Yam and Cheese Soup (Mote de Queso)
A creamy, golden soup from Colombia's Caribbean coast, made by simmering yam until it falls apart, mashing it right in the pot, then folding in cubes of salty costeño cheese that soften into pockets of melt. Comforting, rich and deeply savoury.
Servings
Ingredients
Nutrition
Per serving
Steps
Build the sofrito
Melt the butter in a large, heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, tomatoes, white part of the scallions, cumin and , and cook, stirring, until the onion is soft and the tomato has broken down into a thick paste.
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 onion
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 tomatoes
- white parts scallions
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp
✅ Done when: the mixture smells fragrant and no raw onion smell remains
Simmer the yam
Add the yam and water to the pot, along with a good pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the yam is completely tender and starting to fall apart at the edges.
- 1.2 kg yam
- 2 litres water
- pinch salt
✅ Done when: a fork slides into the yam with no resistance and some pieces are already breaking apart
Mash to thicken
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Add the milk
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Melt the cheese
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Finish and serve
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Build the sofrito
Melt the butter in a large, heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, tomatoes, white part of the scallions, cumin and , and cook, stirring, until the onion is soft and the tomato has broken down into a thick paste.
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 onion
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 tomatoes
- white parts scallions
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp
✅ Done when: the mixture smells fragrant and no raw onion smell remains
Simmer the yam
Add the yam and water to the pot, along with a good pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the yam is completely tender and starting to fall apart at the edges.
- 1.2 kg yam
- 2 litres water
- pinch salt
✅ Done when: a fork slides into the yam with no resistance and some pieces are already breaking apart
Mash to thicken
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Add the milk
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Melt the cheese
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Finish and serve
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The Story Behind the Dish
Mote de queso belongs to the sabanas of Colombia's Caribbean coast, a region of cattle ranches and small farms where ñame and other starchy tubers have long been everyday staples. The soup grew out of simple, resourceful cooking: tubers boiled until soft, mashed right in the pot to make the broth go further, and finished with the local salty cheese that every household kept on hand.
It remains a lunchtime classic in Montería, Sincelejo and the surrounding towns, often served as a starter before a plate of rice, meat and salad, though many families eat it as a meal on its own.
⭐ Why It's Famous
It shows off the Caribbean coast's love of yam and salty fresh cheese together, turning two humble ingredients into something rich, golden and deeply satisfying.
💡 Fun Fact
The same mashing technique used here, called mazamorrear, appears across Colombia's tuber soups, and gives mote de queso its characteristic creamy-yet-chunky texture without ever using a blender.
Córdoba and Sucre departments, Caribbean coast of Colombia
8.75°N, -75.88°W
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