Mote de Queso

• White yam (name) 700g (1 1/2 lb), peeled and cubed

  The heart of the soup — it thickens the broth as it cooks. Substitute: Cassava root, same weight, gives a thinner soup.

  How to choose: A heavy, firm yam with dry skin and no soft or dark spots; it should feel dense for its size.

  How to prepare: Peel with a knife, rinse, and cut into chunks about 3 cm across.

  Required
• Queso costeno 250g (9 oz), cut into cubes

  Salty coastal cheese that softens without fully dissolving. Substitute: Queso fresco with an extra pinch of salt, or halloumi.

  How to choose: A firm, salty white cheese that holds its shape when cubed; taste a crumb — it should be distinctly salty.

  How to prepare: Cut into cubes about 2 cm across and keep refrigerated until the last minute.

  Required
• White onion 1 medium (100g), finely chopped

  Base of the sofrito. Substitute: Yellow onion.

  How to choose: Firm onion with dry, papery skin and no soft spots.

  How to prepare: Peel and chop finely.

  Required
• Scallions 4 stalks (40g), sliced

  White and green parts, for the sofrito and garnish. Substitute: 1 small leek, white part only.

  How to choose: Crisp stalks with bright-green tops and no slime.

  How to prepare: Trim the roots, rinse, and slice thinly, keeping the green tops aside for garnish.

  Required
• Garlic 3 cloves (12g), minced

  For the sofrito. Substitute: 1/2 tsp garlic powder.

  How to choose: Plump cloves with tight, papery skin.

  How to prepare: Peel and mince finely.

  Required
• Tomato 1 small (100g), seeded and chopped

  Adds a little colour and acidity to the sofrito. Substitute: 2 tbsp tomato paste.

  How to choose: Ripe, heavy tomato that gives slightly when pressed.

  How to prepare: Halve, scoop out the seeds, and chop the flesh.

  Required
• Olive oil 1 tbsp (15ml / 14g)

  To fry the sofrito. Substitute: Vegetable oil.

  How to choose: Any plain cooking oil works here.

  How to prepare: Measure out.

  Required
• Water 1 litre (4 cups)

  About 860 ml stays in the finished soup after simmering. Substitute: Light chicken stock.

  How to choose: Clean drinking water.

  How to prepare: Measure out.

  Required
• Fine salt 1 tsp (5g), to taste

  Taste before adding — the cheese is already salty. Substitute: Sea salt, same weight.

  How to choose: Plain fine salt.

  How to prepare: Measure out.

  Required
• Fresh cilantro 1/4 cup chopped (10g)

  To finish. Substitute: Flat-leaf parsley.

  How to choose: Bright-green bunch with no yellow or wilted leaves.

  How to prepare: Rinse, shake dry, and chop coarsely.

  Required
• Lime 1 lime (60g), cut into wedges — about 30g juice squeezed

  Juice squeezed over each bowl at the table. Substitute: Lemon wedges.

  How to choose: A heavy lime with thin, smooth skin — it holds more juice.

  How to prepare: Cut into 4 wedges; squeeze the juice over each bowl at the table (about 30g juice in total).

  Required

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

info True mote de queso is a pale, creamy yam soup thickened by the yam itself, with cubes of salty coastal cheese that soften but keep their shape — not a potato soup, and not the hominy-pork sopa de mote of Cauca.

Execution Methodology & Culinary Technique

1. 1

   Fry the sofrito

   5 minutes Medium heat (180°C / 350°F)

   Warm the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, the white parts of the scallions, the garlic and the tomato, and fry for 5 minutes, stirring often, until the onion turns soft and translucent and the tomato breaks down into a loose sauce.

   Do not let the garlic brown — browned garlic turns bitter and will flavour the whole pot.

   Done when: Onion soft and glassy, tomato collapsed into the oil.

2. 2

   Simmer the yam until it thickens the soup

   25 minutes Gentle simmer (95°C / 200°F)

   Add the yam chunks and the water to the pot, stir, and bring to a boil. Skim off any foam, then lower the heat to a gentle simmer, cover with the lid ajar, and cook for 25 minutes until the yam is very soft — a fork should slide through a chunk with no resistance.

   Keep it at a lazy simmer, not a rolling boil, or the yam breaks apart too fast and the soup turns gluey.

   Done when: Yam completely tender; the broth looks cloudy and slightly thickened.

3. 3

   Mash the yam into the broth

   5 minutes Low heat (90°C / 195°F)

   Lift out about a third of the yam chunks with a slotted spoon and mash them in a bowl with a fork, then stir the mash back into the pot. The soup should turn pale, creamy and thick enough to coat a spoon. Taste and add salt only if it needs it — the cheese still to come is salty.

   Mash just a third: the rest of the chunks stay whole and give the soup something to bite into.

   Done when: Pale, creamy broth that coats the back of a spoon, with whole yam chunks still visible.

4. 4

   Melt in the cheese

   5 minutes Low heat (85°C / 185°F)

   Drop the cheese cubes into the soup, stir once, and cook on the lowest heat for 5 minutes. The cubes should soften and melt a little at the edges while keeping their shape — they should not disappear into the broth. Take the pot off the heat as soon as the cheese is soft.

   Do not boil the soup after the cheese goes in, or the cheese turns rubbery and the soup splits.

   Done when: Cheese cubes soft and slightly melted at the edges, still holding their cube shape.

5. 5

   Rest and serve with lime and cilantro

   5 minutes Hot (75°C / 167°F)

   Let the soup rest off the heat for 5 minutes so the flavours settle. Ladle into deep bowls, scatter the scallion greens and cilantro over the top, and serve each bowl with a lime wedge to squeeze over it at the table.

   Squeeze the lime over the bowl, not into the pot — the fresh acidity lifts the rich cheese and yam.

   Done when: Hot, pale and creamy, with visible cheese cubes and a bright green garnish.

vital_signs Nutritional Physiology & Benefits

Nutrition

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

Vitamins & minerals: Vitamin C from the yam, tomato and lime, vitamin B6 and potassium from the yam, and calcium from the cheese. All nutrition values are estimated.

restaurant Food Pairings

What to Eat With

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

warning Digestive Guardrails

What NOT to Combine

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

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

Who Should Eat It

Who Should Eat

• General adultsOne serving of about 470 g at 456 kcal is a hearty, satisfying lunch — the yam starch and cheese make it filling without needing a second course.
• ChildrenChildren usually love the mild, creamy soup and the soft cheese cubes. Cut the cheese into smaller cubes for young children and serve it warm, not piping hot.
• ElderlySoft yam and softened cheese are easy to chew and swallow, making this a comfortable soup for older people — serve it warm and check the salt level, as the cheese is salty.
• Pregnant womenMade from yam, cheese, vegetables and lime, and served hot — a safe choice in pregnancy. Keep the salt modest and make sure the cheese is from pasteurised milk.
• Breastfeeding womenA filling, calcium-rich lunch that supports breastfeeding energy needs. The salt level is the only thing to watch — drink water with the meal.
• AthletesAbout 56.8 g of carbohydrates per serving gives good post-training energy, with 14.8 g of protein from the cheese — pair it with rice for a fuller recovery meal.
• Weight gainAt 456 kcal a serving with rice and plantain on the side, this is an easy way to add energy — the yam starch and cheese make it a calorie-dense, satisfying plate.
• Weight lossAt 456 kcal and 8.3 g of fibre per serving it is filling, but the cheese is rich — keep to one bowl and skip the extra rice if you are watching energy.

Health Conditions — Adjust or Avoid

Conditions

• DiabetesAbout 56.8 g of carbohydrates per serving from the yam — a starchy soup, so keep the portion to one bowl and skip the rice on the side; ask your clinician or dietitian for a portion that fits your plan.
• High blood pressureAbout 1037 mg of sodium per serving, mostly from the salty cheese — a high-sodium soup. Use a low-salt cheese and skip the added salt if you need to limit sodium; ask your clinician about your own sodium limits.
• Kidney diseaseYam is a good source of potassium, which many kidney diets limit, and the cheese adds sodium — keep portions small and ask your clinician before eating it regularly.
• GoutYam and cheese are low in purines, so the soup itself is not a gout trigger — the risk comes from rich meat pairings, so keep those portions modest; ask your clinician for guidance.
• Stomach issuesA soft, mild soup that is usually gentle on the stomach, but the lime juice can bother people with reflux — squeeze less lime or skip it; ask your clinician if symptoms persist.
• Cardiovascular diseaseThe cheese brings saturated fat, so this is a rich soup — keep to one serving and pair it with vegetables rather than fried sides; ask your clinician about what fits your heart-health plan.
• Fatty liverA starchy, cheesy soup that is energy-dense — fine occasionally in small portions, but the saturated fat and calories add up; ask your clinician for a portion that fits your plan.
• Food allergiesContains milk (cheese). It contains no egg, wheat, nuts, seafood or soy. Anyone with a milk allergy must skip the cheese — there is no safe swap that keeps the dish the same.
• Special therapeutic dietsA plain, starchy soup that fits many therapeutic diets in small portions, but the sodium and saturated fat rule it out of very-low-sodium and low-fat plans. Ask your clinician or dietitian before including it in a therapeutic meal plan.

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

kitchen Storage & Use

Storage & Use

How to store

Cool the soup quickly and store it in a sealed container in the fridge.

In the fridge

2–3 days at 4°C (39°F). The yam thickens further as it sits, so thin it with a splash of water when reheating.

In the freezer

Up to 1 month, without the cheese — freeze the yam soup base only, and add fresh cheese cubes when reheating.

How to reheat

Warm gently over low heat to 74°C (165°F), stirring often. Do not boil it, or the cheese turns rubbery.

Freezing recommended

Only the soup base, without the cheese — the cheese goes rubbery when frozen and thawed.

Signs it has spoiled

A sour or off smell, a slimy surface, or visible mould — discard the whole pot.