Caldo de Costilla (Beef Short Rib Broth)
A restorative, clear beef broth slowly simmered with short ribs, potatoes and long green onion, finished with plenty of fresh coriander. A Bogotá breakfast classic — and Colombia's favourite cure after a long night.
Servings
Ingredients
Nutrition
Per serving
Steps
Blend the seasoning
Blend 2 of the scallions with the garlic, onion, cumin, and 250ml of water until smooth and pourable.
- 2 scallions
- 4 cloves garlic
- ½ white onion
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ¼ tsp ground
- 250ml water
✅ Done when: the mixture is smooth and pourable
Cook the ribs
In a large pot, combine the ribs, the remaining 2.75 litres of water, the blended seasoning, the remaining 2 whole scallions and the salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, skim off the foam, then partly cover and simmer gently on low heat for about 1 hour until the meat is tender.
- 1.2kg beef short ribs
- 2.75 litres water
- 2 whole scallions
- 2 tsp salt
✅ Done when: the meat is tender and easily pierced with a fork
Add the potatoes
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Serve
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Blend the seasoning
Blend 2 of the scallions with the garlic, onion, cumin, and 250ml of water until smooth and pourable.
- 2 scallions
- 4 cloves garlic
- ½ white onion
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ¼ tsp ground
- 250ml water
✅ Done when: the mixture is smooth and pourable
Cook the ribs
In a large pot, combine the ribs, the remaining 2.75 litres of water, the blended seasoning, the remaining 2 whole scallions and the salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, skim off the foam, then partly cover and simmer gently on low heat for about 1 hour until the meat is tender.
- 1.2kg beef short ribs
- 2.75 litres water
- 2 whole scallions
- 2 tsp salt
✅ Done when: the meat is tender and easily pierced with a fork
Add the potatoes
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Serve
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The Story Behind the Dish
In cold, high-altitude Bogotá, a hot broth for breakfast makes perfect sense. Caldo de costilla is sold from dawn in market stalls and corner restaurants, where it's eaten with arepa and a cup of chocolate.
It's also famous as levantamuertos — 'raiser of the dead' — the dish people seek out after a night of partying.
⭐ Why It's Famous
It's simple, warming and genuinely restorative: tender beef, soft potatoes and a clean, fragrant broth.
💡 Fun Fact
Some Bogotá restaurants open at 4 a.m. just to serve caldo de costilla to night-shift workers and late-night revellers.
Bogotá & the Andean highlands
4.71°N, -74.07°W
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