
- Beef Shank (Chamorro de res): This is a cut of beef made from a cross-section of the leg bone. It’s rich in collagen, which breaks down into gelatin after prolonged periods of cooking, thickening the broth.
- Short Ribs (la Costilla corta): Flavorful and fatty, making them an excellent choice for deep, rich, meaty flavor.
- Oxtail (cola de buey): Less commonly used, but a fabulous choice if you want to make a rich, gelatinous broth.
If possible, I highly recommend using two or more types/cuts of beef.
How to Make Caldo de Res
Step-by-step instructions for making caldo de res. You can find the printable recipe in the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
1. Prepare the meat and bones: Place the meat and bones into a large soup pot filled with cold water. Gently agitate the water to help remove bone fragments or excess blood. Do not try to “clean” the bones completely. Drain.
- Optional: Boil the bones for 4-5 minutes for a clearer broth.
2. Make the broth: In a large stockpot, add the beef chuck and beef shank and cover with water (about 8-12 cups of water). Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and continue to simmer for approximately 1.5-2 hours. During this time, skim off any foam and impurities that rise to the top using a small wire mesh strainer.
- Optional: For an extra-clear broth, after boiling, remove the meat and bones from the soup and set them aside. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean pot and wash the large stockpot. Then, return the meat, bones, and broth to the cleaned stockpot to continue cooking.
3. Add the vegetables: Add the corn, bay leaves, onion, and entire head of garlic. Cover and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes or until the beef is tender. Next, add the carrots and green beans and continue to simmer for 15 minutes. Add the cabbage, potatoes, and tomatoes, and cook for an additional 10 minutes, pushing the cabbage down in the water as it shrinks. Remove the head of garlic from the broth and set aside. Once cool enough to handle, carefully squeeze the soft cloves from their skins. Return the garlic to the pot with the zucchini, salt, and cilantro. Simmer for 15 minutes or until the zucchini is softened to your liking. Adjust the salt and pepper to taste.
4. Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls with a good mix of meat and veggies! Garnish with chopped cilantro, if desired, and enjoy with lime wedges, cooked rice, and warm tortillas or tortilla chips.
Serving Ideas
Caldo de res is served hot with accompaniments such as diced white onion, chopped cilantro, lime wedges, Mexican rice, and warm tortillas. Served this way, family and/or guests can customize their soup exactly how they like it.
Storage and Reheating
Allow leftover caldo de res to cool to room temperature before transferring it to airtight containers. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Freezing is possible; however, I recommend freezing before any of the vegetables have been added. Transfer the broth and beefy bones to freezer-safe bags or containers, leaving some space at the top for expansion. Freeze for up to 2 months.
Thaw frozen soup overnight in the refrigerator before gently reheating it on the stovetop. Stir occasionally until it reaches a simmer. Add additional water or vegetables as needed and season to taste.
RECIPE CARD
Caldo de Res (Mexican Beef Soup Recipe)
Ingredients
- 3 pounds bone-in beef shank
- 1½ pounds chuck roast - cut into large 2-inch chunks
- water - (about 8-12 cups)
- 2 cobs corn - shucked and cut into 3-inch pieces
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 large white onion - chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 1 head garlic - top sliced off to reveal the cloves and loose papery skin removed.
- 4 carrots - peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces
- ½ pound green beans - sliced in half
- 1 small head green cabbage - chopped into large pieces
- 3 Yukon Gold potatoes - quartered
- 2 Roma tomatoes - quartered
- 3 zucchini - halved and sliced into 1-inch pieces
- 2 teaspoon salt - plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper - plus more to taste
- 1 small bunch fresh cilantro - chopped
Instructions
- Place the meat and bones into a large soup pot filled with cold water. Gently agitate the water to help remove bone fragments or excess blood. Do not try to “clean” the bones completely. Drain.
- Optional: For a "cleaner" broth, boil the bones for 4-5 minutes, then drain.
- In a large stockpot, add the beef chuck and beef shank and cover with water (about 8-12 cups of water). Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and continue simmering for approximately 1½-2 hours. During this time, skim off any foam or impurities that rise to the top using a small wire mesh strainer. See notes.
- Add the corn, bay leaves, onion, and entire head of garlic. Cover and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes or until the beef is tender.
- Next, add the carrots and green beans and continue simmering for 15 minutes.
- Then, add the cabbage, potatoes, and tomatoes and cook for an additional 10 minutes, pushing the cabbage down into the broth water as it shrinks.
- Remove the head of garlic from the broth and set aside. Once cool enough to handle, carefully squeeze the soft cloves from their skins.
- Return the garlic to the pot with the zucchini, salt, and cilantro. Simmer for 15 minutes or until the zucchini is softened to your liking. Adjust the salt and pepper to taste.
- Ladle the soup into bowls with a good mix of meat and veggies! Garnish with chopped cilantro, if desired, and enjoy with lime wedges, cooked rice, and warm tortillas or tortilla chips.
Jessica’s Notes
- What is the best meat for beef broth? This recipe includes beef chuck and beef shank, but short ribs and oxtail are other fantastic additions. Bones make great broth.
- For an extra-clear broth: After boiling, remove the meat and bones from the soup and set them aside. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean pot and wash the large stockpot. Once the pot is cleaned, return the meat, bones, and broth to continue cooking.
- Allow leftovers to cool before transferring to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Nutritional Information
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)
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