Name: Caldo blanco
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 140 min
Total time: 655 min
Cuisine: Peruvian cuisine
Ingredients: 1200 g bone-in lamb shoulder, cut into large soup pieces; 180 g dried chickpeas, rinsed, to soak; 160 g white chuño (moraya), dried, to rehydrate; 600 g white potatoes, peeled and quartered; 450 g yuca (cassava), peeled, central core removed; 80 g rice, dry and rinsed; 170 g red onion, finely chopped; 100 g carrot, thickly sliced; 90 g leek, cleaned and sliced; 80 g celery, cut into 4 cm lengths; 20 g garlic, crushed; 20 ml vegetable oil, for onion; 12 g fresh mint, leaves torn; 3 g dried oregano, rubbed; 11 g fine salt, weighed; 3200 ml water, total measured for soaking and soup

Yield 6 portions

Prep 35 minutes

Cook 140 minutes

Passive 480 minutes

Total 655 minutes

Ingredients ↓

Overview

Caldo blanco — step-by-step recipe

Caldo blanco is a pale, substantial soup in the Arequipa repertoire. In an Arequipeño bowl it can hold lamb, chickpeas, potatoes, yuca, rice and chuño as distinct elements rather than being thickened into a purée.

The name is used for more than one related preparation. Some households reserve caldo de pascua for a lavish multi-meat Easter soup, while a simpler meat broth is also called caldo blanco. This lamb-centred pot concentrates on the white broth and roots without implying that every local kitchen uses this exact list.

Soak dry chickpeas and chuño properly before a long, gentle simmer. Browning the onion heavily would darken a soup that should remain pale. Add potatoes, rice and yuca after the lamb and chickpeas have already developed their broth so the starches finish tender but still identifiable.

Ingredients

1200 g bone-in lamb shoulder, cut into large soup pieces
180 g dried chickpeas, rinsed, to soak
160 g white chuño (moraya), dried, to rehydrate
600 g white potatoes, peeled and quartered
450 g yuca (cassava), peeled, central core removed
80 g rice, dry and rinsed
170 g red onion, finely chopped
100 g carrot, thickly sliced
90 g leek, cleaned and sliced
80 g celery, cut into 4 cm lengths
20 g garlic, crushed
20 ml vegetable oil, for onion
12 g fresh mint, leaves torn
3 g dried oregano, rubbed
11 g fine salt, weighed
3200 ml water, total measured for soaking and soup

Method

Soak chickpeas and chuño.Soak the 180 g dried chickpeas in 800 ml of the measured water and the 160 g chuño in a separate bowl with 400 ml of the measured water for 480 minutes, both covered in the refrigerator; retain the grains, softened chuño and their water for cooking. The chickpeas have expanded and the chuño is rehydrated and squeezable. Keep soaking bowls refrigerated at 4 °C or below.
Begin the meat broth.Place 1200 g lamb, 100 g carrot, 90 g leek, 80 g celery, 20 g garlic, the chickpeas and their 800 ml soaking water in a large pot with the remaining 2000 ml fresh water; simmer gently for 95 minutes, skimming foam. The chickpeas yield to a bite and lamb near the bone begins to soften. Bring broth to a boil at the start and cook meat through; check thick portions reach at least 63 °C with 3 minutes rest.
Gently soften onion.In a small saucepan warm 20 ml oil and 170 g onion over low heat for 10 minutes; keep it pale rather than browning. The onion becomes translucent and sweet-smelling with almost no brown edges.
Add starches to the broth.Stir the softened onion into the pot; add 600 g potatoes, 450 g cored yuca, 160 g rehydrated chuño together with its 400 ml soaking water, and 80 g rice; simmer for 25 minutes. The rice and roots are tender and the broth is cloudy-pale rather than dark red. Cook cassava completely until tender; discard any tough woody core.
Finish the light soup.Stir in 11 g salt, 12 g mint and 3 g oregano and gently simmer another 10 minutes. The herbs scent the broth and both lamb and roots are fully tender.
Serve the lamb broth.Remove non-edible bones from portions where possible and ladle the lamb, chickpeas, rice, roots and broth into six bowls. Each serving contains several textures without mashed potato or floating raw starch. Warn guests if any bone fragments remain.

Practical

Practical guidance

Serving. Use deep bowls; divide the chickpeas, potato, chuño and lamb fairly and finish with hot broth. Advance preparation. Soak chickpeas and moraya in separate bowls under refrigeration. A broth cooked in advance must be rapidly cooled and chilled, not held warm overnight. Storage. Refrigerate at 4 °C or below for up to 3–4 days, cooling promptly in small containers; reheat to 74 °C. Rice-containing leftovers require especially prompt chilling. Boundary. A meat mixture including beef and hen belongs to a documented richer caldo de pascua variation; adding it changes cooking times, yield and nutritional balance.

Control points

Chickpeas stay chalkyThey were under-soaked or not cooked long enough. Extend the first meat-and-legume simmer before adding potatoes.
Broth turns brownOnion was browned or the simmer scorched the bottom. Keep the onion pale and cook without aggressive reduction.

Nutrition per serving (estimated)

Serving size1 of 6 generous portions
Calories790 kcal
Carbohydrates99 g
Protein36 g
Fat28 g
Fibre11 g
Sodium850 mg

Allergens and food safety

Contains legumes (chickpeas). Whole lamb muscle must meet at least 63 °C and a 3-minute rest; soup is cooked longer to tenderness. Cook cassava completely; keep rice-containing leftovers cold. Keep uncooked animal products away from food that is ready to serve. Wash utensils and hands after raw handling. Cool leftovers promptly in shallow containers, refrigerate at 4 °C or below within 2 hours, use within 3–4 days and reheat leftovers to 74 °C.

Closing

Result: The finished soup has a clear-to-pale broth, tender lamb and visible roots and chickpeas.
Key control: Soaked chickpeas and chuño plus restrained onion cooking help preserve the characteristic light bowl.

Caldo blanco — step-by-step recipe

Ingredients

Ingredients

Method

Practical

Practical guidance

Control points

Nutrition per serving (estimated)

Allergens and food safety

Closing

Peruvian National Dishes

Parihuela limeña

Patarashca de gamitana

Patasca moqueguana