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Overview

Carbonada Chilena

Carbonada de Vacuno, Chilean Beef Soup, Chilean Carbonada Soup

This carbonada chilena recipe simmers diced beef chuck with potato, pumpkin, carrot, corn, green beans and peas in a golden beef broth, with rice cooked right in the pot. One serving is about 500 g — a full bowl — and carries about 347 calories. It takes about 80 minutes, most of it simmering, and is a classic Chilean winter lunch.

Carbonada is a traditional Chilean winter soup, cooked in homes across the country with whatever vegetables are on hand. The Chilean version is a brothy, everyday soup: small-diced beef, potato, pumpkin, carrot, corn and peas, with rice cooked right in the pot. It is a different dish from Argentina's carbonada criolla, which is a thick stew finished with peaches and dried apricots and served in a baked pumpkin — the Chilean bowl has no fruit at all.

Pairs well with: Pebre, a slice of marraqueta, or a simple tomato and onion salad

Provenance

Chile flag Chile

Chilean Winter Classic

Latin America & Caribbean

Time Dedication

1h 20m

25m prep • 55m cook

Batch Yield

6 Servings

347 kcal per serving

1 serving ≈ 500 g

Technical Skill

Intermediate

Medium (One Pot Soup)

Meal Timing & Digestive Fit

Breakfast

Not Advised

Lunch

Prime Metabolic Fit

Dinner

Ideal Hearty Main

Snack & Tea

Inappropriate

Soups & Broths Occasions: Family lunches, winter dinners, cold days, everyday meals Cost: Low — about $2–3 per serving at home
Tags: Beef Vegetables Savory Gluten-free Soup
A bowl of Chilean carbonada soup with diced beef, potato, carrot, pumpkin, rice and peas in a golden broth

Chilean Winter Classic

Photo: Marco Antonio Correa Flores, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Heritage Formulary

Measured Ingredients

Estimated cost: Low — about $2–3 per serving at home (USD)

A good carbonada is brothy, not thick — every spoonful should have beef, potato and rice in golden broth.

Execution Methodology & Culinary Technique

Step-by-Step Cooking Guide

Active 1h 20m
P

Prep Stage: Dice Everything

25 Mins • Dicing & Measuring

Dice the beef, potatoes, pumpkin, carrots, onion and pepper into even cubes so everything cooks at the same pace, and rinse the rice. Dissolve the stock cube in boiling water. Everything goes into the pot in order of cooking time, so the prep is what makes the soup work.

Maestro Tip: Cut everything the same size — uneven cubes mean some pieces turn to mush while others stay hard.

  1. 1

    Dice everything

    25 Mins No heat — room temperature, about 20°C (68°F)

    Dice the beef into 2 cm (3/4 in) cubes and season with half the salt and the black pepper. Peel and dice the potatoes, pumpkin, carrots, onion and pepper. Rinse the rice until the water runs clear. Dissolve the stock cube in 1.2 L of boiling water.

    Even cubes are the whole secret — cut the pumpkin and potato the same size as the beef.

    Done when: Everything diced evenly; rice rinsed; broth hot and ready.

  2. 2

    Brown the beef

    10 Mins Medium-high heat, about 190°C (375°F)

    Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the beef in a single layer and brown for 8–10 minutes, turning the cubes so every side colours. Do not crowd the pot — brown in two batches if needed. Stir in the onion, garlic, paprika and oregano and cook for 2 minutes until fragrant.

    Brown, do not steam — if the pot is crowded the beef boils grey instead of browning.

    Done when: Beef browned on all sides; onion soft and fragrant.

  3. 3

    Simmer the beef and root vegetables

    20 Mins Gentle simmer, about 95°C (203°F)

    Pour in the hot beef broth and scrape the bottom of the pot to lift the browned bits. Add the potatoes, pumpkin and carrots, bring to a gentle simmer, then cover and cook for 20 minutes until the vegetables are starting to soften and the beef is getting tender.

    Keep it at a bare simmer — a rolling boil clouds the broth and toughens the beef.

    Done when: Broth simmering gently; potatoes and pumpkin starting to soften.

  4. 4

    Add the rice and green vegetables

    20 Mins Gentle simmer, about 95°C (203°F)

    Stir in the rice and the red pepper and simmer for 10 minutes, then add the corn, green beans and peas and simmer for 10 minutes more until the rice is tender and the beef yields easily. The soup should stay brothy — add a splash of hot water if it thickens too much.

    Stir once or twice so the rice does not stick to the bottom, but do not stir constantly or the grains break.

    Done when: Rice tender, beef soft enough to cut with a spoon, vegetables cooked but not mushy.

  5. 5

    Season, rest and serve

    5 Mins Off the heat — serve hot, about 70°C (158°F)

    Taste and add the rest of the salt only if it needs it — the stock cube is already salty. Take the pot off the heat and rest for 5 minutes so the rice settles. Ladle into deep bowls and scatter the chopped cilantro over each one.

    Resting matters — the rice finishes cooking and the broth clears a little as it sits.

    Done when: Soup steaming hot through, about 70°C (158°F) in the bowl; beef tender.

Finishing Touches & Plating

Taste and adjust the salt — the stock cube is already salty — then rest the pot off the heat for 5 minutes so the rice settles. Serve hot in deep bowls with chopped cilantro on top.

Nutritional Physiology & Benefits

Nutrition

Energy

347

kcal / serving

Protein

25g

Complete AA

Carbs

42g

Complex

Fats

10g

Healthy

Per serving (6 servings · 1 serving ≈ 500 g)
Energy347 kcal
Protein25 g
Carbohydrates42 g
Fat10 g
Fibre5.8 g
Sugar8.6 g
Sodium807 mg
Per 100g
Energy69 kcal
Protein4.9 g
Carbohydrates8.3 g
Fat2 g
Fibre1.2 g
Sugar1.7 g
Sodium161 mg

Nutrition values are estimated — calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients.

Vitamins & minerals: Beef provides iron, zinc and vitamin B12; pumpkin and carrots provide vitamin A; potatoes and peppers provide vitamin C; peas and beans add folate. All nutrition values are estimated.

Protein and Steady Energy

With about 24.6 g of protein and 41.7 g of carbohydrate per bowl, carbonada gives steady energy that lasts through the afternoon.

Vegetables and Minerals in One Bowl

Pumpkin and carrots bring vitamin A, peppers and potatoes bring vitamin C, and the beef brings iron and zinc — a bowl with real variety.

One Pot, Everyday Ingredients

One pot, everyday vegetables and a single cut of beef — a warming winter soup that costs little per bowl.

Food Pairings

What to Eat With

To optimize nutrient absorption and elevate the sensory depth, pair with these authentic accompaniments:

Sides

Marraqueta

A warm marraqueta torn into the bowl soaks up the golden broth and turns the soup into a full meal.

Vegetables

Ensalada Chilena (Tomato & Onion)

Tomato, onion and cilantro cut through the richness of the beef broth with fresh acidity.

Sauces

Pebre

A spoonful of spicy pebre on top wakes the whole bowl up — the classic Chilean table sauce for soups.

Drinks

Red Wine or Mote con Huesillo

A light Chilean red wine stands up to the beef, or mote con huesillo if you want the traditional sweet drink with it.

Full Menus

Full Menu: Soup, Then Hallulla

Start with carbonada and pebre, then a hallulla with avocado, and fresh fruit to finish.

Complete menu

Start with carbonada, follow with a hallulla and pebre, and finish with fresh fruit.

Digestive Guardrails

What NOT to Combine

To prevent digestive distress, sluggishness, or palate clash, avoid pairing the dish with these elements:

Boiling Hard After Adding Rice

A hard boil after the rice goes in breaks the grains and turns the soup starchy and cloudy. Keep it at a gentle simmer once the rice is in. This is general food information, not medical advice.

Serving the Beef Before It Is Tender

Chuck needs time to turn tender — if the beef is still chewy, it needs more simmering, not higher heat. Give it the full simmer and test a cube before serving. This is general food information, not medical advice.

General information only, not medical advice — consult a doctor for personal dietary decisions.

Who Should Eat It

Who Should Eat

  • General adultsA hearty, balanced bowl for most adults; one bowl with bread is a full lunch.
  • ChildrenChildren like the soft vegetables and the mild broth — cut the beef small and let the bowl cool a little first.
  • ElderlySoft vegetables and tender beef in broth are easy to eat; serve warm, not hot.
  • Pregnant womenFine in moderation; the beef is fully cooked through — ask your clinician if you are watching salt.
  • Breastfeeding womenA good energy food after training; the beef and rice replace what a hard session uses up.
  • AthletesHearty at about 347 kcal a bowl with 24.6 g of protein, so it fits a higher-energy day.
  • Weight gainHearty at about 347 kcal a bowl with 24.6 g of protein, so it fits a higher-energy day.
  • Weight lossA filling bowl; eat one bowl with salad and skip the second helping of bread.

Health Conditions — Adjust or Avoid

Conditions

  • DiabetesAbout 41.7 g of carbohydrate per bowl, mostly from potato, pumpkin and rice; one bowl is a full portion — ask your clinician about portion size.
  • High blood pressureAbout 807 mg of sodium per bowl, mostly from the stock cube and the salt; ask your clinician if you are on a low-sodium plan.
  • Kidney diseaseModerate in protein and potassium from the beef and vegetables; ask your clinician whether this portion suits your plan.
  • GoutBeef is a purine food; one bowl is a moderate portion — ask your clinician if you are unsure.
  • Stomach issuesA plain, brothy soup that most stomachs handle well; eat slowly and keep to one bowl if your stomach is sensitive, and ask your clinician if it keeps bothering you.
  • Cardiovascular diseaseThe beef and oil bring saturated fat, but the bowl is mostly vegetables and broth — ask your clinician about the right portion for you.
  • Fatty liverA plain soup with lean beef and vegetables; one bowl with salad is the lighter way to enjoy it — ask your clinician about the right portion for you.
  • Food allergiesContains beef; no wheat, egg, milk, nuts or seafood in the recipe — if you have a food allergy, ask your clinician whether it is safe for you.
  • Special therapeutic dietsFollow your clinician's guidance on salt and portion sizes; this is general information, not medical advice.

If you have a medical condition, consult your doctor before changing your diet.

Storage & Use

Storage & Use

How to store
Cool quickly, then store in a covered container in the fridge.
In the fridge
Up to 3 days in a covered container.
In the freezer
Up to 3 months in portions; thaw overnight in the fridge. The rice softens a little on reheating.
How to reheat
Reheat gently on the stove to 74°C (165°F), stirring now and then; add a splash of water if it has thickened.
Freezing recommended
Yes — freeze in single portions without the cilantro.
Signs it has spoiled
A sour smell, a slimy surface, or mould — throw it away.

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