Caldo de Costilla Antioqueño

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-10-09 · Updated 2026-10-09

Medellín's classic restorative beef short-rib broth, simmered with potatoes, garlic and scallion, then finished with plenty of cilantro. Eaten for breakfast with arepa. This Colombian-inspired soup recipe, ready in about 135 minutes, pairs water, white potatoes, peeled and quartered, yellow onion, halved for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 450 calories and feeds 6, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 2 lb beef short ribs (costilla), cut into 2-inch pieces
• 10 cups water
• 1.5 lb white potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 5 scallions, white parts whole, greens chopped
• 1 yellow onion, halved
• 5 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 cup cilantro, chopped
• 2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 6 white arepas, for serving

The stock pot we’d simmer this in → Best Stock Pots for 2026: Top Picks + Buying Guide

Instructions

1. Step 1: Put the short ribs in a pot, cover with cold water and bring to a boil for 3 minutes. Drain and rinse to get a clear broth.
2. Step 2: Return the ribs to the pot with 10 cups of fresh water, the onion, scallion whites, garlic, cumin and salt.
3. Step 3: Simmer, partly covered, for 1.5 hours, skimming fat and foam, until the meat is close to falling off the bone.
4. Step 4: Remove the onion. Add the potatoes and simmer for 25 minutes, until tender.
5. Step 5: Stir in the scallion greens, half the cilantro and the pepper. Taste for salt.
6. Step 6: Serve piping hot topped with the remaining cilantro, with warm arepas and hot chocolate.