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Mexican

Caldo de Res (Mexican Beef Soup)

A Mexican home-style beef and vegetable soup with tender beef, potato, carrot, corn, cabbage, zucchini, coriander, and lime-style lemon.

Published and reviewed by Kitchgrow on 6 September 2026Updated

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Caldo de Res (Mexican Beef Soup)

2 hrtotal

Prep 20 min · Cook 1 hr 40 min

Serves
2
Difficulty
Medium
Spice
Mild
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Ingredients

Quantities are for 2 servings.

You'll need: Stovetop.

Around two hours, nearly all of it the beef simmering unattended. The vegetables go in only in the last twenty-five minutes.

Method

  1. Place the beef chuck, water, onion, garlic, bay leaf, salt, and black pepper in a heavy pot.

  2. Bring to a boil, skim any foam, then simmer gently until the beef begins to turn tender.

  3. Add potato, carrot, and sweet corn, then simmer until the vegetables start to soften.

  4. Add cabbage and zucchini and continue simmering until all vegetables are tender but still hold their shape.

  5. Remove the bay leaf and adjust salt.

  6. Stir in part of the fresh coriander and rest the soup briefly before serving.

  7. Serve hot with remaining fresh coriander and lemon wedges.

How to tell it's done

The broth should be clear and savory, the beef tender, and the vegetables soft but not broken down.

Getting it right

Tip

Add vegetables in stages so the beef gets tender without overcooking the softer vegetables.

What to serve it with

Serve as a complete soup meal with warm corn tortillas, rice, or beans.

Common mistakes

The broth is cloudy and greasy.
Skim the foam properly in the first ten minutes and keep the pot at a bare simmer. A rolling boil emulsifies the fat into the broth and there is no clearing it afterwards.
The vegetables are mush by the time the beef is tender.
Add them in stages, hardest first, and only once the beef is nearly done. Caldo de res is a clear soup with distinct pieces, not a stew.

Substitutions

  • Use another slow-cooking beef cut if Beef Chuck is unavailable.
  • Use Bottle Gourd or Green Beans in place of Zucchini if needed, but the flavor will shift from the Mexican profile.
  • Keep the broth clear and mild; this recipe should not become chile-heavy like birria.
  • Add Jalapeño Pepper only if you want extra heat.

Storing and reheating

Keeps four days in the fridge and improves overnight. It freezes for three months, though the courgette and cabbage soften — if you know you will freeze it, leave those out and add them fresh when reheating.