This sopa de Res (Cuban-style beef soup) is an easy and affordable way to get a home-cooked, nutritious meal. For this soup, an inexpensive cut of beef is cut into chunks. Then, the beef is cooked in a flavorful broth that’s flavored with onions, garlic, and a blend of spices. Then we add potatoes and carrots, and of course, like most Cuban dishes we serve it with white rice.
Like this beef soup, a Cuban-style chicken soup, and Cuban Ajiaco are loaded with meat and vegetables. This guiso de maiz is a soup that features pork and corn. Check out this Cuban soups article that features a collection of classic soups.
Ingredients
- Meat – Use Sirloin tip or beef round to make the soup. The sirloin will be more tender, but it is a little pricier. Choose a thick piece so it can be cut into cubes easily.
- Produce – You will need onion (yellow or white), garlic cloves, carrots, and potatoes from the produce aisle. For the potato we use russet because the starchy texture works well with the broth. Avoid waxy potatoes.
- Spices – This soup is simply seasoned with salt, black pepper, cumin, and dried oregano.
- Pantry – Olive oil, white wine (substitute beef broth, if desired), tomato sauce, beef broth (use low sodium if you are sensitive to salt), flour (all purpose), and white rice (not pictured).
- See the recipe card for quantities and preparation.
Instructions
Place the beef in a large zip top bag. Add the salt, cumin, oregano and pepper, massage the beef a bit to distribute the seasoning well.
Add the flour to the bag, seal tightly without removing the air. Shake the bag well to coat the beef with the flour.
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook them gently for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
Next, add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring often.
Add the beef to the pot, cook it for 3 minutes, stirring frequently to brown a little on all sides.
Next, carefully add the wine while stirring and gently scraping any bits off the bottom of the pot. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
Add the tomato sauce, beef broth, and water, stir well. Raise the heat to high. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally and keep the broth at a simmer. Raise or lower the heat as needed.
Add the potatoes and carrots to the pot, raise the heat to high, when the liquid comes back to boil lower the heat to medium-low, cover and continue cooking for 25-30 minutes. Stir occasionally and keep at a simmer.
If desired, uncover the pot the last 10-15 minutes of cooking time to allow the soup to thicken a little bit.
While the soup cooks, make the white rice. If you don’t have your own recipe for rice, use this white rice recipe.
Taste the soup and add salt if needed. As a reference we did not add extra to ours.
To serve, add ½ - ¾ cup of white rice to a bowl, top with a generous serving of soup. Enjoy!
Storing and reheating
- Store the soup and rice separately in airtight containers, keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat in a small saucepan or in the microwave until hot (at least 165° F).
- This soup is best enjoyed within a few days because potatoes typically do not freeze well. That said, to freeze, cool the soup quickly. Then place it in an airtight container and freeze for 2-3 months. Remember to leave about an inch or two in the container to allow for expansion.
- For more information on food storage and safety guidelines visit U.S. Department of Agriculture and foodsafety.gov.
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📖 Recipe
Sopa de Res (Cuban-Style Beef Soup)
Ingredients
- 1½ pound Beef cut into 1-2 inch cubes (sirloin tip or beef round will work well)
- 1 teaspoon Salt plus extra at the end if needed
- ½ teaspoon Ground Cumin
- ½ teaspoon Dried Oregano
- ¼ teaspoon Fresh Ground Pepper
- 2 tablespoon All-Purpose Flour
- 2 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 Small Onion small dice
- 3-4 Garlic Cloves minced
- ½ cup White Wine substitute beef broth, if desired
- 8 ounce can Tomato Sauce
- 4 cups Beef Broth
- 2 cups water
- 1 Large Potato cut into 1-2 inch pieces (about 12 ounce russet potato)
- 1 Large Carrot cut into ½ inch pieces (about 5-6 ounce carrot)
- 3-4 cups Cooked White Rice for serving
Instructions
- Place the beef cubes in a large zip top bag. Add the salt, cumin, oregano, and pepper. Massage the meat gently to distribute the seasoning well.
- Next, add the flour to the bag. Seal it tightly without removing the air. Shake the bag (up and down/side to side) to coat the beef with the flour.
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. When the oil is hot, but not smoking, add the onions. Cook them gently for 3 minutes, stir frequently.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stir often.
- Add the beef to the pot, cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently to brown a little on all sides.
- Next, add the white wine and stir while gently scraping any bits off the bottom of the pot. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the tomato sauce, beef broth, and water, stir well. Raise the heat to high, when the liquid comes to a boil, lower the heat to medium-low, cover the pot and cook for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally and keep the broth at a simmer. Raise or lower the heat as needed.
- Add the potatoes and carrots to the pot, raise the heat to high, when the liquid comes back to boil lower the heat to medium-low, cover and continue cooking for 25-30 minutes.
- Stir the soup occasionally and keep it at a simmer. Uncover the pot the last 10-15 minutes of cooking time to allow the soup to thicken a little bit, if desired.
- While the soup cooks, make white rice. Use your favorite recipe, if you don’t have one try our white rice recipe that includes useful tips.
- When the soup is done taste it and add salt if needed. As a reference we did not add extra to ours.
- To serve, add ½ - ¾ cup of white rice to a bowl, top with a generous serving of soup. Enjoy!
Notes
- Use reduced sodium broth if you are sensitive to salt.
- If you do not use wine deglaze the pan with beef broth.
Nutrition
The nutritional information above is computer generated and is only an estimate. There is no guarantee that it is accurate. This data is provided as a courtesy for informational purposes only.
Susy
This soup was so good. I didn’t have potatoes so I used “malanga “ which is another root vegetable which we use a lot in Cuban soups. It was delicious! Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Elizabeth
My Pleasure Susy! Happy to hear you enjoyed it.
Mariah
Good but needed more flavor
Jionel
I used to go to this little spot on calle Ocho and 11ave in little Havana, FL to get the sopa but since I moved back to CT I really miss all the food Miami had to offer especially my Cuban soup after a long night of partying anyway this soup is soooooo good and on point!! Thank you so much for posting this recipe I will be making this all winter 😆
Elizabeth
Thanks, so glad you enjoyed it!
Geni
I’m trying mine in my Instant Pot today… I’ll let you know how it turns out 🙂
Elizabeth
Please do!
Jionel
Oh I also added yuca and corn on the cob
Carol smith
Question not a comment want to try is recipe but can it be done in the crockpot and if so any changes to anything
Elizabeth
Hi Carol,
I've never made it in a crockpot so no suggestions, sorry.
Placido
I'm cuban and your on point ...perfectomundo, buen provecho
Elizabeth
Hi Placido, thank you!
Courtney
I am not a beef stew fan. I have never had a beef stew that I really thought was good- until I tried this recipe! I only would attempt to make beef stew because my husband likes it, and I stumbled across this Pinterest page with a ton of Cuban recipes. Reading the ingredients in some of these recipes I couldn’t help but think they had to have a ton of flavor! This not only was the best beef stew I’ve ever had, but probably one of the best dishes I’ve ever had ! So easy to follow the recipe, too! I have made three dishes from this page and every one has been PHENOMENAL! I want to make every single one!
Elizabeth
Hi Courtney, thank you so much for your kind words. I am really glad you enjoyed it and that you stopped by!
Wallycool1
This was Great. Made as written. Thank you.
Elizabeth Rodriguez
Thank you! I'm really glad you enjoyed it!
Patty
This was so good. I made this recipe twice so far and will keep making it! Don't lose this recipe!