{Caldo de pata} Ecuadorian cow feet soup
User Reviews
4.8
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Prep Time
30 mins
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Cook Time
4 hrs
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Total Time
4 hrs 30 mins
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Servings
8 people
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Course
Main Course, Soup
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Cuisine
South American, Ecuadorian
{Caldo de pata} Ecuadorian cow feet soup
Description
{Caldo de pata} Ecuadorian cow feet soup begins with boiling cow feet in water with garlic, red onion, cumin, cilantro, and parsley to develop a savory, gelatinous broth. Cooking can take several hours or be accelerated in a pressure cooker. Cassava is added mid-way to cook until tender along with the cow feet. After simmering, the broth is strained, and excess grease is collected for later use in the soup's refrito.
The soup base, or refrito, is made by sautéing onions, garlic, oregano, achiote, and cumin in the reserved fat, building a deeply aromatic and colored foundation. Peanut butter mixed with milk is incorporated to add creamy richness and body. Hominy provides a chewy texture that complements the soft yuca and tender meat from de-boned cow feet cut into bite-size pieces. Fresh herbs and green onions finish the soup with brightness, balanced by salt and pepper seasoning.
This thick, nourishing soup typically accompanies white rice and aji criollo hot sauce, which add contrasting textures and heat. The use of yuca or cassava root reflects typical Ecuadorian ingredients, though regional variations may replace it with chickpeas. The recipe highlights traditional cooking methods and flavor layers unique to coastal Ecuadorian cuisine.
Ingredients
For the broth:
- 3 lbs cow feet washed well and cut in large pieces
- 14 cups water
- 4 garlic lightly crushed but still whole, cloves
- 1 tsp cumin ground
- ½ red onion diced
- 3-5 cilantro sprigs
- 3-5 parsley sprigs
- 20 oz cassava frozen (or fresh and peeled
For the cow feet soup:
- ½ white onion diced
- 2 garlic crushed, cloves
- 1 tsp cumin ground
- 1 tsp achiote ground
- 1 tsp oregano dried
- 4 tbs peanut butter
- 1 cup milk
- 4 cups hominy you can used canned hominy, cooked or mote corn
- ½ cilantro bunch, finely chopped
- 1 green onion bunch, finely chopped
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Sides:
- white rice Ecuadorian style
- aji criollo hot sauce
Instructions
For the broth:
- Place the cow feet in a large pot, add the crushed garlic, chopped red onions, cilantro and parsley sprigs, cumin, salt, pepper, and the water.
- Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 3 hours. A quicker option is to cook it in the pressure cooker for 45-50 minutes.
- Add the yuca and cook until the yuca and cow feet are tender, about 20-30 more minutes.
- Remove from the heat, when safe to handle strain the broth and save the broth for later. You can remove some of the grease that rises to the top and save it for the refrito.
- Remove the strings from the yuca and cut into medium size pieces.
- Cut the cow feet in small bite size pieces, removing the bones.
For the caldo de pata or cow feet soup:
- Make a refrito or base for the soup using a couple tablespoons of grease from the boiled cow foot broth: heat it over medium heat in a soup pot, add the chopped onions, garlic, oregano, achiote, cumin, salt and pepper
- Mix the peanut butter with the milk and add it to the refrito, stir it well and make sure the peanut butter dissolves well
- Add the saved broth, chopped cow feet pieces, yuca and the cooked mote.
- Simmer over low heat for about 20-25 minutes.
- Serve sprinkled with chopped cilantro and chopped green onions. This soup is also served with a side of Ecuadorian style white rice, avocado slices and hot sauce.
Notes
- Cooking the cow feet in a pressure cooker reduces simmering time to 45-50 minutes instead of several hours.
- You may substitute chickpeas for yuca depending on regional preferences.
- Remove bones from cooked cow feet before serving to ease eating and avoid hazards.
- The reserved grease used for the refrito adds traditional depth and richness to the soup base.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.8
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