Caribbean Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. 
Serving Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Sancocho
Dive into this deeply nourishing, rustic stew packed with a variety of slow-cooked meats, corn, and hearty Caribbean root vegetables. An absolute feast in a bowl that warms the soul!
No common allergens detected
Based on this recipe's ingredient list. Always verify with your own brands and labels.
Good to know
- One-pot
Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: one-pot dinners
Instructions
5 steps- 1
Brown the meats: In a large, heavy pot, heat 2 tbsp of oil. Season the beef and chicken with salt and pepper, and brown them in batches over medium-high heat.
- 2
Sauté sofrito: Return all meat to the pot and add the sofrito. Sauté for 3-5 minutes until highly fragrant.
- 3
Start the stew: Pour in 8 cups of beef or chicken broth, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook the meats for 1 hour until the beef begins to tenderize.
- 4
Add root vegetables: Peel and chop the yuca, sweet potato, and green plantain into large chunks. Add them to the pot along with the corn rounds.
- 5
Thicken and finish: Simmer for another 45 minutes. The green plantain and yuca will begin to break down slightly, naturally thickening the broth. Serve hot with avocado and a side of white rice.
Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Listahan Family Score™
71/100
Good fit for most families
Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.
Nutrition
per serving480
Calories
48 g
Protein
17 g
Carbs
24 g
Fat
Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.
Listahan cooking guide
Chef notes & practical guide
Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.
Cultural context
Sancocho is a stew found across the Caribbean and northern South America, built on the same principle in every country that claims it: a mix of meats simmered slowly with whichever starchy roots and tubers grow locally, so the exact ingredients shift from island to island and country to country. Its name comes from the Spanish sancochar, meaning to parboil or partially cook, describing the long simmer rather than any single fixed recipe.
Listahan note
This version simmers a mix of meats together first to build a deep broth, then adds the yuca and plantain in stages, since the yuca's starch is what slowly thickens the broth into the dish's characteristic heartier, stew-like body.
Technique cues
- Browning or simmering a mix of meats together, rather than one protein alone, builds a broth with more layered flavor than a single-meat version would.
- Yuca's starch dissolves into the broth as it simmers, which is what thickens sancocho over time without any flour or cornstarch added.
- Cutting some yuca pieces small so they break down, while leaving others in larger chunks, gives the stew both its thickened broth and pieces that hold their shape.
- Green or barely-ripe plantains hold their shape through a long simmer; very ripe, sweet plantains turn mushy and add too much sugar to a savory broth.
Kitchen flow
- Parallel prep
- Peel and chunk the yuca and plantains while the meat is building its broth so they go in at the right moment.
- Make-ahead
- Cook the meat broth a day ahead and add the roots when reheating, since they hold best cooked fresh.
- Leftover move
- Blend a portion of leftover stew with its roots into a thick soup, or serve it the next day over white rice.
- Cleanup rhythm
- Skim and discard fat off the top before storing, which also makes the pot easier to wash.
Ingredient brief
Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.
Meat
Main protein and broth base
Purpose: The meat is simmered to build the deep savory broth that defines sancocho.
Handling: Brown or season the meat and boil it first so it tenderizes and flavors the liquid.
Adaptation: Use a mix of beef, pork, and chicken for a fuller-flavored sancocho, or a single meat for simplicity.
Yuca
Starchy root
Purpose: Yuca (cassava) adds a dense, slightly sweet starch that thickens the broth as it cooks.
Handling: Peel off the thick bark and waxy layer, then cut into chunks and remove the woody core.
Adaptation: Potato or malanga can stand in, with a softer, less waxy texture.
Plantains
Starchy vegetable
Purpose: Plantains add body and a faint sweetness that rounds out the savory broth.
Handling: Use green or barely-ripe plantains and cut into thick rounds so they hold their shape.
Adaptation: Green banana works for a similar starchy bite if plantains are unavailable.
Yuca
Natural thickener
Purpose: Beyond bulk, the yuca's starch is what slowly thickens the sancocho broth into its hearty, almost stew-like body.
Handling: Cut some pieces small so they break down and thicken while larger pieces stay in chunks.
Adaptation: A peeled, grated potato dissolved into the broth thickens it similarly if you want more body.
Technique notes
- Peel the yuca all the way past its waxy inner layer — a piece left with any of that layer attached turns unpleasantly fibrous no matter how long it cooks.
- Serve with avocado and white rice alongside, not stirred in, since the stew is meant to be ladled over the rice at the table rather than combined ahead of time.
- Sancocho reheats and improves over a day or two in the fridge, as the broth keeps absorbing flavor from the meat and roots.
Ingredient swaps
- Lower-sodium direction
- Build the broth from unsalted meat and water and season at the end, tasting as the roots release starch.
- Weeknight shortcut
- Use pre-cut frozen yuca and plantain to skip the heavy peeling step.
- Lighter direction
- Use chicken alone and trim visible fat for a leaner sancocho that still gets body from the roots.
Serve alongside
- White rice
- Sliced avocado
- Lime wedges
- Crusty bread
- Morir sonando (orange-and-milk drink)
- Cold beer
- Limonada
Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.
Storage & reheating
- Refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 3 days; the broth thickens as the starches set.
- Reheat gently on the stove with a splash of water to loosen the thickened broth.
- Freeze for up to 2 months, though the plantain texture softens; thaw overnight before reheating.
Equipment
- Large heavy stockpot
- Sturdy knife for peeling yuca
- Ladle
- Skimmer for fat
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