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This Chilean carbonada soup is a classic dish found in Chile. It’s pure comfort in the form of beef, corn, potatoes, pumpkin, and carrots.
If you follow me on Instagram, Snapchat, or Facebook, you might remember me jet-setting off to Chile in December.
When I was invited on the trip, I said yes in 2.2 seconds. I might have even said yes before I told my husband about the trip. Thank goodness he is low-key and thinks like that don’t bother him because I’m guilty of doing that all the time.
In the next couple of weeks, I will share a few in-depth travel posts with you, but as a light intro to my trip, I wanted to share a traditional dish I had a few times while I was in Chile – carbonada.
It reminds me of a brothy beef stew, perfect for cool nights. It’s also perfect for the cold winter weather I was treated to when I returned home from Chile.
Going somewhere where it’s summer when you’re typically used to winter in December is a trick to the mind.
I tried to keep the Chilean carbonada soup as traditional as possible and followed the directions I got while in Chile.
Big chunks of red potato, pumpkin, carrots, red bell pepper, beef, and corn are thrown together in a delicious beef broth and sprinkled with the most fantastic spice EVER called merken or also spelled merquen.
Ingredients for carbonara soup
- olive oil
- top sirloin steak
- spices
- cubed pumpkin
- corn
- potatoes
- carrots
- red bell peppers
- yellow onion
- garlic
- beef stock
My Pro Tips
Recipe Tips
- If you can’t find a good cooking pumpkin (don’t use the type you use for a jack-o-lantern), you can substitute any orange-fleshed squash such as butternut, kabocha, or honeynut squash.
- I like using sirloin steak because it cooks quickly but you could use chuck roast if you need to cook it lower and slower.
- Ground beef could be used for a really quick steak replacement.
- Add any vegetables on hand – green beans, peas, sweet potatoes, etc.
More hearty soup recipes
Chilean Carbonada Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 pounds top sirlon steak, cut into 3/4 inch cubes
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, to taste
- 2 cups cubed fresh pumpkin*
- 2 cup frozen corn kernels
- 4 medium-sized red potatoes, cubed
- 3 medium-sized carrots, cubed
- 2 red bell peppers, diced
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 64 ounces beef stock
- White rice, cooked, optional
Instructions
- In a large soup pot add olive oil and set over medium-high heat.
- Once the oil is hot add cubed beef and season with kosher salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Cook until the meat is browned.
- Add pumpkin, corn, potatoes, carrots, bell peppers, onion, garlic, oregano, paprika, and beef stock. Stir to combine.
- Simmer for about 20-30 minutes or until the vegetables are soft and tender. Taste the soup and season with more kosher salt if needed.
- Serve plain or spooned over rice.
- Store for up to 3 days in the fridge.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
There’s nothing better than a hearty soup during the chilly weather! It still isn’t quite Spring where I live, so this is perfect.
This would totally hit the spot today. SO rainy and dreary outside. This is perfect comfort food!
I would love a big bowl of this for dinner tonight
What a big ol’ bowl of flavor!
A nice brothy soup that’s hearty as this one is perfect springtime!
This looks incredible! I eat soup all year long. I love hearing about your trip to Chile, I am living vicariously through you!
This looks amazing!
I love all the flavors in this soup! I’d love to see Chile someday.
This so, and it’s definitely comfort food!
Oh yum, this looks incredible!! Can’t wait to try it!