Photo: dipakpatel_in · Pixabay Content License · Pixabay

White bowl of beef stew with seared beef chunks, potato, carrot and a dill sprig in brown gravy, with a lidded crock behind. — Photo: dipakpatel_in · Pixabay Content License · Pixabay

Mexican · Lunch · Dinner

Caldo de Res (Mexican Beef and Vegetable Soup)

Name: Caldo de Res (Mexican Beef and Vegetable Soup)
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 150 min
Total time: 175 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 700 g lean boneless beef shank, trimmed and cut into large chunks; 12 cups (3 litres) water; 1 medium white onion, halved; 4 cloves garlic cloves, peeled; 2 leaves bay leaves; 1/2 tsp black peppercorns; 1 1/2 tsp salt; 2 medium ripe tomatoes, quartered; 3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into thick chunks; 2 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered; 2 medium ears corn on the cob, husked and each cut into 3 pieces (weight is kernels only); 2 medium zucchini (calabacita), cut into thick rounds; 1/4 head green cabbage, cut into wedges; 1/2 small white onion, finely diced, for serving; 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped; 2 medium limes, cut into wedges; 1 small serrano chile, thinly sliced, for serving

Caldo de res

By BerryFit Kitchen · Nutrition checked with USDA data · Updated Oct 11, 2026 · How we make recipes

A generous, brothy Mexican soup of tender beef shank simmered slowly with corn, cabbage, carrots, potatoes and zucchini, finished with lime, cilantro and onion. This version uses lean boneless shank and skims the fat for a lighter but still deeply savoury bowl.

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 150 min
Total: 175 min
Serves: 6

Easy
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
High protein

14%

Per serving288kcal14% of a 2,000 kcal day

30gProtein

32gCarbs

6gFat

6gFiber

Calories come from: Carbs 42% · Fat 17% · Protein 41%

Jump to recipe

Track it in BerryFit and see how it fits your own daily target. Get the app ›

Ingredients

For 6 servings

700 glean boneless beef shank, trimmed and cut into large chunks
12 cups (3 litres)3,000 gwater
1 medium150 gwhite onion, halved
4 cloves12 ggarlic cloves, peeled
2 leavesbay leaves
1/2 tspblack peppercorns
1 1/2 tsp9 gsalt
2 medium250 gripe tomatoes, quartered
3 medium180 gcarrots, peeled and cut into thick chunks
2 medium350 gpotatoes, peeled and quartered
2 medium ears180 gcorn on the cob, husked and each cut into 3 pieces (weight is kernels only)
2 medium400 gzucchini (calabacita), cut into thick rounds
1/4 head300 ggreen cabbage, cut into wedges
1/2 small50 gwhite onion, finely diced, for serving
1/2 cup8 gfresh cilantro, chopped
2 medium130 glimes, cut into wedges
1 small6 gserrano chile, thinly sliced, for serving (optional)

Steps

1
Put the beef, water, halved onion, garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns and salt into a large stockpot.
2
Bring to a boil over high heat, about 10 minutes, skimming off the grey foam as it rises.
3
Lower the heat, cover partly and simmer gently for about 1 hour 45 minutes, until the beef is fork-tender, skimming fat from the surface now and then.
4
Ladle 1 cup of the hot broth into a blender with the tomatoes and blend until smooth.
5
Strain the tomato mixture into the pot and stir.
6
Remove and discard the onion halves and bay leaves.
7
Add the carrots and potatoes and simmer for 10 minutes.
8
Add the corn pieces and simmer for 5 minutes.
9
Add the zucchini and cabbage wedges and simmer for 10 minutes more, until all the vegetables are tender.
10
Taste the broth; if it needs more brightness, rely on a squeeze of lime at the table rather than extra salt.
11
Ladle into large bowls, making sure each serving gets beef, corn and a cabbage wedge.
12
Serve topped with diced onion, cilantro and serrano chile if using, with lime wedges to squeeze over.

Swaps, storage and make-ahead

Swaps

Use bone-in beef shank instead of boneless for a richer broth, then skim the extra fat once it is chilled.
Swap the beef for bone-in chicken thighs and simmer for about 40 minutes before adding the vegetables for a quicker caldo de pollo.
Use chayote in place of the zucchini if you can find it; add it with the carrots and potatoes, since it takes longer to soften and holds its shape well.
Leave out the serrano chile and serve a mild salsa on the side so everyone can choose their own heat.

Storage

Refrigerate leftovers in covered containers within 2 hours and eat within 3 to 4 days, reheating until steaming hot. The broth and beef freeze well for up to 3 months, but the potatoes, zucchini and cabbage turn soft, so freeze them only if you don't mind the texture.

Make ahead

Simmer the beef in its broth a day ahead, chill it overnight and lift off the solid fat, then reheat and add the tomato and vegetables just before serving. You can also chop the onion, cilantro and chile a few hours ahead and keep them covered in the fridge.

Nutrition values are for the recipe as written.

Track this in BerryFit

Log Caldo de Res (Mexican Beef and Vegetable Soup) in one tap and see how it fits your remaining calories for today.

Or ask Coach Berry to change it

Make it veganMore proteinFewer calories

Download on theApp Store Get it onGoogle Play

Allergens and nutrition

No major allergens in the ingredients.

Check the labels of packaged ingredients for allergens and suitability for your diet.

Full nutrition

	Per serving (954 g)	Per 100 g
Calories	288 kcal	30 kcal
Protein	30.4 g	3.2 g
Carbohydrates	31.6 g	3.3 g
of which sugars	10 g	1 g
Fiber	6.4 g	0.7 g
Fat	5.5 g	0.6 g
of which saturated	1.7 g	0.2 g
Sodium	723 mg	76 mg

Nutrition is calculated from USDA FoodData Central data and may differ from what you cook.