Peruvian Sopa Teóloga

Sopa teóloga is a festive dish from northern Peru, also known as “boda de Moche” (Moche wedding soup), traditionally served at weddings, baptisms, and during Palm Sunday. It’s made with a broth of chicken, beef, and pork, enriched with ground spices, olives, raisins, almonds, and wine, and served with fried bread.

Its origin traces back to medieval Spanish cooking with Roman influence, and it’s believed the recipe was invented in a monastery, hence its name “teóloga” (theological).

Peruvian Sopa Teóloga

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• Author: Recetas123
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
• Total Time: 3 hours
• Yield: 12 servings
• Category: Soup
• Cuisine: Peruvian

Print Recipe

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Description

Peruvian preparation featuring gallina, pan y leche, adapted for a home kitchen with clear measurements.

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Ingredients

For the broth and meats

• 5 liters of water
• 1 kg (2.2 lb) of beef
• 1 kg (2.2 lb) of boneless pork (leg)
• 1 hen
• Heart and gizzards of the hen (optional)

For the spice paste

• 6 sprigs of parsley
• 6 allspice berries
• 4 sprigs of fresh oregano
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3 cloves
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1/2 nutmeg, grated
• Salt, to taste

For the base

• 3 tablespoons of butter
• 1 tablespoon of oil
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 7 tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
• 1/2 ají amarillo, deveined, seeded, and chopped
• 200 g of botija olives
• 1/2 cup of golden raisins
• 4 tablespoons of blanched ground almonds
• 2 tablespoons of sugar
• 1/2 cup of sweet wine

To serve

• Fried bread
• 2 hard-boiled eggs

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Preparation

1. Cook the meats, in a pot with the 5 liters of water, cook the beef, pork, and hen until tender; remove them and chop them. If you like, add the heart and gizzards to the broth, cook a few more minutes, and set the broth aside.
2. Make the spice paste, grind the parsley, allspice, oregano, bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, garlic, nutmeg, and salt into a paste.
3. Make the base, brown the paste in a skillet with the butter and oil for one minute; add the onion, tomatoes, and ají amarillo, and stir.
4. Brown the meats, add the chopped meats and, once browned, add the olives, raisins, almonds, sugar, and wine; stir, cook for a few minutes, and remove from the heat.
5. Cook the soup, stir the base into the broth and let it cook for 30 minutes.
6. Serve, serve with fried bread and garnish with hard-boiled egg.

Chef’s Tips

• Cook the meats over low heat so the broth stays clear and flavorful.
• Grind the spices well so they blend evenly into the broth.
• Brown the spice paste for just one minute before adding the onion, tomatoes, and ají, so it doesn’t burn.

Traditional Variations

Some northern families add chickpeas or peas to the soup for extra texture.

There are also versions that use only chicken, without beef or pork, for a lighter preparation.

How to Serve

Serve hot, in deep bowls, traditionally at weddings, baptisms, and during Palm Sunday on Peru’s northern coast.

Recommended Pairings

• Grated cheese
• Homemade bread
• Homemade ground chile sauce

Did You Know?

Sopa teóloga is considered a dish with over 20 ingredients, and in northern Peru it’s also known as “boda de Moche” for its ties to traditional wedding celebrations.