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Overhead shot of caldo de res in a white bowl with lime, avocado and jalapeño salsa on the side
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Caldo de Res con Verduras (Mexican Beef Soup with Vegetables)

This comforting beef and vegetable soup is made with bone-in cuts of beef simmered slowly to create a rich, flavorful broth, it also includes plenty of vegetables such as potatoes, corn, carrots, zucchini, and is served with cilantro, lime, avocado.
Course Main dish, Soup
Cuisine Latin American, Mexican
Keyword Beef, Beef shank, Caldo de carne, Caldo de res, Carrots, Comfort food, Corn, Oxtail
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Servings 6 to 8

Ingredients

For the beef broth:

  • 1 kg bone-in beef shank
  • 1 kg oxtail or beef short ribs
  • 3 liters 12 cups water
  • 1 tbs oil
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1-2 fresh oregano or thyme sprigs
  • 3-4 cilantro sprigs
  • 2-3 whole pepper corns
  • 1 carrot peeled and cut into large slices
  • 1 celery stick chopped
  • ½ large white or yellow onion cut in large chunks
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • Salt to taste

For the soup:

  • 1 tbs oil
  • ½ large white or yellow onion finely diced
  • 2 ears of corn cut into large slices
  • 1-2 carrots peeled and sliced
  • 500 grams of small potatoes peeled – can also use medium sized potatoes and cut them to medium sized chunks
  • 1-2 small or medium zucchini sliced
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Optional – additional beef bouillon to enhance the flavor
  • Other veggies that can be added to the soup: garbanzos shredded cabbage, chayotes, green beans

To serve:

Instructions

  • To cook the beef shank and oxtail, heat 1 tbs of oil in a large soup pot and add the meat chunks.
    Cooking large chunks of meat in a pot
  • Brown the meat over high heat.
    Beef shank and oxtail being browned in a pot
  • Add the carrot slices, onions chunks, chopped celery, garlic cloves, and herbs.
  • Add 12 cups or 3 liters of water, salt, peppercorns and bring to a boil.
  • Skim and remove any foam from the top.
    Skim and remove any foam from the top.
  • Cover the pot and cook the meat on low heat for 2 hrs to 2 ½ hours or until the meat is fall of the bone tender.
    A large stainless steel pot with a lid on it
  • Use a large spoon to remove the meat chunks and carrot slices from the broth.
  • You can keep the cooked oxtails as they are, but separate the remove the bones from the cooked beef shanks. Save for later.
  • Carefully strain and save the broth.
    Straining the beef broth

To cook the vegetables:

  • Heat a tablespoon of oil in a soup pot, add the diced onions and cook until soft and translucent, about 4-5 minutes.
    Diced white onions cooking in olive oil in a large cooking pot
  • Add the strained broth back to the pot, you can taste the broth and if you want to add extra flavor you can add a cube of beef bouillon (optional).
    Beef broth simmering in a pot
  • Bring the broth to a boil and add the peeled potatoes, the pieces of corns, the remaining raw carrot slices.
    A spoon showing potatoes and carrots cooking with corn in a soup pot
  • Cook over low medium heat for about 25-30 minutes.
  • Add back the cooked meat pieces, the cooked carrot slices, and the raw zucchini slices.
    Chunks of cooked beef being added back to a pot of soup
  • Cook for another 5-10 minutes or until the veggies are cooked.
    Overhead shot of a large Dutch oven pot of caldo de res.
  • Add freshly chopped cilantro and some lime juice.
    Overhead shot of a large Dutch oven pot of caldo de res with chopped cilantro added on top
  • Serve warm with your choice of garnishes.
    Overhead shot of caldo de res in a white bowl with lime, avocado and jalapeño salsa on the side

Notes

  • You can replace the fresh herbs with dry herbs if needed – if you have a bouquet garni you can add that as the replacement.
  • I recommend using a mix of beef shank (bone in) and oxtail, you can also use beef short ribs and add extra beef bones for flavor.
  • You can also cook the beef shank and oxtail in a pressure cooker to accelerate the process. Just keep in mind that the liquid in the pressure cooker does not reduce as much, so the meat will be perfectly done, but you might need to cook the liquid down (with just the beef shank bones) to concentrate the flavor, or add a beef bouillon cube.
  • Feel free to add or change the vegetables based on what you have available or what you like.