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Dominican sancocho served in a caldero on the table, with white rice and avocado in the background.
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4.84 from 12 votes

Dominican Sancocho Recipe (Sancocho Dominicano)

A rich, comforting Dominican sancocho made with tender pork cuts, plantains, yuca, yautía, corn, and kabocha squash, finished with fresh herbs and lime. Serve with white rice and avocado.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 45 minutes
Total Time2 hours
Course: Main Dish, Soup
Cuisine: caribbean, Dominican
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 518kcal
Author: Vanessa

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 lb pork loin end chops
  • 1½ lbs pork stew cubes
  • ½ lb smoked pork neck bones
  • 1½ teaspoons adobo seasoning, divided
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1½ teaspoons dried oregano, divided
  • 2 tablespoons homemade sofrito
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 2 ears corn cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) rounds
  • 1 lb kabocha squash, peeled and seeded
  • 2 green plantains peeled and cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) pieces
  • 1 lb white yautía, peeled and cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) pieces
  • 1 lb yuca (cassava), peeled, cut into 2-inch (5-cm) pieces, and halved lengthwise
  • 1 large carrot peeled and sliced
  • 2 chicken bouillon cubes
  • 1 teaspoon whole allspice malagueta
  • 4 culantro recao leaves
  • 2 tablespoons cilantro with stems tied into a bundle
  • 5 fresh thyme sprigs
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • Kosher salt and more black pepper to taste
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Trim excess fat and rinse with lemon juice or vinegar and cold water. Pat dry. In a bowl, mix pork with 1 teaspoon adobo, black pepper, 1 teaspoon oregano, and sofrito until coated.
  • Heat oil in a 6-qt (5.7-L) pot over medium-high. Sear pork on all sides. Cover, reduce to medium, and cook until tender, 30–40 minutes, adding splashes of water so it doesn’t scorch. Remove pork and reserve.
  • Add all cut vegetables to the pot and pour in water to fill about ¾ of the pot. Bring to a boil; add bouillon and whole allspice. Cook 15–20 minutes, until squash is tender.
  • Blend the cooked squash with ½ cup (120 ml) hot broth and ½ cup (120 ml) cool water until smooth. Stir purée back into the pot.
  • Tie cilantro, culantro, and thyme with twine; add the bundle to the pot. Simmer on medium 20 minutes.
  • Stir in remaining ½ teaspoon adobo, remaining ½ teaspoon oregano, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper to taste. Return pork to the pot and simmer 10–20 minutes more, until roots are tender.
  • Discard the herb bundle and allspice. Stir in lime juice.
  • Serve hot with arroz blanco and avocado.

Video

Notes

  • Mixed meats: For mixed-meat sancocho (pork, beef, chicken), cook each protein until tender and hold aside; return all meats to the pot for the final simmer.
  • Even cuts: Keep root veggies in even sizes so they cook uniformly; pull any pieces that soften early and add back before serving.
  • Timing: Start the White Rice (Arroz Blanco) when your pot first comes to a boil to sync the timing.

Nutrition

Calories: 518kcal | Carbohydrates: 72g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 89mg | Sodium: 354mg | Potassium: 1328mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 2448IU | Vitamin C: 44mg | Calcium: 72mg | Iron: 3mg