Name: Huila-Style Atollado (Guiso Soperopo)
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 25 min
Cuisine: Colombian
Ingredients: 500 g beef stew meat, cut into 2 cm pieces; 250 g fresh longaniza sausage, sliced; 60 g scallions, chopped; 200 g yellow onions, peeled and chopped; 125 g peeled pumpkin or firm winter squash, diced; 320 g cooked white rice (about 2 cups); 125 g carrot, grated; 125 g yellow potatoes, peeled and diced; 125 g green beans, trimmed and chopped; 3 g dried oregano (about 1 tablespoon); 1.44 L water; 28 g butter; 8 g fine salt, then more only if needed; 2 g ground cumin; 2 g black pepper

Wide view of Huila atollado in a rustic bowl, with beef, longaniza, rice and vegetables and a spoon lifting a cohesive bite.

Region Andean Colombia, Huila

Category Moist beef, sausage and rice stew

Yield 8 portions

Preparation time About 25 minutes

Active time About 35 minutes

Ingredients ↓

Overview

Huila-Style Atollado (Guiso Soperopo)

Beef, longaniza, vegetables and cooked rice simmer together into a hearty, spoonable Huila stew.

Atollado, also called guiso soperopo in the regional recipe inventory, is a Huila preparation built around a defining texture: the rice and vegetables finish moist and thick, closer to a spoonable stew than a dry rice dish. The Ministry of Culture’s cookbook records it in the Tolima and Huila section, while Neiva’s municipal tourism page also identifies saperopo as another spelling and calls it atollado. Regional versions of atollado elsewhere in Colombia use different meats and methods; this recipe follows the Huila beef-and-longaniza version.

The source recipe begins with chopped beef, longaniza and onions simmered in water for 30 minutes. Cooked rice, pumpkin, carrot, yellow potatoes and green beans then join the pot with butter and seasonings for a second 30-minute simmer. Because the rice is already cooked, it softens and helps thicken the liquid. Stir occasionally and let the vegetables become tender without reducing the pot to a dry pilaf.

This edition selects eight servings from the source’s range of eight to ten and converts household measures to metric quantities. Longaniza varies in salt, fat and whether it is sold raw or fully cooked, so choose a fresh sausage that needs cooking unless its label confirms it is ready to eat. Use a thermometer to check uncooked ground-meat sausage, and handle any cooked rice carefully by keeping it hot for serving or chilling it promptly.

Ingredients

500 g beef stew meat, cut into 2 cm pieces
250 g fresh longaniza sausage, sliced
60 g scallions, chopped
200 g yellow onions, peeled and chopped
125 g peeled pumpkin or firm winter squash, diced
320 g cooked white rice (about 2 cups)
125 g carrot, grated
125 g yellow potatoes, peeled and diced
125 g green beans, trimmed and chopped
3 g dried oregano (about 1 tablespoon)
1.44 L water
28 g butter
8 g fine salt, then more only if needed
2 g ground cumin
2 g black pepper

Method

Prepare the meat and vegetables Cut the beef into even 2 cm pieces so they simmer at a similar rate. Slice the longaniza into bite-size rounds; if using a fresh sausage in a casing, leave the casing in place unless its package directs otherwise. Chop both kinds of onion, dice the pumpkin and potatoes, grate the carrot, and trim and chop the beans. Have the rice fully cooked before starting the stew.
Simmer the meat with the onions Put the beef, longaniza, scallions, yellow onions and water in a large heavy pot. Bring to a steady simmer over medium-high heat, then lower the heat so the liquid bubbles gently. Cook uncovered for about 30 minutes, skimming excess foam if needed and stirring once or twice. Keep the meat submerged enough to cook evenly; add a little hot water if evaporation exposes it. For uncooked ground-meat sausage, check a thick piece with a clean thermometer and make sure it reaches 71.1°C.
Add the rice, vegetables and seasonings Stir in the cooked rice, pumpkin, carrot, potatoes, green beans, oregano, butter, cumin and black pepper. Add the salt, starting with 8 g only if the longaniza is not already very salty. Stir gently to distribute the rice without crushing it completely.
Simmer to a moist, thick consistency Bring the pot back to a gentle simmer, then cook over medium-low heat for about 30 minutes. Stir every few minutes, scraping the bottom so rice does not catch. The potatoes and beans should be tender, the beef easy to bite, and the liquid reduced enough to coat the ingredients while still leaving the guiso moist and spoonable. If it becomes too thick before the vegetables soften, add hot water in small splashes; if it is too loose at the end, simmer uncovered for a few extra minutes.
Taste and serve hot Taste a spoonful with some longaniza before adding more salt, since sausage seasoning varies. Adjust cumin or pepper only if needed. Ladle the stew into deep bowls and serve hot. Its rice will continue to absorb liquid as it stands, so loosen leftovers or a pot held briefly for service with a small amount of hot water.

Practical guidance

Practical

Nutrition per serving

Rounded estimate for one serving. Longaniza salt and fat, the beef cut and the rice’s moisture can change these values.

Practical guidance

1. Use beef suitable for stewing, such as chuck, cut into even pieces. A hard boil can toughen the outside before the centre softens; keep the first stage at a steady, gentle simmer. 2. Longaniza may be fresh and raw or fully cooked, depending on the producer. Follow the label; for uncooked beef- or pork-based sausage, verify 71.1°C in the centre. 3. Salt the pot cautiously. Longaniza can be well seasoned already, and reducing the broth concentrates its salt. 4. The source calls for cooked rice. Prepare it fresh, or use rice that was cooled promptly and kept refrigerated; do not use rice that sat at room temperature for more than 2 hours. 5. Yellow potatoes and firm squash hold their shape better than very floury or watery varieties. Cut the vegetables to similar sizes so they soften together. 6. The intended result is moist and thick, not dry or soupy. The cooked rice releases starch as it simmers, so stir gently and judge the consistency near the end. **7. Equipment: A large heavy pot or caldero, cutting board, knife, measuring jug, kitchen scale, wooden spoon and clean instant-read thermometer. 8. If the pot reduces too quickly, add hot water a little at a time. Cold water slows the simmer and can interrupt even cooking. 9. The source gives salt, cumin and pepper to taste. The listed amounts provide a starting point; let the sausage’s salt level guide the final adjustment. 10. Serve it as a complete main course. If adding a side, keep it simple so the moist rice, beef and vegetables remain the focus; sides are not included in the nutrition estimate. 11. Refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours. Reheat the stew throughout to 74°C, adding a splash of water if the rice has absorbed the broth. 12. For best texture, cook only the quantity of rice needed for the recipe. The rice softens during the final simmer by design, so reheated portions will be thicker than freshly served ones.

Allergens and food safety

Contains milk from the butter. Longaniza recipes vary and may contain wheat, soy or other declared allergens; check the package label. Keep raw beef and sausage refrigerated and separate from cooked rice and ready-to-eat foods. Wash hands, utensils and work surfaces after handling raw meat. If the longaniza is uncooked and made from ground beef or pork, cook it to 71.1°C, measured at the centre with a clean thermometer. Keep cooked rice hot for serving or refrigerate it promptly; discard rice left at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Refrigerate stew leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours and reheat throughout to at least 74°C.

Final notes

1: The Huila version combines beef and longaniza with cooked rice, pumpkin, carrot, yellow potato and green beans for a moist, thick stew. 2: The cookbook and Neiva municipal page also record the spelling “saperopo”.

Nutrition per serving

Serving basis: 1 of 8 portions
Calories: 285 kcal
Carbohydrates: 22 g
Protein: 22 g
Fat: 18 g
Fibre: 2 g
Sodium: 650 mg

Huila-Style Atollado (Guiso Soperopo)

Ingredients

Ingredients

Method

Practical

Nutrition per serving

Practical guidance

Allergens and food safety

Final notes

Nutrition per serving

Colombian National Dishes

Cocido campesino from Nemocón

Cocido de Subachoque

Carne seca al horno