Cocido de res is a simple Guatemalan broth of beef and a wide variety of seasonal vegetables, cooked together in a clear, seasoned broth.
It’s an everyday dish in Guatemalan cooking, valued for being nourishing, comforting, and easy to make with garden ingredients.
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Guatemalan Beef and Vegetable Broth
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 55 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: Soup
- Cuisine: Guatemalan
Ingredients
- 1 kg of beef (short rib or flank), in pieces (about 2.2 lb)
- 3 of potatoes, in pieces
- 2 of corn cobs, sliced
- 2 of chayote squash, in pieces
- 2 of carrots, in pieces
- 1 of cabbage, in pieces
- 2 of squash (ayote), in pieces
- 1 of onion
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 1 sprig of cilantro
- to taste of salt and pepper
Instructions
- Cook the meat, boil the beef in water with salt, onion, and garlic, over low heat until tender, reserving the broth.
- Add the hard vegetables, add the potatoes, carrot, and corn, and cook for about 15 minutes.
- Add the rest, add the chayote, cabbage, and squash, and cook until all the vegetables are tender.
- Add aromatics, add the cilantro toward the end of cooking.
- Adjust seasoning, correct the salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve, serve hot, in a deep bowl, with the meat and vegetables.
Tips for getting it right
- Adding the vegetables in order, from longest-cooking to shortest-cooking, keeps some from turning too soft.
- Using bone-in cuts, like short rib, adds more flavor to the broth.
- Cocido de res allows for variations depending on the seasonal vegetables available.
- The cilantro is added at the end to preserve its fresh aroma.
Traditional variations
- It’s an everyday dish in many Guatemalan homes, with variations depending on available vegetables.
- Some families add rice or noodles to make it heartier.
How to serve
Cocido de res is served hot, in a deep bowl, with the meat and all the vegetables.
It’s a simple, nourishing dish, very present on the everyday Guatemalan family table.
Recommended sides
- Corn tortillas
- White rice
Did you know?
Cocido de res is one of the most versatile dishes in Guatemalan cuisine, since it accommodates practically any seasonal vegetable.
It’s valued as a complete, nourishing dish, combining protein and a wide variety of vegetables in a single preparation.
Frequently Asked Questions
It's a simple Guatemalan broth of beef and a wide variety of seasonal vegetables, cooked in a clear broth.
Potato, corn, chayote, carrot, cabbage, and squash can be used, among other available seasonal vegetables.
A bone-in cut, like short rib, is recommended, as it adds more flavor to the broth during cooking.
Yes, some families add rice or noodles to the broth to make it heartier.