Name: Mondongo Antioqueño — Colombian Tripe and Pork Soup
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 4 h 20 min
Total time: 4 h 55 min
Cuisine: Colombian
Ingredients: 500 g butcher-cleaned beef tripe, trimmed of excess exterior fat; 1.8 litres water; 3.3 litres fresh water; 250 g pork foot, split by the butcher; 250 g boneless pork shoulder, cut into 2 cm pieces; 300 g fresh pork chorizo, cut into thick slices; 500 g peeled potato, cut into 2 cm cubes; 250 g peeled cassava, cut into 2 cm cubes; 2 medium onions, about 200 g, finely chopped; 2 ripe tomatoes, about 250 g, finely chopped; 15 g neutral oil; 2 garlic cloves, about 6 g, crushed; 2 g ground cumin; 1 g ground annatto (achiote); 2 g ground black pepper; 8 g fine salt, then more only if needed; 12 g fresh cilantro, chopped and divided; Lime wedges; Arepa, cooked white rice or avocado

Mondongo Antioqueño — Colombian Tripe and Pork Soup

Yield 8 generous bowls

Serving size About 450 ml, including meat and vegetables

Difficulty Moderate; the tripe needs a long, gentle simmer

Dietary profile Contains beef and pork; chorizo ingredients vary by brand

Preparation time About 35 minutes

Ingredients ↓

Overview

Mondongo Antioqueño — Colombian Tripe and Pork Soup

Mondongo antioqueño is a substantial tripe soup associated with Antioquia. A Colombian cultural cookbook records beef tripe with pork foot, pork, chorizo, potato and cassava, seasoned with onion, tomato, cumin and cilantro. Present-day Antioquian versions keep the same hearty character while varying the cuts of pork, the amount of cassava and whether the tripe is cooked in a pressure cooker.

This version follows that regional combination and gives the tripe a separate preliminary simmer before it joins the soup. That long first cook softens the tripe; the fresh broth then carries the flavour of pork, chorizo and a simple onion-and-tomato seasoning. The texture should be tender and spoonable, with potato and cassava that hold their shape rather than dissolve into the broth.

Buy tripe already cleaned by a reputable butcher. Raw tripe is a variety meat and needs the same careful separation as other raw meats: keep it cold, prevent its juices from touching ready-to-eat food, and do not rinse it in the sink. The preliminary cooking liquid is discarded in this method. Trim only excess exterior fat with a clean knife, then wash hands, tools and the work surface before moving on to the vegetables.

The measured recipe includes pork foot for a fuller broth, pork shoulder for pieces of leaner meat, and fresh pork chorizo for seasoning. Chorizo varies in salt, fat and other ingredients, so read the package label and wait until the end to adjust the soup's salt. If you cannot find pork foot, more shoulder works, although the broth will have less body.

Ingredients

First simmer

500 g butcher-cleaned beef tripe, trimmed of excess exterior fat
1.8 litres water

Soup

3.3 litres fresh water
250 g pork foot, split by the butcher
250 g boneless pork shoulder, cut into 2 cm pieces
300 g fresh pork chorizo, cut into thick slices
500 g peeled potato, cut into 2 cm cubes
250 g peeled cassava, cut into 2 cm cubes
2 medium onions, about 200 g, finely chopped
2 ripe tomatoes, about 250 g, finely chopped
15 g neutral oil
2 garlic cloves, about 6 g, crushed
2 g ground cumin
1 g ground annatto (achiote)
2 g ground black pepper
8 g fine salt, then more only if needed
12 g fresh cilantro, chopped and divided

To serve, optional

Lime wedges
Arepa, cooked white rice or avocado

Method

Set up safely and prepare the tripe Keep the tripe and pork cold until you are ready to cook. Do not rinse raw tripe in the sink. If it needs trimming, use a clean knife to remove only loose excess exterior fat. Keep the raw meat and its juices away from cooked food, vegetables and serving dishes. Wash your hands, knife and board with hot soapy water before preparing other ingredients.
Simmer the tripe until tender Put the tripe and 1.8 litres water in a large pot. Bring it to a boil, then lower the heat to maintain a steady, gentle simmer. Partly cover and cook for 2.5–3 hours, checking occasionally that the tripe remains mostly submerged; add hot water if needed. It is ready for the next stage when a knife slips through without much resistance. Drain and discard this preliminary cooking liquid. Let the tripe cool until easy to handle, then cut it into bite-size strips. Set the pork foot aside for the soup.
Cook the onion and tomato base Warm the oil in a heavy soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring, until soft and translucent. Add the tomato and garlic and cook for 8–10 minutes, until the tomato collapses into a pulpy mixture. Stir in the cumin, annatto and black pepper.
Start the pork broth Pour in 3.3 litres fresh water. Add the pork shoulder, pork foot and 8 g salt. Bring the pot to a gentle boil, skim any foam from the surface, then lower the heat and simmer partly covered for 25 minutes. Keep the liquid bubbling gently rather than boiling hard.
Add the tripe and chorizo Stir in the cut tripe and chorizo. Simmer gently for 25 minutes so the sausage seasons the broth. Lift out the pork foot and let it cool briefly. Separate the edible meat from the bones and return the meat to the pot; discard the bones safely. Keep the soup at a steady simmer.
Finish with potato and cassava Add the potato and cassava. Simmer for 25–35 minutes, until both are tender but still hold their shape and the pork is tender. Check a piece of chorizo in the centre with a clean food thermometer; raw pork sausage should reach at least 71°C. If the vegetables are still firm, continue simmering and check again after 5 minutes. Add hot water if needed to keep the soup spoonable. Taste and adjust the salt only after the chorizo has seasoned the broth.
Add cilantro and serve Stir in half the chopped cilantro. Ladle the soup into warm bowls and finish with the remaining cilantro. Serve hot with lime and, if you like, arepa, white rice or avocado.

Practical guidance

Practical

Nutrition per serving

These rounded values estimate one of eight servings. They assume standard fresh pork chorizo, about 80 g edible cooked meat from the pork foot, and that most of the measured salt remains in the soup. Sausage brands, edible yield, visible fat and added salt can shift the values; accompaniments are not included.

A slow-simmered Antioquian bowl with tripe, chorizo and root vegetables

Excerpt: Make mondongo antioqueño with tender beef tripe, pork, chorizo, potato and cassava in a tomato-seasoned broth. This stovetop version explains the long simmer, safe handling of raw tripe and the timing that keeps the vegetables intact.

About mondongo antioqueño

What makes the soup work Give tripe enough time: Simmer it until a knife passes through easily. If it is still rubbery, continue cooking before adding the potato and cassava. Build a soft tomato base: Cook the onion until sweet and translucent, then let the tomato turn pulpy. This gives the broth flavour without requiring a separate stock. Add the roots late: Potato and cassava need less time than tripe. Add them only after the meats are tender so they stay in distinct pieces. Season after the chorizo simmers: Sausage releases salt and fat into the pot. Taste the finished broth before adding more salt. Equipment Large pot with a lid for the first tripe simmer Heavy 6–7 litre soup pot Chef’s knife and separate cutting board for raw meat Tongs or slotted spoon Digital food thermometer Ladle and bowls for serving

Practical guidance

Serving and planning Mondongo is filling enough to serve as the main course. Rice or arepa makes it a fuller meal; a squeeze of lime and fresh cilantro brighten the rich broth. If serving avocado, add it at the table rather than simmering it in the pot. The tripe can be simmered a day ahead, cooled promptly and refrigerated in a covered container. On serving day, bring the fresh soup broth and meats to a simmer, add the cooked tripe, then continue with the recipe. Keep raw tripe and pork refrigerated at or below 4°C and use within 1–2 days of purchase, following any shorter package date. Ingredient choices Fresh pork chorizo is the type used here, not a dry cured sausage. Its seasoning contributes salt and fat, so brands will change the finished broth. Check the label for allergens such as milk, wheat or soy, which may be present in some products. Pork foot adds gelatin and richness; replace it with the same weight of pork shoulder if necessary, or leave it out and expect a lighter broth. Use a potato that keeps its shape during simmering. Cassava should be peeled fully, including its tough outer layer, and cut into even cubes so it cooks at a similar rate to the potato. Remove any firm central fibre from large cassava pieces after cooking if it remains tough. Texture and troubleshooting If the tripe remains chewy after the first simmer, it needs more time; do not rely on the final vegetable simmer to soften it. If the broth tastes too concentrated, add hot water a little at a time. If it tastes thin, simmer uncovered briefly after the vegetables are cooked, taking care not to break them up. When the soup is saltier than you want, add water and a few extra plain potato cubes, then simmer until the potato is tender. Storage and reheating Cool leftovers in shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours, at or below 4°C. Use within 3–4 days. Reheat only the portion you need until steaming hot throughout; a food thermometer should read 74°C. If the soup has thickened in the refrigerator, loosen it with a splash of water while reheating. Discard food left at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Allergens and food safety

The soup contains beef tripe and pork, including pork chorizo and pork foot. It is not vegetarian, vegan, pork-free or suitable for halal diets. Chorizo ingredients vary: check its label for declared allergens, which can include milk, wheat or soy. Keep raw tripe and pork separate from ready-to-eat foods and do not wash them under a tap. Wash hands and equipment after raw-meat contact. Cook the fresh pork chorizo to at least 71°C at the centre, checking with a clean thermometer. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours at or below 4°C, use within 3–4 days and reheat to 74°C.

Final notes

Let the tripe become tender first: A gentle long simmer gives it the soft, pleasant bite this soup needs. Check the chorizo temperature: Confirm at least 71°C at the centre, then refrigerate leftovers promptly.

Nutrition per serving

Serving size: About 450 ml with meat and vegetables
Calories: About 400 kcal
Carbohydrate: About 28 g
Protein: About 24 g
Fat: About 21 g
Fibre: About 3 g
Sodium: About 800 mg, estimated

Mondongo Antioqueño — Colombian Tripe and Pork Soup

Ingredients

First simmer

Soup

To serve, optional

Method

Practical

Nutrition per serving

A slow-simmered Antioquian bowl with tripe, chorizo and root vegetables

About mondongo antioqueño

Practical guidance

Allergens and food safety

Final notes

Nutrition per serving

Colombian National Dishes

Fríjoles antioqueños

Arepa antioqueña

Chorizo antioqueño