{Encebollado de pescado} Ecuadorian tuna fish soup
User Reviews
4.9
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Prep Time
30 mins
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Cook Time
1 hr
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Total Time
1 hr 30 mins
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Servings
6 people
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Course
Main Course, Soup, Brunch
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Cuisine
South American, Ecuadorian
{Encebollado de pescado} Ecuadorian tuna fish soup
Description
This recipe for Encebollado de pescado involves making a refrito of diced red onion and tomatoes sautéed with ground cumin and chili powder in sunflower oil. Water and cilantro sprigs form the broth which cooks fresh albacore tuna until tender. The tuna is removed and broken into medium pieces while the broth is used to boil cassava until soft but firm enough to hold shape.
The soup combines the cooked yuca and tuna back into the broth, seasoned with salt to taste. It serves with pickled red onions and tomato salsa, adding brightness and acidity. Plantain chips, corn nuts, or popcorn provide contrasting crunchy textures.
This hearty soup combines soft cassava and flaky tuna in a lightly spiced tomato broth. The fresh herbs and pickled toppings bring a refreshing balance to the mild richness of the fish and starch.
Fish variations and additional herbs are possible, but cilantro remains central to the traditional flavor. The texture of the cassava is important to retain slight firmness so it doesn’t disintegrate in the broth.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs tuna albacore or similar, fresh
- 1 lb cassava fresh or frozen, also called yuca
- 2 tbs sunflower oil
- 2 tomato diced
- ½ red onion diced
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin ground
- 8 cups of water
- 5 cilantro sprigs
- salt to taste
Serve topped with:
- Pickled red onion Curtido de cebolla y tomate or pickled
- tomato salsa Curtido de cebolla y tomate or pickled
- Plantain chips Chifles or tostones
- corn nuts Tostado
- Popcorn Tostado
Instructions
- Heat the oil on medium heat to make a refrito with diced onion, tomato, cumin, chili powder and salt.
- Add the water and cilantro springs, bring to a boil.
- Add the tuna and cook for until the tuna is fully cooked, about 15 minutes.
- Drain the tuna and keep the broth to cook the yuca.
- Separate or break the tuna into small to medium size pieces.
- Bring the tuna broth to a boil and add the yucas, cook until tender but firm, about 30-40 minutes for the frozen yuca.
- Take the yuca from the broth, remove the strings and cut into bite size chunks.
- Add the yuca chunks and tuna pieces to the broth, taste and add salt if needed.
- Re-warm the soup if necessary and serve topped with a good amount of pickled onion and tomato salsa, if desired can also be served with chifles or plantain chips, tostado corn nuts, avocado slices and extra lime slices.
Notes
- Different fish or seafood types can be used as variations of encebollado.
- Additional herbs besides cilantro can be included, but cilantro is essential for traditional flavor.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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