Once the cod is cooked, it’s time to layer all the ingredients, starting with the potatoes first. I then add the peppers, onions, garlic, and the salted cod chunks. I pour in olive oil, tomato sauce, vino seco, and the sliced pimientos with their briny liquid. No fancy tricks, just ingredients doing their thing.

I keep the heat low and steady for about 25–30 minutes, just until the potatoes are fork-tender and the sauce looks para chuparse los dedos. 😍

The trick is to keep the heat low. Too hot, and the cod toughens up, which is no bueno. Low and slow lets the olive oil and tomato sauce turn into a rich, silky base. By the time it’s ready, the kitchen smells SO good.

Now I see why my grandmother would make this Cuban-style codfish stew every Lent and on random Sundays, just because.

I like to think my grandfather would’ve loved my version. It’s a little garlicky, a little fragrant, but still full of the tender, flaky cod he adored. Some recipes are just meant to travel across generations.

Soaking The Black Beans

In a Dutch oven, add the black beans and ham hock. Add enough water to cover the beans entirely. Simmer, covered with the lid, for 1 1/2 hours to 2 hours or until the beans are tender. Add more water as they cook so they don’t dry out. Sometimes it may require more than 2 hours for the beans to soften so keep your eye on it and add water as needed.

Cooking Instructions

Make the sofrito. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and bell peppers and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Add in the minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Stir in ground cumin, dried oregano, vinegar, sugar, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Sauté for another 3 minutes.

Simmer the soup. Add the sofrito to the Dutch oven. Bring to a boil then turn down the heat to LOW. Simmer for 30-40 minutes until the beans are creamy and delicious.

Shred the ham. Remove the bay leaf and ham hock from the pot. Make sure all the meat fell off the ham hock. You may have to shred it a bit with two forks. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Let’s Talk Soup Texture

Unlike some other black bean soups that are pureed into a smooth consistency, Cuban black bean soup typically maintains a chunkier texture. This is achieved by only partially blending the soup or by mashing some of the beans with a spoon during cooking.

If you’re not a fan of texture, you can use an immersion blender to blend the soup to your liking. Personally, I like a bit of texture so I only blend the soup slightly but not completely.

Whenever my mom would say she was making sopa de pollo for me because I was sick, it felt like punishment. Homemade chicken soup was boring to me.

That was until I became an adult and learned to appreciate it in all its glory. Now I love all types of soup like Cuban Black Bean Soup, Crema de Malanga, and Chicharos (Cuban Split Pea Soup).

This Cuban chicken soup with malanga warms you up on a chilly day and I love to serve it with crispy tostones. When you’re sick, it soothes your soul. But on a regular day, it’s the perfect comfort food!

Sopa de pollo [pronounced soh-pah deh poh-yoh] translates to chicken soup.

Sopa de pollo is a classic Cuban chicken soup with noodles. On the other hand, I’ve also seen recipes call it caldo de pollo which is more of a Latin American chicken soup with veggies and no noodles.

Today, I bring you my Cuban mom’s fail-proof sopa de pollo recipe so you can also make it from scratch.

Let me show you how to make it!

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Boneless, skinless chicken thighs. I prefer chicken thighs or chicken legs since they’re more flavorful than chicken breast. Feel free to use what you have. If you use bone-in chicken thighs or legs, just make sure to debone them once cooked before adding them back into the soup.

• Russet potatoes, carrots, onions, yuca, malanga, and/or green plantains. These are all the vegetables you can add to this sopa de pollo. You don’t have to add them all to this recipe, just choose your faves. I personally love potatoes, carrots, and onions. You do you!

• Chicken broth. I like using low sodium for this soup so I can control the amount of salt I add. Feel free to use what you have.

• Cumin, oregano, black pepper, chicken-flavored bouillon cube. These spices and the bouillon cube add a burst of flavor that elevates this soup to the next level. YUM!

• Fideo noodles. I like using fideo noodles because they are super thin, vermicelli-like noodles. You can use angel hair pasta if you prefer.

How many bouillon cubes are used for chicken soup?

I recommend only adding 1 bouillon cube to enhance the flavor, depth, and richness of the Cuban chicken soup.

Bouillon cubes can be quite salty, so adding just one ensures that the soup doesn’t become overly salty. Make sure you taste the soup as you cook before adding more seasonings to avoid an overly seasoned soup.

Recommended For This Recipe

Recipe Tips & Tricks

• Add more water as needed. After adding the noodles to the soup, they tend to absorb a lot of water so if you see that the soup needs more liquid, add 1 cup of water at a time to avoid it from drying out.

• Noodles. I recommend thin noodles for this soup. I prefer fideo noodles but you can also use angel hair pasta, vermicelli, or thin rice noodles.

• Add vegetables in stages. Feel free to add whatever vegetables you’d like to the soup. Just keep in mind that different vegetables have varying cooking times, so it’s best to add them in stages. Start with slower-cooking vegetables like carrots, malanga, yuca, and potatoes, and later add quicker-cooking ones like plantains. This ensures that all the vegetables are cooked to perfection and maintain their texture.

This sopa de pollo is hearty, savory, and full of flavor. I hope it becomes a staple in your home just as it has become in mine.

What is Rabo Encendido?

Rabo encendido [pronounced rrah-boh ehn-sehn-dee-doh] is an oxtail stew made in a flavorful beef-tomato broth that’s slow-cooked for hours until the oxtail meat is tender and fall-off-the-bone juicy.

And even though the name ‘rabo encendido’ translates to ‘tail on fire’, this recipe, like most Cuban cuisine, is not spicy.

Adapted from Spanish cuisine, this recipe dates back to the 16th century when it was called rabo de toro because it was made from bull tails. It has since evolved and now has several variations depending on your upbringing and culture.

This is Cuba’s version of oxtail stew and it’s savory, rich, hearty, and has all the comforting flavors that remind me of home.

Let me show you how to make it!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Bold Cuban flavors. The robust oxtail, slow-cooked until tender, absorbs the aromatic spices, herbs, and vegetables in the sauce, creating a complex and deeply satisfying taste experience. The dish strikes a balance between heat, tanginess, and savory notes that are unique to Cuban cuisine.

• Hearty and nourishing. Every time my cousin from out of town comes to visit, my family makes this dish because, with tender oxtail, flavorful sauce, and a medley of aromatic spices and vegetables, this stew provides a comforting and fulfilling family-centric meal that creates lasting memories around the dinner table.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Beef oxtail. From the tail of the cattle, oxtail is gelatin-rich with tons of robust beef flavor from the bones and marrow making it the perfect meat for stews.

• Neutral oil. You can use either olive oil, vegetable oil, or canola oil.

• Green pepper, onion, garlic. Cuban sofrito! This is the base of most Cuban recipes.

• Beef broth. Adds a rich beef flavor without overpowering the oxtail.

• Dry cooking wine. Used to deglaze the pot and enhance the aroma of this dish.

• Tomato sauce. Adds sweetness and acidity to this savory dish.

• Complete seasoning, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Spices!

• Carrots and Russet potatoes. The veggies for the stew.

• Hot sauce. Not traditionally part of the recipe but if you want some heat, feel free to add a couple of dashes of your favorite hot sauce.

Step By Step Instructions

Don’t let the long cooking time scare you! Do you have to carve out a few hours in your day to make this oxtail soup recipe? Yes. Is a lot of it hands-off? Also, yes. Is it worth it? Absolutely!

Prep the oxtail & sofrito

• Brown the oxtail. Generously season all sides of the oxtail with salt and pepper. In a Dutch oven, heat oil at medium-high heat. Brown the oxtail on all sides. You may have to do this in batches. Remove from pot and set aside.

• Make the sofrito. Sauté the green peppers and onions for 1-2 minutes or until tender. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Stir in the beef broth, cooking wine, tomato sauce, complete seasoning, cumin, bay leaves, salt + pepper to taste.

On the stovetop

• Cook until the meat is tender. Add the meat back in. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to LOW, cover with a lid, and simmer for 1 hour. After an hour, gently stir the meat. If you notice the pot needs liquid (or drying out), add 1 cup of water. Continue to cook for 1 more hour at low heat until the meat is soft and fork-tender.

• Add the veggies. After 2 hours, add in the carrots and potatoes. Cook for another 30 minutes until tender. If you pierce the meat with a knife and it’s tender, it’s done and ready. Just make sure the carrots and potatoes are tender too. Taste and adjust seasonings.

In the Slow Cooker

• Add the sautéed sofrito to the ceramic bowl of the slow cooker along with the browned oxtail, beef broth, cooking wine, tomato sauce, complete seasoning, cumin, bay leaves, salt + pepper to taste.

• Cover and cook on LOW heat for 8-10 hours or on HIGH heat for 4-6 hours, or until the oxtail is tender and falls off the bone. Add the veggies about 1-2 hours before the end of the cooking time on HIGH, or 2-4 hours before the end on LOW.

• You may have to transfer the sauce to a saucepan and simmer over medium heat to thicken until desired consistency.

In the Instant Pot

• Set the Instant Pot to “Sauté” mode and heat oil. Brown the oxtail pieces on all sides until browned on all sides. Remove the oxtail and set it aside.

• Sauté the green peppers and onions for 1-2 minutes or until tender. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Add the browned oxtail back into the Instant Pot along with the beef broth, cooking wine, tomato sauce, complete seasoning, cumin, bay leaves, salt + pepper to taste.

• Close the Instant Pot and set the valve to the “sealing” position. Select the “Meat/Stew” or “Pressure Cook” function and set the cooking time to 40-50 minutes on high pressure. Add the veggies about 15-20 minutes before the end of the cooking time.

• If desired, thicken the sauce by selecting the “Sauté” mode and simmering the sauce until it reaches the desired consistency.

Recipe Tips & Tricks

• Choose high-quality oxtail. Oxtail is the star ingredient of Rabo Encendido, so look for well-trimmed, meaty cuts with a good amount of marbling. Fresh oxtail will contribute to a more flavorful and tender dish.

• Browning the oxtail. Searing the meat in a hot skillet helps develop a rich, deep flavor and enhances the overall taste of the dish. It’s worth the extra effort for a more delicious outcome.

• Skim off excess fat. After cooking, there might be some excess fat that has risen to the surface of the sauce. Skim off the fat using a spoon or a fat separator to achieve a cleaner and lighter sauce. This step helps enhance the flavors and presentation of the dish.

• Let the meat rest after cooking. This resting time allows the flavors to settle and the meat to become even more tender and succulent. It’s a small but important step to ensure an optimal eating experience.

• Serving Suggestions. This oxtail stew is typically served over white rice, which helps soak up the flavorful sauce. Consider serving it with classic Cuban side dishes like black beans, sweet plantains, tostones, or yuca with mojo to complete the authentic dining experience.

Storage Tips

• Allow it to cool to room temperature before transferring it to an airtight container. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.

• For longer storage, transfer it to a freezer-safe container or resealable freezer bag. Label the container with the date and freeze it for up to 3 months.

• When you’re ready to enjoy the leftovers, transfer them to the refrigerator overnight to thaw gradually. Once thawed, reheat it in a saucepan over medium heat with a little beef broth (or water), stirring occasionally until heated through and desired consistency.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Delicious, hearty soup. Ajiaco Cubano is a comforting and filling soup that’s made with hearty root vegetables and different types of meats, making it the perfect dish to warm you up on a cold winter day and is sure to leave you feeling satisfied and nourished.

• A great way to explore Cuban cuisine. Ajiaco Cubano is a traditional dish from Cuba, and making it at home is a great way to explore and experience the flavors and culture of this vibrant country.

• Versatile recipe. From different root vegetables to different meats, you can mix and match the ingredients based on what’s available to you or what you have at hand.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Every Cuban recipe starts with a delicious Cuban sofrito. This is the sofrito for the ajiaco.

• Onions
• Green bell peppers
• Garlic
• Tomato sauce
• Cumin, salt + pepper

These meats are for this recipe. You can pick and choose which ones to add or use them all.

• Pork shoulder
• Flank steak
• Chicken thighs

These are the root vegetables for this ajiaco. You can pick and choose which ones to add based on what’s available or what you prefer.

• Boniato (white sweet potato – it has white flesh)
• Yuca (cassava root)
• Malanga (taro root)
• Butternut squash
• Corn
• Green plantains and ripe plantains

Step-By-Step Instructions

• Make the sofrito. In a large pot, heat olive oil at medium heat. Saute onions, green bell peppers, garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper for 5 minutes until softened.

• Cook the meats. Season all the meats with salt. Add them to the pot with enough water to cover them, about 10 cups. Simmer on medium-low for 1 hour until all the meats are tender.

• Remove the meats from the pot with a slotted spoon and skim any fat off the top of the broth.

• Start cooking root vegetables. Peel and cut the boniato, yuca, malanga, and squash into 1-inch cubes. Add them to the pot with broth and stir in the tomato sauce. Cover with a lid and simmer for 15 minutes at medium-high heat.

• Cook the rest of the vegetables. After 15 minutes, add in the corn, plantains, and fresh lime juice. Cover and cook at medium-high for 20-25 minutes or until all the vegetables are tender.

• Add the meat back in and gently stir to combine everything together. Taste and adjust salt as needed. Serve with lime wedges.

Recipe Tips & Tricks

• Use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs. This will add extra flavor and richness to the soup. You can remove the skin before serving if desired.

• Use fresh ingredients. The key to a good Ajiaco Cubano is using fresh, high-quality ingredients. Look for fresh root vegetables at your local grocery store or farmer’s market.

• Don’t overcook the vegetables. It’s important to cook the vegetables until they’re tender, but not so long that they turn mushy. Keep an eye on the pot and remove the vegetables when they’re cooked and tender.

• Make it ahead of time. Ajiaco Cubano tastes even better the next day, so consider making a big batch and reheating it for a cozy meal later in the week. Serve with white rice!

Storage Tips

• Store leftovers in an airtight container. To keep your ajiaco fresh and prevent it from drying out, store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

• Freeze for long-term storage. If you want to store the ajiaco for longer than a few days, you can freeze it in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Just be sure to thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.

• To reheat, gently warm it in a pot over low heat, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching. You can also microwave it in a microwave-safe bowl, covering it with a damp paper towel to prevent splatters.