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Overview

Olla de Carne

Olla de Carne — Costa Rica's Pot of Meat, Beef and Root Vegetable Soup

This olla de carne recipe makes Costa Rica's great beef soup: chunks of beef shank simmered slowly until tender, then joined by yuca, taro, potato, sweet potato, chayote, corn and green plantain, all cooked in the same clear broth. The vegetables go in in stages, so each one is tender but still itself. One serving is about 776 g.

Olla de carne, 'pot of meat', descends from the one-pot boiled dinners Spain brought to the Americas — the same family as the olla podrida described in Cervantes's Don Quixote. In Costa Rica the chickpeas and cured pork of the Spanish pot gave way to what grew locally: yuca, corn, chayote, plantain and native roots such as tiquisque and ñampí. In the coffee-growing Los Santos area, olla de carne made with beef shank is recognised as a traditional local dish, and across the country it remains the big Sunday pot, served with white rice.

Pairs well with: White rice and warm corn tortillas

Provenance

Costa Rica flag Costa Rica

Costa Rica's Sunday Beef Soup

Latin America & Caribbean

Time Dedication

2h 25m

25m prep • 120m cook

Batch Yield

6 Servings

576 kcal per serving

1 serving ≈ 776 g

Technical Skill

Intermediate

Medium (Slow Simmer)

Meal Timing & Digestive Fit

Breakfast

Not Advised

Lunch

Hearty Midday Main

Dinner

Ideal Hearty Main

Snack & Tea

Inappropriate

Soups & Broths Occasions: Sunday family dinners, weekend gatherings, cold evenings, festive dinners Cost: Moderate — about $4–5 per serving at home
Tags: Beef Vegetables Savory High-protein Soup
A bowl of Costa Rican olla de carne with beef ribs, yuca and potato in broth, with a plate of rice beside it

Costa Rica's Sunday Beef Soup

Photo: Rodtico21, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Heritage Formulary

Measured Ingredients

Estimated cost: Moderate — about $4–5 per serving at home (USD)

Cooked the traditional way: beef simmered first until tender, vegetables added in stages, broth kept clear.

Execution Methodology & Culinary Technique

Step-by-Step Cooking Guide

Active 2h 25m
P

Prep Stage: Beef Cut, Roots Peeled

25 Mins • Large Pot & Bowls

Olla de carne is a slow pot, so do the cutting first: beef into large chunks, every root peeled and cut into pieces big enough to survive two hours in the pot. Keep the vegetables in separate piles — they go in at different times, and small pieces added early will fall apart.

Maestro Tip: Cut the roots big — 4 cm chunks stay intact, small dice dissolve into the broth.

  1. 1

    Brown the beef and start the broth

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

    Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Brown the beef chunks on all sides, about 8 minutes, then add the onion, celery and garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Pour in the water, scraping the browned bits from the bottom, and add the cilantro stems.

    The browned bits on the bottom of the pot are the base of the broth's flavour — scrape them up.

    Done when: Beef browned on all sides, aromatics softened, water at a boil.

  2. 2

    Simmer the beef until tender

    60 Mins Gentle simmer, about 95°C (200°F)

    Bring to a boil, skim off any foam, then lower the heat to the gentlest simmer, cover, and cook for 1 hour. The broth should barely tremble — a rolling boil toughens the meat and clouds the broth.

    Skim the foam in the first 10 minutes for a clear broth.

    Done when: Beef yields easily to a fork, broth clear and savoury.

  3. 3

    Add the hard roots

    30 Mins Gentle simmer, about 95°C (200°F)

    Add the yuca, taro, potato, sweet potato and corn, with half the salt. Simmer gently for 30 minutes, until the roots are nearly tender. Keep the lid ajar so the broth reduces slightly.

    Taste a piece of yuca — it should be tender inside but still holding its shape.

    Done when: Roots nearly tender when pierced with a knife.

  4. 4

    Add the quick-cooking vegetables

    20 Mins Gentle simmer, about 95°C (200°F)

    Add the chayote, carrot, green plantain and cabbage. Simmer for 20 minutes more until everything is tender — the plantain soft but not falling apart, the cabbage bright. Taste and add the remaining salt.

    The plantain goes in late on purpose — added early it turns to mush.

    Done when: All vegetables tender, plantain soft but intact, broth seasoned.

  5. 5

    Rest and serve in deep bowls

    10 Mins Off the heat, cooling slightly

    Take the pot off the heat and rest for 10 minutes. Ladle beef, vegetables and plenty of broth into deep bowls, scatter the cilantro leaves over the top, and serve with white rice and warm corn tortillas on the side.

    Serve the rice in a separate bowl — everyone spoons the broth over their own rice.

    Done when: Served steaming hot, broth clear, vegetables intact.

Finishing Touches & Plating

Ladle the olla de carne generously — a deep bowl, beef and roots piled high, broth to the brim — and let everyone season their own bowl with lime and hot sauce.

Nutritional Physiology & Benefits

Nutrition

Energy

576

kcal / serving

Protein

35g

Complete AA

Carbs

72g

Complex

Fats

18g

Healthy

Per serving (6 servings · 1 serving ≈ 776 g)
Energy576 kcal
Protein35 g
Carbohydrates72 g
Fat18 g
Fibre9.0 g
Sugar12.3 g
Sodium555 mg
Per 100g
Energy74 kcal
Protein4.5 g
Carbohydrates9.3 g
Fat2.3 g
Fibre1.2 g
Sugar1.6 g
Sodium71 mg

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

Vitamins & minerals: Provides iron and B vitamins from the beef, vitamin C from the potato and chayote, potassium from the plantain and yuca, and vitamin A from the carrot and sweet potato.

Iron-Rich Beef

Beef shank provides iron and B vitamins, which support normal energy and red blood cell formation.

Many Vegetables, One Pot

Yuca, taro, chayote, corn and plantain bring fibre, potassium and vitamin C to the same bowl.

Gentle and Warming

A clear broth with soft-cooked roots is easy on the stomach and warming on a cool evening.

Food Pairings

What to Eat With

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

Sides

White Rice

A scoop of white rice in the bowl soaks up the broth — in Costa Rica no meal feels complete without it.

Vegetables

Corn Tortillas

Warm corn tortillas are the traditional spoon for this soup, for scooping broth and wrapping pieces of beef.

Lime Wedges

A squeeze of lime at the table brightens the rich broth and lifts the root vegetables.

Sauces

Hot Sauce on the Table

A few drops of hot sauce give the mild broth a gentle kick — everyone seasons their own bowl.

Complete menu

Serve the olla de carne in deep bowls over a scoop of white rice with warm corn tortillas, lime wedges and a bottle of hot sauce on the table.

Digestive Guardrails

What NOT to Combine

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

Boiling the Pot Hard

A rolling boil toughens the beef and turns the broth cloudy; keep the barest simmer for the whole cook. This is general food guidance, not medical advice.

Adding All the Vegetables at Once

Soft vegetables added early dissolve into the broth while the roots are still hard — the staged timing is what keeps every piece intact.

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

Who Should Eat It

Who Should Eat

  • General adultsA complete one-pot dinner — one deep bowl is a whole meal.
  • ChildrenMild and comforting; fish out the meat and vegetables for them and skip the hot sauce.
  • ElderlySoft beef and tender roots are easy to chew; serve a modest bowl with extra broth.
  • Pregnant womenA nourishing soup with iron from the beef; make sure the meat is fully tender and ask your clinician about portion size.
  • Breastfeeding womenA warming, energy-rich dinner; the broth also helps with fluids.
  • AthletesA strong recovery meal — beef for protein, roots and corn for carbohydrate.
  • Weight gainA very good choice — the full bowl with rice is energy-rich.
  • Weight lossFill the bowl mostly with broth and vegetables, keep the beef to one piece, and skip the second helping of rice.

Health Conditions — Adjust or Avoid

Conditions

  • DiabetesThe roots and corn are high in carbohydrate — keep the starchy vegetables to a modest share of the bowl and ask your clinician.
  • High blood pressureWatch the added salt — taste before seasoning, and go easy on salty accompaniments.
  • Kidney diseaseThe soup is high in potassium from the roots and plantain — keep the portion small and ask your clinician.
  • GoutBeef and its broth contain purines; enjoy occasionally in a modest portion and ask your clinician.
  • Stomach issuesA clear broth with soft vegetables is usually gentle; eat slowly and keep the portion modest if sensitive.
  • Cardiovascular diseaseSkim the fat from the broth and keep the beef lean; the vegetables and clear broth keep the meal balanced.
  • Fatty liverA broth-based soup with lean beef and vegetables; skim the fat and keep portions modest.
  • Food allergiesContains no gluten, egg, dairy or nuts as written.
  • Special therapeutic dietsGluten-free and dairy-free as written; ask your clinician or dietitian about fitting it to a prescribed diet.

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

Storage & Use

Storage & Use

How to store
Cool quickly and store the soup in a covered pot or container in the fridge.
In the fridge
Keeps 3 days in the fridge at 4°C (40°F) or below.
In the freezer
Freezes well for up to 3 months; the roots soften a little on thawing.
How to reheat
Reheat in a pot until boiling and steaming hot throughout, to 74°C (165°F).
Freezing recommended
Yes — up to 3 months, in portion containers.
Signs it has spoiled
Sour smell, slimy surface, or visible mould.

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