Sopa de morón is an emblematic dish of Andean Peruvian cuisine, especially from Ayacucho, made with morón wheat (peeled and cracked wheat) cooked together with beef and fresh vegetables like squash, carrot, leek, and celery.
Morón, rich in fiber and slow-absorbing carbohydrates, gives this comforting soup its characteristic texture, ideal for the cold winter months in the Andes.
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Peruvian Sopa de Morón
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: Soup
- Cuisine: Peruvian
Description
Peruvian preparation featuring trigo morón y carne, adapted for a home kitchen with clear measurements.
Ingredients
- 500 g beef, in chunks
- 1 onion
- 200 g crushed morón wheat
- 1 carrot, sliced
- 300 g squash, in chunks
- 1 leek, sliced
- 1 celery sprig
- Chopped parsley, to taste
- Salt to taste
Preparation
- Cook the meat, in a pot with 2 liters of water, add the beef chunks and half an onion; boil over medium heat for 30 minutes.
- Add the morón, remove the onion, stir in the cracked morón wheat and salt, and cook 20 more minutes.
- Add the vegetables, add the carrot, squash, leek, and celery, and cook for 5 minutes.
- Finish cooking, let it simmer until the morón and vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally.
- Serve, adjust the salt, add chopped parsley, and serve the soup piping hot.
Chef’s Tips
- Soak the morón beforehand if you want to reduce the cooking time.
- Cut the vegetables into even pieces for even cooking.
- Skim off the foam that forms while boiling the meat for a cleaner broth.
Traditional Variations
Some families add green fava beans or corn kernels along with the vegetables, giving the soup more texture.
There are also versions that use chicken giblets instead of beef.
How to Serve
Serve piping hot, as a main course, especially during the cold winter months in the Ayacucho highlands.
Recommended Pairings
- Homemade ground chile sauce
- Homemade bread
- Plain white rice
Did You Know?
Morón is wheat that has gone through a peeling and cracking process, a traditional Andean processing technique that shortens cooking time and makes it an excellent source of fiber and energy.
Frequently Asked Questions
It's an Andean Peruvian soup made with morón (cracked corn), potatoes, and meat, cooked until thick, typical of rural highland cooking.
Morón is dried corn cracked into coarse pieces, different from whole mote, which gives the soup a particular texture as it thickens during cooking.
Yes, vegetarian versions exist that skip the meat and rely on vegetables and herbs for flavor, though the traditional version includes meat.
