Servings
Font
Back
4.9 from 720 votes

{Encebollado de pescado} Ecuadorian tuna fish soup

Encebollado de pescado is an Ecuadorian fish soup made with fresh tuna, yuca or cassava, tomato, onions, cilantro, cumin, hot pepper and topped with pickled red onions.

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr 30 mins
Servings: 6 people
Course: Main Course , Soup , Brunch
Cuisine: South American , Ecuadorian

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs fresh tuna albacore or similar
  • 1 lb yuca or cassava fresh or frozen
  • 2 tbs sunflower oil
  • 2 tomatoes diced
  • ½ red onion diced
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 8 cups of water
  • 5 cilantro sprigs
  • salt to taste
Serve topped with:
  • Curtido de cebolla y tomate or pickled red onion and tomato salsa
  • Chifles or plantain chips
  • Tostado corn nuts or popcorn

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Heat the oil on medium heat to make a refrito with diced onion, tomato, cumin, chili powder and salt.
  2. Add the water and cilantro springs, bring to a boil.
  3. Add the tuna and cook for until the tuna is fully cooked, about 15 minutes.
  4. Drain the tuna and keep the broth to cook the yuca.
  5. Separate or break the tuna into small to medium size pieces.
  6. Bring the tuna broth to a boil and add the yucas, cook until tender but firm, about 30-40 minutes for the frozen yuca.
  7. Take the yuca from the broth, remove the strings and cut into bite size chunks.
  8. Add the yuca chunks and tuna pieces to the broth, taste and add salt if needed.
  9. 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

  • Variations for encebollado can be made using different types of fish or seafood. 
  • You can also additional herbs to the broth, but cilantro is the main one.