Mondongo

Mondongo (Colombian Beef Tripe Soup)

A hearty Colombian soup of slowly simmered beef tripe with potato, carrot and plantain, finished with a sofrito of onion, garlic and coriander. Traditionally served in a deep bowl with white rice and avocado slices alongside.

Prep

30 min

Cook

150 min

Total

180 min

Serves

6

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •1000 g (2¼ lb) beef tripe (honeycomb and blanket), cleaned; ask your butcher to clean it if possible
• •1 whole white onion, half sliced for the broth, half finely chopped for the sofrito
• •4 cloves garlic, 2 crushed for the broth, 2 minced for the sofrito
• •2 whole bay leaves
• •1 tsp whole black peppercorns
• •2 tbsp vegetable oil, or lard, for the sofrito
• •2 whole ripe tomatoes, finely chopped, or 200 g / 7 oz tinned chopped tomatoes
• •1 tsp ground cumin
• •1 tsp sweet paprika (pimentón dulce), or achiote/annatto for colour
• •3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
• •2 whole carrots, peeled and cut into thick rounds
• •1 whole green plantain, or 250 g / 9 oz yuca, peeled and cut into chunks
• •1 bunch fresh coriander (cilantro), stalks tied, leaves chopped
• •2 L (2 L / 8½ cups) water, or a mix of water and light beef stock
• •2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
• •1 whole ripe avocado, to serve, sliced
• •300 g (10½ oz) white rice, to serve alongside

Steps

1. 1 Rinse the tripe well under cold running water. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, add the tripe, and blanch for 10 minutes. Drain, rinse again, and cut into bite-sized strips about 2 cm / ¾ inch wide.
2. 2 Return the tripe to a clean large pot with 2 L / 8½ cups water, the sliced half onion, 2 crushed garlic cloves, bay leaves and peppercorns. Bring to a boil, skim off any foam, then reduce to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for 1½–2 hours, until the tripe is tender when pierced with a knife (no rubbery resistance).
3. 3 While the tripe simmers, heat the oil in a separate pan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook 5 minutes until soft and translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook 1 minute.
4. 4 Add the tomato, cumin and paprika. Cook, stirring, for 8–10 minutes until the mixture darkens and the oil separates from the sofrito.
5. 5 When the tripe is tender, lift out and discard the onion slices, bay leaves and peppercorn husks. Stir the sofrito into the broth.
6. 6 Add the potatoes, carrots and plantain (or yuca). Simmer uncovered for 20–25 minutes, until the vegetables are fully tender and the broth has thickened slightly from the starch.
7. 7 Taste and adjust the salt - mondongo needs a confident seasoning. Stir in the chopped coriander leaves and cook 1 more minute.
8. 8 Serve piping hot in deep bowls with white rice and avocado slices alongside. The soup is done when the tripe is completely tender (no chewiness), the potatoes break apart easily at the edge of a spoon, and the broth tastes well seasoned.