Mote soup is a traditional dish from Peru’s Andean cuisine, especially common in Cusco, Ayacucho, Apurímac, and other highland regions. You make it with cooked hominy corn, beef, potatoes, vegetables, and aromatic herbs, creating a hearty, comforting, deeply flavored broth.
It is a home-style and market-style soup, especially valued on cold days or after long hours of work. Large, tender mote kernels turn the broth into a complete meal and reflect the importance of corn in Andean food traditions.
Ingredients
- 300 g dried peeled mote corn or hominy corn (1½ cups)
- 700 g beef brisket or beef flank, cut into large pieces
- 2.5 liters water (10 cups)
- 300 g yellow potatoes or native potatoes, peeled and cut into medium cubes
- 150 g carrot, cut into small cubes (1 large carrot)
- 150 g red onion, finely chopped (1 medium onion)
- 80 g celery, chopped (2 stalks)
- 80 g leek, chopped (1 small leek)
- 20 g garlic, minced or blended (4 cloves)
- 30 ml vegetable oil (2 tablespoons)
- 5 g ground cumin (1 teaspoon)
- 3 g ground black pepper (½ teaspoon)
- 10 g salt (2 teaspoons), or to taste
- 15 g fresh mint, chopped (3 tablespoons)
- 15 g fresh parsley, chopped (3 tablespoons)
- 100 g fresh shelled broad beans (¾ cup), optional
- 80 g crumbled fresh white cheese (½ cup), optional for serving
Preparation
- Soak and cook the mote, rinse the mote several times under cold water and soak it overnight. Drain it, place it in a large pot with 1.5 liters of water (6 cups), and cook over medium heat for 1 hour and 15 minutes, until the kernels are tender and opened. Set aside.
- Make the beef broth, place the beef in a large pot with 1 liter of water (4 cups), a pinch of salt, and the celery. Bring it to a boil, skim off any foam that rises to the surface, and cook over medium-low heat for 50 to 60 minutes, until the beef is tender.
- Make the seasoning base, heat the oil in a skillet and cook the onion until translucent. Add the garlic, cumin, and black pepper. Cook for 4 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant and lightly golden.
- Build the soup, add the seasoning base to the pot with the beef. Add the cooked mote with part of its cooking liquid, the carrot, leek, and broad beans, if using. Cook over medium heat for 12 minutes so the vegetables absorb the flavor.
- Cook the potatoes, add the potatoes and cook for another 15 to 18 minutes, until tender but not falling apart. Taste the broth and adjust the salt; it should be flavorful, lightly thickened by the mote starch, and filled with tender corn kernels.
- Finish and serve, add the mint and parsley during the last 2 minutes of cooking. Remove the beef, cut it into smaller pieces if you prefer, and return it to the pot. Serve the soup piping hot and top with crumbled fresh cheese, if desired.
Chef’s Tips
- Soak the mote overnight to shorten the cooking time significantly.
- Cook the mote until truly tender; firm kernels will keep the soup from having its traditional texture.
- Keep the potatoes in medium cubes so they do not fall apart in the broth.
- Add fresh herbs at the end to preserve their aroma.
- If the soup becomes too thick as it sits, add a little hot water or stock before reheating.
Traditional Variations
In different Andean regions, mote soup may use lamb, pork, hen, or charqui instead of beef. Some versions include chuño, cassava, cabbage, chickpeas, or additional local herbs depending on the season.
In Cusco, it is common to find it made with peeled mote corn, meat, potatoes, and mint; in other areas, it may be served with more broth or a greater amount of vegetables.
How to Serve It
Serve mote soup piping hot in deep bowls. Make sure each serving includes broth, mote, potatoes, vegetables, and beef. Finish with crumbled fresh cheese and offer Peruvian ground chile on the side for anyone who likes heat.
Pair it with toasted Andean cancha corn, rustic bread, or a cup of muña tea.
Recommended Side Dishes
- Crumbled fresh white cheese
- Toasted Andean cancha corn
- Peruvian ground chile
- Rustic bread
- Muña tea
Origin and Tradition
Mote is cooked, peeled corn, a fundamental food in Andean cooking since ancient times. Using it in soups takes advantage of its tender texture and its ability to give body to broth.
Mote soup reflects a generous and practical style of cooking: it brings together grain, meat, tubers, and vegetables in one pot. For that reason, it remains an important dish at family tables throughout Peru’s highlands.
Frequently Asked Questions
Peeled mote is dried corn that has been processed to remove part of its outer skin, then cooked until the kernels become large and tender. It is widely used in Peruvian Andean cooking for soups, stews, and side dishes. For this recipe, soak it first so it cooks evenly.
Yes, you can use pre-cooked mote to shorten the preparation time. You will need about 700 g cooked mote. Add it together with the vegetables and let it simmer in the broth for at least 15 minutes so it absorbs the flavors from the meat and seasoning base.
Beef is a common choice because it makes a rich, substantial broth. You can also use lamb, pork, hen, or charqui, depending on the tradition of your region. Whenever possible, choose cuts with bone or some connective tissue because they give the broth more flavor during cooking.
Store cooled soup in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The mote will continue absorbing liquid, so add a little hot water or stock when reheating. Warm it gently over low heat and add fresh herbs only at the end to bring back their aroma.
