Corn cuchuco is a traditional soup of the Colombian highlands, especially Boyacá and Cundinamarca. It is made with cuchuco (hulled, coarsely ground corn), meat, and vegetables, and stands out for its thick texture and comforting flavor.
The cuchuco corn, soaked the night before, simmers slowly with the meat until very tender and gives body to the soup, which is served with plenty of cilantro.
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Colombian Corn Cuchuco
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 5
- Category: Soup
- Cuisine: Colombian
Ingredients
- 200 g cuchuco de maíz (cracked corn), soaked the night before
- 600 g beef ribs
- 2 liters water
- 1 bunch of cilantro and cebolla larga (long green onion), for the broth
- 400 g yellow or pastusa potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 150 g carrots, chopped
- 100 g fresh fava beans (habas)
- 100 g green peas
- 1 large garlic clove, crushed
- Salt to taste
- Chopped fresh cilantro, for serving
Preparation
- Rinse the cuchuco. Strain the cuchuco de maíz, already soaked since the night before, and rinse it 3 or 4 times until the water runs clear; let it drain before cooking.
- Cook the cuchuco with the ribs. Place the rinsed cuchuco, the ribs trimmed of excess fat, the bunch of cilantro and cebolla larga, salt, and water in a large pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, then cook for 60 minutes from that moment. Remove and discard the bunch.
- Add the vegetables and finish. Add the fava beans, peas, carrot, potatoes, and garlic; taste and adjust the salt. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to medium-low, and cook for 30 minutes or more, until everything is tender. Serve with chopped cilantro.
Note: For this recipe, use corn cuchuco that has been soaked since the night before. The prior soaking time is not included in the total time shown. In a pressure cooker, the first cooking can be done in about 30 minutes.
Preparation Tips
The secret of this soup is very tender corn: soak it the night before.
The fava beans and peas should be fresh or frozen, not dried.
For a thicker soup, cook it a little longer at the end.
Traditional Variations
Some versions use pork backbone (espinazo) instead of beef ribs, as in wheat cuchuco.
Green beans can be added along with the fava beans and peas.
Traditional Serving Style
It is served piping hot in a deep bowl with plenty of chopped cilantro and sliced avocado. It is also common to accompany it with a grilled arepa or a banana.
Recommended Side Dishes
- Avocado
- Grilled arepa
- Homemade ají
- Banana
A Little History
Cuchuco is the name given to hulled and chopped or coarsely ground corn, barley, or wheat used to make soups on the highlands of Boyacá and Cundinamarca.
Frequently Asked Questions
Hulled, coarsely ground corn known as cuchuco de maíz is used. It is soaked the night before and rinsed several times before cooking.
Yes. Some families use pork backbone, although beef ribs are the meat in the corn cuchuco recipes reviewed.
About 1 hour 40 minutes of cooking, plus soaking the cuchuco from the night before. In a pressure cooker, the first part can be done in about 30 minutes.
Yes. Refrigerate it within 2 hours of cooking and eat it within 3 to 4 days; you can also freeze it in airtight containers. When reheating, add a little water, since the corn keeps absorbing liquid, and heat it to 74 °C (165 °F).
