"Colombia's great Sunday stew: chicken or beef with yuca, corn, plantain and coriander in a golden broth. Cooked in the largest pot in the house for the whole family."
About Sancocho
Colombia's great communal stew — a generous broth of chicken, beef or fish slow-simmered with yuca, corn, plantain, potato and coriander until the broth turns a deep, full-bodied gold; every family has its recipe; cooked in the largest pot in the house for Sunday family gatherings and celebrations.
Sancocho — a staple of Colombia's cuisine
Colombia's most communal dish: chicken, beef or fish slow-simmered with yuca, corn, green plantain, potato and coriander until the broth turns deep gold. Each ingredient retains its shape. The pot is the largest in the house. Made for Sunday family gatherings and celebrations.
The broth is the quality marker — it should be clear, golden and deeply flavoured. A cloudy sancocho broth indicates the ingredients were added too early or too much was crowded into the pot.
What to Expect
The sancocho arrives in a deep bowl, the broth golden and fragrant, the yuca and plantain holding their shape, the chicken still on the bone. You eat it with white rice served alongside and use the bread to clean the bowl.
Why Try It
Sancocho is Colombian family life made edible — the dish that requires no occasion beyond Sunday and that fills every table.
Insider Tips
The yuca must hold its shape — if it's mushy, it's been overcooked.
Serve with white rice alongside — the rice absorbs the broth when mixed.
Add hogao (tomato-onion sauce) to the broth at the table.
