Mondongo is a popular dish in Latin America, every country has its own variation of this dish. This is my grandmother's Colombian version of Sopa de Mondongo recipe.
What is Colombian Mondongo?
It's a filling and hearty soup made with pork, tripe, vegetables, spices, herbs and some cooks add chorizo. It's served in every traditional Colombian restaurant.
To make Colombian Mondongo, a variety of meats and vegetables are cooked together until everything in the pot is fork tender. Beef tripe is the main meat in the dish and it is balanced with lean pork and pieces of Colombian chorizo, which are used for rich flavor. If you don't like chorizo flavor just omit it.
This comforting soup is also signature dish in every home in the Andean zone of Colombia. My grandmother used to make the best Mondongo I've ever had!
Ingredients to Make this Soup
You'll find the printable recipe card with exact amounts and cooking directions below.
Beef Tripe: It's also known as mondongo or menudo. You can find it in many supermarkets in the United States or at your local Latin market.
Lime: To clean the tripe and to serve the soup.
Baking Soda: To clean the tripe.
Pork: You can use your favorite pork meat for stew or soups.
Colombian Chorizos: This ingredient is optional.
Vegetables: Tomato, scallions, onions, potatoes, yuca and garlic.
Spices: Cumin, achiote, salt and pepper achiote
Herbs: Fresh cilantro, replace it with fresh parsley if you prefer.
How to Make Colombian Mondongo
- Wash the tripe with warm water and rub with lime juice. In a large pot combine the tripe, baking soda, and enough water to cover the tripe by 2 inches.
- Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook until the tripe is very tender, about 1 ½ to 2 hours or 45 minutes if using a pressure cooker. Drain the tripe and discard the water.
- In a large pot, place the cooked tripe, pork meat, chorizos, tomato, scallions, onion, garlic, cumin and achiote. Add enough water to cover.
- Bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat to low and simmer slowly. For about 45 minutes. Add the yuca, cilantro and potatoes. Cook for 30 minutes more.
- Ladle into bowls, and garnish with additional fresh cilantro and lime wedges. Serve with white rice, avocado, banana and hot sauce (ají) on the side.
How to Serve Mondongo Soup
This dish is a complete meal, accompanied by white rice, avocado, banana and drizzled with lime juice and ají sauce.
Tips to Cook Tripe
Tripe should be clean very well before cooking. Be sure to wash the tripe thoroughly with warm water at least twice and cut into bite size pieces.
Traditionally, the tripe is cooked in a pressure cooker, which cooks the tripe faster, in about 45 minutes. If you don't have one, simmer for a couple of hours in a normal pot.
My grandmother used to add chorizo to her mondongo soup, but you can omit it if you don't like the flavor. This is the perfect Sunday dish to enjoy with family and friends.
Storing Leftover Mondongo
Store the soup leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. It can be reheated in a pot on the stove top or in the microway oven.
More Comforting Soups to Try
Ajiaco Bogotano (Chicken ad Potato Soup)
Sopa de Moneditas (Green Plantain Chips Soup)
Crema de Alcachofas (Artichokes Creamy Soup)
Colombian Mondongo Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound beef tripe mondongo, cut into small pieces
- Juice of 1 lime
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ pounds pork meat cut into small pieces
- 3 Colombian chorizos sliced (optional)
- 1 tomato chopped
- 2 scallions chopped
- ¼ cup white onion chopped
- 4 small potatoes diced
- 1 pound yuca diced
- Salt and pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon achiote
- ⅓ cup fresh cilantro
- 1 garlic clove chopped
- water
Instructions
- Wash the tripe with warm water and rub with lime juice. In a large pot combine the tripe, baking soda, and enough water to cover the tripe by 2 inches.
- Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook until the tripe is very tender, about 1 ½ to 2 hours or 45 minutes if using a pressure cooker. Drain the tripe and discard the water.
- In a large pot, place the cooked tripe, pork meat, chorizos, tomato, scallions, onion, garlic, cumin and achiote. Add enough water to cover.
- Bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat to low and simmer slowly. For about 45 minutes. Add the yuca, cilantro and potatoes. Cook for 30 minutes more.
- Ladle into bowls, and garnish with additional fresh cilantro and lime wedges. Serve with white rice, avocado, banana and hot sauce(ají) on the side.
Jessica
I completely adore you and thoroughly enjoy your recipes! My parents are Colombian and I love keeping in touch with my roots.
Andrea
Erica,
I'm making Mondongo tonight and the smell is DELICIOUS!!! My husband is coming home from a long trip and I'm surprising him with this amazing soup.
Thanks for sharing. Love your website!
Ashley
I am so excited to find your blog! My fiance is paisa and I have learned to cook a lot of his dishes. Mondongo is one of his favorites. Looking forward to reading your recipes!
Mike
I've eaten tripe in many ways. I'm Puerto Rican so we eat our fair share of mondongo. When I went to Medellin, Colombia I loved the way they served their mondongo. Rice, avocado, lime and don't forget the arepas. Simply delicious. Dios bendiga Colombia!!!!
michelle
i love your site because my husband is colombian and all his family is in colombia, and i can learn how to make colombian food from you, Right now i am making mondongo soup, for the first time, my husband said he loves this soup, so we will see how it goes, ill write back and tell you if he and our children like it. thankyou very much
Edgar La Rotta
Hi, we have a dish in colombia Norte de Santander and Santander States (Cúcuta and Bucaramanga) called MUTE, with mondongo (Tripe), but i don´t know if "Tripe" is the internal piece of cow stomach, or intestine??? i need to know. Thanks
Amanda
This looks absolutely delicious! I will make this. Now, one of the garnishes you mentioned banana. Is that just a regular banana, peeled on the side with the avocado and lime?
Erica
Amanda- Yes, a regular banana.
Maria
Yes, not everyone will go for tripe but I will! I've always enjoyed it the "Greek" way though so this looks so different in flavor and fantastic! I've heard of the Dominican version but have never gotten to taste that either ... will have to try Mondongo soon!
Oysterculture
Now I have to get my hands on some tripe - your soups are always amazing and this one looks as delicious as all the rest.
Kim
I've never had tripe before, but would love to try it if someone prepared it for me this way, as you've done here.
Chris
Alexis would divorce me if I tried to bring tripe into the house. Bad memories from her childhood, ha ha.
Erica
Thank you everyone!
Bo
Erica...this looks great...but I just cannot eat tripe...it gives me the creeps...lol
tasteofbeirut
sounds delicious Erica! I have not used tripe yet, but have heard how good it tastes many times from Mexican friends!
Juliana
Oh! I love tripes, but my husband will not go for it...your dish looks delicious, so so tasty 🙂
Tangled Noodle
Thank you for the tip, Erica! (And correction on my original comment: I meant to say "my FAVORITE tripe dishes" - I've never made any before but want to!)