Best 2 Vegetarian Sancocho Recipes

Tantalize your taste buds with the delectable vegetarian sancocho, a traditional Colombian dish bursting with vibrant flavors and textures. This hearty stew is a symphony of fresh vegetables, aromatic herbs, and savory spices, simmered to perfection in a flavorful broth. Indulge in the goodness of hearty potatoes, sweet plantains, tangy tomatoes, crisp carrots, tender green beans, and a medley of other vegetables, all harmoniously blended in a rich and flavorful broth. Discover the secrets to crafting this authentic Colombian delight with our step-by-step recipes, offering variations for a classic vegetarian sancocho and a tantalizing vegan sancocho. Prepare to embark on a culinary journey that will transport you to the heart of Colombia, where the vibrant flavors of this beloved dish await your palate.

Here are our top 2 tried and tested recipes!

SANCOCHO

Sancocho image

Sancocho saved me. I was six years old when I first came to the mainland. I didn't speak a lick of English and I missed Puerto Rico terribly. I didn't understand what winter was or why the cold never seemed to go away. My mother would make this hearty stew and it would take me right back to my Abuela's house in San Juan. Every family has their version of sancocho, some making it with chicken and tripe, others with pork or goat. This one is FROM my Abuela Alicia, WHO LOVED making her sancocho with oxtail. I love making it with oxtail too, but feel free to use chuck or bone-in short ribs. The preparation is relatively simple, but the cooking time is a little over three hours. So be patient and enjoy the way it perfumes your entire household. Trust me; the wait is worth it.

Provided by Food Network

Time 3h25m

Yield 6 to 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 20

Ingredients

1 yellow onion, roughly chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
1 Italian frying pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 bunch fresh cilantro leaves and stems, plus cilantro leaves, for garnish
2 pounds oxtails, excess fat trimmed (substitute with chuck or short ribs)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon adobo all-purpose seasoning
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
2 bay leaves
8 ounces tomato sauce
1/2 cup red wine
1 gallon chicken stock, plus more if needed
1/2 pound Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into large dice
1/2 pound yucca root, peeled and woody center removed, then cut into large dice
1 green plantain, peeled and sliced on the diagonal in 1-inch-thick slices
1/2 pound calabaza pumpkin (Caribbean pumpkin), peeled and cut into large dice (substitute with kabocha squash, butternut squash, sweet potatoes or carrots)
1 ear of corn, sliced in 1-inch rounds
Cooked rice, for serving, optional

Steps:

To make the recaito, process the onion, bell pepper, frying pepper, garlic and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a blender until it resembles a very chunky sauce. Add the cilantro and blend until the sauce is combined and has a slightly chunky consistency, about 30 seconds. Set aside 1/2 cup of the recaito you've just made and freeze the rest for future preparations.
Add the remaining olive oil to a very large, heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium-high heat. Dry the oxtails and add salt and pepper. Brown the oxtails in batches, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove and set aside on a plate or platter.
Remove excess fat from the pot you browned the oxtails in, leaving about 2 tablespoons in the pot. Add the reserved 1/2 cup recaito and saute until fragrant. Add the adobo, oregano and bay leaves, then stir in the tomato sauce and saute for 1 minute. Add the red wine and chicken stock and bring to a boil. Taste the broth and add salt and pepper to taste, remembering that as the broth reduces it will become saltier; don't go overboard. Add the oxtails back to the pot. Lower the heat and cover the pot, leaving the lid slightly cracked. Simmer until the meat is beginning to become tender and fall apart, about 2 hours.
Skim the fat off the top of the stew. Add the potatoes, yucca, plantains, pumpkin and corn. Top with more chicken stock, if necessary, to cover all the vegetables. Put the lid back on and simmer until the root vegetables are tender, 30 to 45 minutes.
Taste the broth, season with salt and pepper and garnish with cilantro leaves. Serve with a side of rice if desired.

SANCOCHO

Sancocho image

Sancocho, a word often used as slang by Puerto Ricans to mean a big old mix of things, is a rustic stew eaten across the Caribbean and made with every imaginable combination of proteins and vegetables. My father cooked his with beef, corn and noodles; my mom with chicken breasts, lean pork and sweet plantains; my grandmother with beef, pork on the bone and yautia. As such, I've rarely used a recipe, so this one is based largely on observation, taste memory and what I like. Pretty much every ingredient can be swapped out, and it also makes for a sumptuous vegetarian dish without meat. Sancocho epitomizes the resilience of Puerto Rican people, as it is often prepared in times of crisis - such as after a hurricane - and made with whatever you have on hand.

Provided by Von Diaz

Categories meat, soups and stews, vegetables, main course

Time 1h30m

Yield 8 to 10 servings

Number Of Ingredients 16

Ingredients

1 medium yuca
1 medium white yautia (taro root)
1 green plantain
1 yellow sweet plantain
10 ounces calabaza (pumpkin) or kabocha squash
1 to 2 fresh ears sweet corn
1 pound pork or beef stew meat, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 pound boneless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more as needed
1/2 cup sofrito
10 cups pork or beef stock
3 dried bay leaves
1 cup thinly sliced Spanish chorizo
Fresh bread or white rice, for serving

Steps:

Peel and cut the yuca, yautia, green plantain and yellow plantain into 1-inch pieces. Scrape out the seeds, then chop the calabaza, skin on, into 1-inch pieces. Put each ingredient in a separate bowl, adding water to cover vegetables in order to prevent them from turning brown while you prepare the rest of the soup.
Husk the corn, then slice it into 2-inch-thick segments. Set aside.
Season pork (or beef) and chicken with 1/2 tablespoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large pot over medium-high. Add the pork and brown on all sides for 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a clean, large bowl, then add the chicken to the same pot, and brown on both sides for another 5 minutes, adding oil as needed if the pot gets dry. Transfer with a slotted spoon to the same bowl as the pork.
Reduce heat to medium and add sofrito to the pot, scraping up any browned bits of meat and incorporating them into the mix. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until liquid has evaporated and mixture darkens in color.
Return the pork, chicken and any accumulated juices to the pot. Add the stock, bay leaves and remaining 1 tablespoon salt, and bring to a boil over high heat. Once simmering, reduce heat to medium-low and cook uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
To keep the vegetables from falling apart, add each one in order of firmness, cooking each for 5 minutes before adding the next. Begin with the yuca, then yautia, green plantain, yellow plantain, calabaza and corn, cooking the yuca for a total of 30 minutes and the corn for only 5 minutes.
Add chorizo and stir well to incorporate. Cook for another 10 to 15 minutes over medium-low heat until meat and vegetables are tender and break easily with a fork. Because of all the starches and meat in this dish, this stew tends to be thick and rich. Some of the vegetables will fall apart, giving it a porridge consistency. This is a good thing.
Adjust salt to taste, and serve with fresh bread or white rice on the side.

Tips:

Use a large pot or Dutch oven to make your sancocho. This will allow you to easily fit all of the ingredients and cook them evenly.
Don't be afraid to use a variety of vegetables in your sancocho. The more vegetables you use, the more flavorful and nutritious your soup will be.
If you want a thicker sancocho, add some cornstarch or flour to the soup. You can also mash some of the vegetables to thicken the soup.
Serve your sancocho with rice, bread, or tortillas. You can also add some shredded chicken or beef to the soup if you like.

Conclusion:

Sancocho is a delicious and hearty soup that is perfect for a cold day or a special occasion. It is also a great way to use up leftover vegetables. With its variety of flavors and textures, sancocho is sure to please everyone at your table.