Sopa de Guineo is a traditional Colombian soup. Guineo is a small green plantain popular in Latin American cuisine.
Guineo Soup (Sopa de Guineo)
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds pork ribs cut into pieces
- 8 cups water
- 6 guineos peeled and cut into chunks
- 2 medium potatoes peeled and diced
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 scallions chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Place the onion, garlic, scallions and ½ cup of the cilantro in the food processor.
- Place a pot over medium-high heat. Add the water and pork ribs, bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium- low. Add the onion mixture salt and pepper and let it simmer for 25 minutes.
- Add the guineo, potato and ground cumin, cover and cook for 45 minutes more or until the pork is cooked.
- Add the remaining cilantro and serve.
Nutrition
This guineo soup is one of my mom’s favorites. Since I’ve lived in the United States, I have yet to see guineos, until this past week that is. I went to the local supermarket a few days ago and as always, I went to the international vegetable and fruit aisle to look for new stuff. Anyway, you could imagine how I felt when I saw guineos with a little sticker on them that said “from Colombia”. I experienced pure joy and I wanted to by a case, just in case I couldn’t find them again for another nine years.
You may be asking yourself, what are guineos? Well, they look like small green plantains, yet they are less starchy. They are also known as unripe bananas, and to me, they are a mix between green bananas and green plantains. This vegetable is used in Latin American cuisine in many different ways. This recipe is just one example. I hope you have an easier time finding guineos than I did so that you too can enjoy this wonderful vegetable.
Marcela Schooley
Erica, gracias pir tantas recetas de nuestro pais. El guineo colombiano cómo tal, no se encuentra aqui en Miami dónde vivo. Venden algo super parecido llamado Banano Burro, según lo qué entiendo no es lo mismo. Sabes cual version de plátano ó banano seria la mas apropiada?
Gracias!
Marcela Schooley
I wonder what they are called in english. I live in Miami, FL. What's the name they have for them at the stores. I assume they sell them somewhere here, but jot sure where to go. Please if anyone knows where in Miami they sell out beloved Colombian guineo. Thank you
Maggy
Es esta sopa la misma que sopa de colicero?
rld with coffee
I have guineo on my farm in Colombia. The trees are seldom more than 8 feet tall. The fruit is used mostly in soups here, but ripe ones can be substituted for bananas in some recipes. In "el campo" these are often planted around natural springs to protect the water source.
Catracho
A eso en Honduras se le llaman " morocas" o " chatas" y he escuchado gente de El Salvador que les dice " guineo majoncho" , son gruesos y cortos, tambien alguna gente les dice " butucos"
Tia
I absolutely LOVE soup and LOVE guineo so finding this recipe was a great surprise. Being that I am vegan I will not use any meat, but I am sure it will turn out delicious. It is great to see a variety of ways to make guineo so meal accessible. Also, it amazes me how many different people from different cultures enjoy these little green bananas.
LUCIA MILLAN
Si se sacan las costillas y se licuan los demás ingredientes y luego al emplatar se le echa una cucharada de crema de leche, se incorporan las costillas y se le echa cilantro picadito, es un delicioso manjar
Oscar
Hola Erica,
So far I have followed many of your recipes. Including the Tamales, Empanadas, and Aji Picante. I am converting my american friends into this dishes. My partner brought for me the guines (by mistake) and I looked into my fridge and to my surprise I had all and ever single item for the recipe. La sopa de guineo has always been one of my favorites. I made it today and it was awesome. Thank you so much.
Ps. if you you have a recipe for la sopa de arracacha can you share it?
Anonymous
What a delicious soup. I found the little plantains at my local Latin market and made the soup yesterday. It was great.
Sandra
I made this soup on sunday. It was wonderful!
Soma
I did not know they were special!! I always thought they were smaller plantains 😉 Thanks for sharing the knowledge.
danielle
this looks fabulous! I'm going to have to look at a couple of markets around here for guineos.
Rebecca
The Manzano is an Apple Banana it looks very similar to your picture of guineos... the sticker on it says manzano and it's from Colombia too. You eat them like a reagular banana when they are yellow.
Erica
Rebecca- Thank you for the info! I know murrapos, they are baby bananas.
Erica
Thank you all for visiting!