Carnitas Caldo (Carnitas Soup)
Total Time
50 minutes
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
40 minutes
Rating
4.5 out of 5 stars
(6)
Ingredients
6-8 servings
- 1 Tbsp. olive or vegetable oil
- 1 large white onion, peeled and diced
- 1 chayote, skin and core removed, then sliced into matchsticks
- 8 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 5–6 cups cooked pork carnitas
- 1–3 roasted serrano peppers (add to taste)
- salt and pepper
- 2 cups potato-masa dumplings
- 2 avocados, diced
- 1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 6–8 cups fresh baby arugula
- lime wedges for garnish
- 1 cup mashed potatoes
- 1/2 cup masa harina
- 1 egg
- 1/4 tsp. salt
How would you rate this recipe?
Preparation
Step 1
Heat oil in a large stockpot over medium high heat. Add the white onion and chayote, and saute for 5 minutes until cooked and the onion is translucent. Add garlic and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
Step 2
Add the chicken broth, carnitas, and serrano peppers (add one at a time to test out the level of heat) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for at least 30 minutes.
Step 3
Season generously with salt and pepper. Then ladle the soup into serving bowls, filling them about half full. Then add in a small handful of potato dumplings, avocados, and fresh cilantro to each bowl. Then top each with a large handful of baby arugula. Serve with lime wedges for garnish.
Step 4
To Make The Potato Dumplings: Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir together until blended. Use your hands to knead the mixture a few times until smooth. Then pinch off about 1/4 cup of the mixture and roll it into a long tube about 1/2-inch wide in diameter. Use a knife to slice the tube into small coins, about 1/8-inch wide. Repeat with remaining dough to make dumplings. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Step 5
Save recipe for the next time?
Chef's notes
It definitely took a bit of time to prep when making the carnitas from scratch, but the final product is completely worth it. The soup tastes better and better each time you warm it up for leftovers.
