Olla de Carne (Costa Rican Beef and Vegetable Soup)

Costa Rica • Regional Dish • Soup

Olla de Carne (Costa Rican Beef and Vegetable Soup)

Olla de Carne is Costa Rica’s big, generous beef soup, the kind of dish that does not understand the phrase “small portion.” It combines tender beef, corn, yuca, chayote, plantain, potatoes, carrots, and herbs in a rich broth that tastes like a family kitchen at lunchtime.

Servings6
Prep Time25 min
Cook Time120 min
DifficultyModerate
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Instructions

  1. Pat the beef dry. Heat the oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Brown the beef in batches for 3–4 minutes per side, then transfer it to a plate.
  2. Lower the heat to medium. Add the onion and bell pepper to the same pot and cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring often, until softened.
  3. Stir in the garlic, salt, pepper, oregano, and cumin. Cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
  4. Return the beef to the pot and add the water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Skim off any foam from the surface. Cover partly and simmer for 60–75 minutes, until the beef begins to turn tender.
  5. Add the corn and yuca. Simmer for 15 minutes.
  6. Add the potatoes, carrots, chayote, plantain, and sweet potato. Continue simmering for 25–35 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and the beef pulls apart easily with a fork. Add more water if the broth reduces too much.
  7. Stir in half the culantro or cilantro and the Salsa Lizano, if using. Taste and adjust the salt.
  8. Let the soup rest for 5 minutes before serving. Ladle generous portions of beef, broth, and vegetables into bowls, then garnish with the remaining herbs.
  9. Serve hot with white rice and lime wedges on the side.

Cultural Context

Olla de Carne is one of Costa Rica’s great weekend comfort dishes, especially popular as a family lunch. It feels rustic in the best way: a big pot, big vegetable pieces, tender beef, and broth that gets better as the ingredients settle in together.

The dish also shows how Costa Rican cooking makes excellent use of local produce. Yuca, chayote, plantain, corn, potatoes, carrots, and herbs all bring different textures to the pot. Nothing dainty here. This is the kind of soup that arrives with a spoon, a side of rice, and the quiet understanding that nobody is leaving hungry.

Fun Fact

Olla de Carne often changes depending on the cook, the market, and the season. One family might add taro or squash, another might lean heavily on yuca and plantain. The spirit stays the same: beef, broth, vegetables, and abundance.

Cook’s Tip

Bone-in beef gives the broth the deepest flavor, but boneless chuck or stew beef works if that is easier to find. Short ribs create a richer soup, while beef shank gives a more traditional, broth-forward result. Keep the vegetables in large chunks, so they hold their shape during the long simmer.
Yuca, chayote, plantain, corn, and potatoes are the backbone of the dish, but olla de carne changes from kitchen to kitchen. You can add squash, green beans, taro, or extra carrots, depending on what you have. Culantro gives the most traditional flavor, but cilantro is a good substitute when culantro is unavailable.

Trivia

In Costa Rica, small casual restaurants known as sodas often serve traditional dishes like olla de carne, casado, gallo pinto, and fresh fruit drinks.

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