Sopa de Res y Fideos (Puerto Rican Beef Noodle Soup)
César Pérez
Photo by Food52
- Serves
- 8-12
- Prep Time
- 20 Minutes
- Cook Time
- 3 Hours
The funny thing about cuisines from hot countries is the amount of soups and stews you can find in them. It isn't uncommon to eat a big bowl of steaming hot soup on the hottest day imaginable. Some say it actually helps to cool you down, but I think it's because it's a one pot meal. It's easier to just set and forget, ultimately allowing the chef to spend less time working over a boiling hot pot. I, like many third culture kids, could be found having a hot bowl of soup in the middle of a heatwave. This has become a big inside joke in these communities, and ultimately a big source of comfort. My favorite was always this beef noodle soup that I so fondly remember eating in my grandmother's house. Tough cuts of beef are simmered until they barely hold their shape, starchy Caribbean root vegetables added heartiness, and rounds of corn on the cob added sweetness (the part everyone would fight over). The vegetables you add to this are completely up to you, with some people opting to add green plantain or even just potatoes.
Ingredients
- F0R THE BEEF
- 1 pound beef shank
- 1 pound beef neckbones
- 1 pound oxtails
- FOR THE ADOBO
- 1 tablespoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- FOR THE SOFRITO
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil or annatto oil
- 12 garlic cloves, grated
- 1 large white onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, seeds & ribs removed, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, seeds & ribs removed, diced
- 1 cubanelle pepper, seeds & ribs removed, diced
- 5 ají dulce peppers or small sweet peppers
- 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
- 7 culantro sprigs, 5 finely chopped and 2 whole
- 1 cup tomato sauce or tomato puree
- FOR THE BROTH
- 5 quart water
- 3 tablespoon beef bouillon paste
- FOR THE VEGETABLES
- 2 carrots, roll cut
- 1 cup kabocha squash, 2-inch dice
- 1 cup boniato sweet potato (batata) or regular sweet potato, 2-inch dice
- 2 ears of corn, cut into 2-inch rounds
- FOR THE NOODLES
- 12 ounce fidelini/fideos nests or any thin noodle
Featured Video
Sopa de Res y Fideos (Puerto Rican Beef Noodle Soup)
Directions
- Step 1
Rinse beef under cold running water. Optionally, you can rinse the meat in a large bowl with cold water, 1/2 cup of kosher salt, and 1 cup of white vinegar or the juice of 3 limes. This helps to prevent scum build up when the meat cooks in the soup. Rinse until the water runs mostly clear.
- Step 2
Season beef with salt, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, freshly cracked black pepper, ground cumin, and dried oregano. Make sure the meat is evenly coated and set aside. This can be done up to a day in advance for more flavor.
- Step 3
Preheat a 7 quart or larger pot over medium-high heat. Add annatto oil or olive oil and heat until shimmering. Add the seasoned beef and stir occasionally for 8-10 minutes. Follow with the garlic, onion, peppers, cilantro, culantro, and tomato sauce. Mix well and let cook for about 3 minutes.
- Step 4
Add water and beef bouillon paste and stir. Bring up to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cover the pot and stir occasionally for 2 hours, or until the beef is very tender and about to fall off the bone.
- Step 5
After 2 hours, remove the meat from the broth and set aside. Remove the meat from the bones and reincorporate it into the soup along with any bone marrow that may be in the center of the shank and oxtail bones. Add the carrots, kabocha squash, sweet potatoes, and corn. Cover and cook for an additional 15-20 minutes or until the vegetables are just tender. Do not overcook!
- Step 6
In a separate small pot, boil water for your fideos. This will ensure that the noodles don't overcook in the soup. Cook 1 to 2 nests per serving until al dente. To serve, add fideos to the bowl followed by the soup. Finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, freshly chopped cilantro, and a squeeze of lime.