Authentic Caldo de Res (Mexican Beef Soup)
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Updated Sep 02, 2025, Published Feb 01, 2023
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Caldo de Res (Mexican Beef Soup) is the ultimate comfort food — a hearty meal in a bowl that’s filled with tender beef, fresh vegetables, and a rich, flavorful broth. Also known as sopa de res, this traditional Mexican beef soup is perfect for chilly days, family gatherings, or whenever you need something nourishing to warm you up from the inside out. Serve it with lime wedges, warm tortillas, and homemade salsa for a wholesome dish that’s as comforting as it is unforgettable.
Why You’ll Love This Caldo de Res Recipe
- Comfort in a bowl: This traditional Mexican beef soup is warm, filling, and perfect for chilly days or when you need a little extra comfort.
- Nutritious and nourishing: Loaded with tender beef, fresh vegetables, and bone broth, it’s as healthy as it is hearty.
- Versatile and customizable: Use your favorite vegetables, adjust the spice level, or cook it on the stovetop, slow cooker, or Instant Pot.
- Family tradition: Caldo de Res is a recipe passed down through generations, making it a true taste of home and Mexican culture.
What is Caldo de Res?
Caldo de Res, also called sopa de res or Mexican beef soup, is a traditional dish made with beef shank, corn on the cob, and plenty of seasonal vegetables simmered in a flavorful broth. It’s rustic, hearty, and wholesome — the kind of soup that brings everyone to the table.
For me, this soup is more than just comfort food — it’s a memory. Caldo de Res was one of my grandma Jesusita’s favorite Sunday meals, always served after mass. Since she lived near the family church, everyone would gather at her home, filling her kitchen with the laughter of my tias, tios, and cousins. Those Sundays around her table are moments I’ll always cherish, and every time I make this soup, I feel a little closer to her.
This recipe is also published in the Muy Bueno cookbook.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here’s everything you need to make this comforting caldo de res (Mexican beef soup). The full list of ingredients and quantities is in the printable recipe card below.
- Soup bones (beef stock bones): Packed with marrow and collagen that create a rich, flavorful bone broth.
- Beef shank (chambarete): Traditional for caldo de res. You can also use bone-in beef ribs, short ribs, or chuck.
- Salt: Essential for bringing out the flavors.
- Garlic: Fresh cloves give the broth the best flavor, but jarred minced garlic or frozen garlic paste will work.
- Onion: White onion is classic, but yellow or red onions can be used.
- Cabbage: Adds a nutty flavor. Green cabbage is traditional, but savoy, Napa, or even red cabbage are good substitutes.
- Carrots: Add sweetness and color. Purple or white carrots (or parsnips) can be swapped in.
- Celery: Provides earthy flavor and a bit of crunch.
- Yukon Gold potatoes: Hold their shape well in soup, but red potatoes or russets can also be used.
- Mexican zucchini (calabacitas): Swap with regular zucchini, yellow squash, or chayote.
- Tomatoes: Use Roma or other meaty tomatoes. If fresh aren’t great, canned tomatoes work too.
- Corn on the cob (elote): Traditionally cut into chunks. If preferred, use corn kernels, but add them during the last 10 minutes of cooking.
- Tomato sauce: Adds sweetness, acidity, and a blush color to the broth.
- Safflower Petals (Azafran): Give the broth a warm color and delicate flavor. Substitute with saffron threads, or omit if unavailable.
- Whole coriander seeds: Grind them for maximum flavor. Ground coriander works too.
- Cilantro: Adds freshness and color. Swap with parsley if you’re not a cilantro fan.
- Limes: Optional, but serving caldo de res with lime wedges brightens the flavors beautifully.
How to Make Caldo de Res
This traditional Mexican beef soup comes together in just a few simple steps:
Step 1: Make the bone broth. In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, bring water to a boil over high heat. Add soup bones, beef shank, salt, garlic, and onion. Boil for about 10 minutes.
Step 2: Simmer and skim. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 2 ½ to 3 hours, or until the beef is tender. Skim off any foam or excess fat that rises to the top.
Step 3: Add the vegetables. Stir in the cabbage, carrots, celery, potatoes, zucchini, tomatoes, corn, tomato sauce, safflower petals, coriander seeds, and cilantro. Simmer for about 30 minutes, until the potatoes are fork-tender but not mushy.
Step 4 (Optional): Instant Pot or Slow Cooker Method.
- Instant Pot: Cook the beef, onion, garlic, and seasonings on high pressure for 40 minutes. Release pressure, skim the broth, then add vegetables and cook on sauté until tender.
- Slow Cooker: Add beef, onion, garlic, salt, peppercorns, and water. Cook on low for 6–8 hours, adding the vegetables during the last 2 hours.
Step 5: Serve and enjoy. Ladle caldo de res into bowls and serve with lime wedges, fresh cilantro, warm corn tortillas, and salsa casera.
More of a visual learner? Watch this video to learn how easy it is to make caldo de res at home.
Optional Variations & Expert Tips
- Swap in seasonal vegetables: Chayote, green beans, or squash can be added depending on what’s fresh and available.
- Cut vegetables evenly: Keep pieces about the same size so everything cooks at the same rate.
- Ask your butcher for help: Soup bones and beef shank can be cut into smaller pieces at the counter, making them easier to cook and serve.
- Make it in a slow cooker or Instant Pot: Tough cuts of beef benefit from long cooking. You can prepare the bone broth (Steps 1 & 2) in a crockpot while you’re at work or use an Instant Pot to speed things up. Then finish the soup on the stovetop with the vegetables.
Serving & Topping Suggestions
I love serving caldo de res with Mexican rice, salsa casera, fresh cilantro, and lime wedges on the side. Oh, and don’t forget the corn tortillas! If you are short on time or energy, though, this soup offers more than enough flavor and nutrition without the added sides.
Storage & Heating Instructions
Caldo de Res is one of those soups that tastes even better the next day as the flavors continue to develop.
- Refrigerate: Transfer cooled soup to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 5 days. Skim off any fat that solidifies on top before reheating if you prefer a lighter broth.
- Freeze: For longer storage, freeze in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months.
- Reheat: Warm on the stovetop over medium-low heat until hot, or microwave individual portions. If the broth thickens in the fridge, just add a splash of water or broth while reheating.
Frequently Asked Questions
Caldo de Res, also known as sopa de res or Mexican beef soup, is a traditional dish made with beef shank, corn on the cob, and plenty of fresh vegetables simmered in a rich broth. It’s the ultimate comfort food — warm, hearty, and nourishing, often enjoyed on Sundays or when you’re feeling under the weather.
The best cuts are those that become tender and flavorful with long, slow cooking. Beef shank is the most traditional, but you can also use beef chuck, bone-in short ribs, or oxtail. Combining a couple of these cuts makes the broth extra rich and delicious.
Yes! For the slow cooker, add the beef, onion, garlic, salt, peppercorns, and water, then cook on low for 6–8 hours until the meat is tender. Add the vegetables during the last 2 hours so they don’t get mushy. For the Instant Pot, cook the beef and seasonings on high pressure for about 40 minutes, then release the pressure, skim the broth, and add the vegetables. Cook on sauté until the veggies are tender.
Traditional caldo de res includes corn, potatoes, carrots, zucchini, cabbage, and tomatoes. You can also add chayote, green beans, or other seasonal vegetables — just be sure to cut them into even pieces so they cook at the same rate.
Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. For the best results, remove corn and potatoes before freezing, since they don’t hold up as well. Reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave until warmed through.
Azafran (the Spanish word for Saffron) is the stamen of the safflower, while saffron as we know it is the stamen of the crocus. A thistle-like herb with an orange-red color, azafran gives food an orange tinge and imparts a heavenly, aromatic flavor to the soup.
If you are unable to source azafran, you can substitute saffron threads. Feel free to omit, if you do not have either.
More Cold-Weather Dinners
If you made this Caldo de Res recipe, please rate and review it below. I’d love to know how it turned out for you!
Authentic Caldo de Res (Mexican Beef Soup Recipe)
Ingredients
- 11 cups water
- 1 1/2 pounds soup bones
- 1 1/2 pounds beef shank bones, cut into 3 or 4 pieces
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1/2 white or yellow onion, cut in 1-inch squares
- 1/2 head cabbage, chopped
- 1 large carrot, sliced
- 2 celery stalks, sliced
- 2 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 2 Mexican zucchini, sliced
- 2 tomatoes, chopped
- 1 fresh corn on the cob, cut into 1-inch slices
- 1/4 cup tomato sauce
- 1/4 tsp safflower petals, azafran
- 1/4 tsp whole coriander seeds, crushed
- 3 tbsp cilantro, chopped
- 3 limes, cut into wedges (optional)
Instructions
- Over high heat in a large stockpot, bring water to a boil.
- Add soup bones, shank bones, salt, garlic, and onion and boil for about 10 minutes. Lower heat to low, cover pot, and simmer for about 2 1⁄2 to 3 hours or until meat on bones is tender. Skim excess foam off the top as it forms and discard.
- Add cabbage, carrots, celery, potatoes, zucchini, tomatoes, corn, tomato sauce, safflower petals, coriander seeds, and cilantro. Let it all cook for about 30 minutes, until potatoes are soft but not mushy.
- Ladle soup into bowls and serve with fresh cilantro and lime wedges, warm corn tortillas, and salsa casera.
Video
Notes
- For a full meal, serve with Mexican rice, salsa casera, lime wedges, and homemade corn tortillas.
- If you’re short on energy, enjoy it simply with a squeeze of lime juice or a splash of vinegary hot sauce for brightness.
- Caldo de Res keeps well: store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze (without corn and potatoes) for up to 3 months.
- For tougher cuts of beef, you can prepare the broth in a slow cooker overnight or use the Instant Pot for faster results, then finish on the stovetop with the vegetables.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Do you have an alternative crock pot recipe for caldo de res???
Make Caldo de Res in a slow cooker or Instant Pot: Tough cuts of beef benefit from long cooking. You can prepare the bone broth (Steps 1 & 2) in a crockpot while you’re at work or use an Instant Pot to speed things up. Then finish the soup on the stovetop with the vegetables.
I made this for lunch the other day. it was perfect to warm the belly and soothe the soul after working outside in the cold and wet. leftovers wet into the fridge where all those lovely spices continued to work their magic creating a flavorful late night supper (after clearing snow for the 100th time that day).
Great vegatales and meat. Always have it on first chill of the year.