Cuban Caldosa
A big, brothy pot of pork, chicken and smoked ham simmered slowly with malanga, yuca, boniato, pumpkin, plantain and corn until the broth turns rich and lightly thick. This is the soup Cubans gather around, made for a crowd and eaten with lime and cilantro.
Servings
Ingredients
Nutrition
Per serving
Steps
Marinate the meats
In a large bowl, combine the pork, chicken, half the garlic, the sour orange juice, oregano, cumin and a good pinch of salt. Mix well, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes (or overnight if you have time) so the meat picks up flavor and starts to tenderize.
- 600 g pork shoulder
- 600 g chicken thighs
- 4 cloves garlic (half)
- 60 ml sour orange juice
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- pinch salt
✅ Done when: the meat looks glossy and smells of citrus and garlic
Brown the meats
Heat the olive oil in a very large, heavy pot (at least 8 litres) over medium-high heat. Working in batches so the pot is not crowded, brown the pork, chicken and ham on all sides, about 5–6 minutes per batch, then set aside. Browning builds a deep base flavor that plain boiling never gives.
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 600 g pork (from step 1)
- 600 g chicken (from step 1)
- 200 g smoked ham or chorizo
✅ Done when: each batch is golden-brown on the outside, not grey or boiled-looking
Build the sofrito
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Simmer the meats
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Add the slow-cooking roots
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Add the rest of the vegetables
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Rest and serve
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Marinate the meats
In a large bowl, combine the pork, chicken, half the garlic, the sour orange juice, oregano, cumin and a good pinch of salt. Mix well, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes (or overnight if you have time) so the meat picks up flavor and starts to tenderize.
- 600 g pork shoulder
- 600 g chicken thighs
- 4 cloves garlic (half)
- 60 ml sour orange juice
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- pinch salt
✅ Done when: the meat looks glossy and smells of citrus and garlic
Brown the meats
Heat the olive oil in a very large, heavy pot (at least 8 litres) over medium-high heat. Working in batches so the pot is not crowded, brown the pork, chicken and ham on all sides, about 5–6 minutes per batch, then set aside. Browning builds a deep base flavor that plain boiling never gives.
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 600 g pork (from step 1)
- 600 g chicken (from step 1)
- 200 g smoked ham or chorizo
✅ Done when: each batch is golden-brown on the outside, not grey or boiled-looking
Build the sofrito
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
Simmer the meats
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Add the slow-cooking roots
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Add the rest of the vegetables
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Rest and serve
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The Story Behind the Dish
Caldosa grew out of the same tradition as ajiaco, the old Cuban stew that mixes Spanish, African and Taíno ingredients: meats cooked slowly with the island's starchy viandas. But caldosa took on its own identity as a looser, soupier dish made specifically for groups, cooked outdoors in a huge caldero over a wood or charcoal fire rather than on a home stove.
It became tied to gatherings: friends playing dominoes, baseball games, Nochebuena, birthdays, or simply a Sunday with nothing else planned. Someone brings the meat, someone brings the root vegetables, and the cooking itself becomes the event everyone stands around.
⭐ Why It's Famous
Caldosa is less a fixed recipe than a social occasion: a big, forgiving pot that stretches a little meat and whatever viandas are on hand into a meal for a crowd, cooked and eaten together.
💡 Fun Fact
In Cuba, "hacer una caldosa" (to make a caldosa) is used almost like a verb for the whole event — the shopping, the chopping, the hours around the fire — not just the soup itself.
Rural Cuba, island-wide
21.52°N, -77.78°W
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