Dominican Sancocho Recipe

What is in this Sancocho recipe, you wonder? It’s a traditional Dominican stew made from a variety of meats, typically including pork sausage as well as chops, chicken, and beef. Stewed for a few hours and thickened with butternut squash and carrot purees, this dish will have you asking for seconds.

 “Good soup is one of the prime ingredients of good living.  For soup can do more to lift the spirits and stimulate the appetite than any other one dish.” – Louis P. De Gouy, ‘The Soup Book’ (1949)

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Dominican mothers make this Sancocho recipe the minute they see a gray cloud in the sky, because Sancocho is best when it’s raining. It’s such a hot and heavy meal, that it’d be unthinkable to make during a normal Caribbean day. Unless it’s New Year’s Even and Dominicans have this Sancocho as the sun rises on the first day of the new year; is it a lucky tradition? Not really – it’s more to cure that intense hangover they’ve accumulated after so many celebratory drinks.

Whether it’s raining cats & dogs or it’s January 1st, this Dominican stew will cure all evils. Heartbreak, betrayal, confusion – a good Sancocho will point you to a happier place. A place where avocados are Sancocho’s best friend, a place where you’ll feel all warm and cozy, a place where you’ll wish you had a Dominican mother to make this for you. Nothing in this world goes better with Sancocho then fresh slices of avocado sprinkled with salt!

But today, you won’t need a Dominican mother to make you this dish because, ladies and gentlemen, this is MY MOTHER’S recipe! It’s amazing and I can’t assure you that it will be identical to my Mom’s; knowing her she might have a secret ingredient she might have not mentioned (ha, kidding Mom!). But I’m so sure that you will also fall in love with this stew, just like I have!

Before you dive into this recipe, make sure to get out the necessary tools and set yourself up for success:

• Large stock pot – I recommend using a stainless steel stock pot
• Blender – I love my Blendtec Blender
• Chef’s knife – personally I use Shun knives

Dominican Sancocho (Meat & Vegetable Stew)

Sancocho is a traditional Dominican stew made from a variety of meats, typically including pork sausage as well as chops, chicken, and beef. Stewed for a few hours and thickened with butternut squash and carrot purees, this dish will have you asking for seconds.

Print Recipe

Prep Time:15 minutes mins

Cook Time:1 hour hr

Total Time:1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken cut into pieces
• 2 smoked pork chops boneless and chopped
• 1 fresh pork chop boneless and chopped
• ½ pound longaniza Dominican sausage
• ½ tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon Adobo seasoning
• 1 can tomato sauce
• 2 green plantains peeled and cut into 1" pieces
• 1 pound yucca peeled and cut into 1" pieces
• 1 small butternut squash peeled and cut into 1" pieces
• 1 large carrot peeled and cut into 1" pieces
• handful fresh cilantro chopped
• 1 chicken bouillon cube
• 10 cups water
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 lime juiced

Instructions

• Season the chicken, pork chops, and sausage with oregano, salt, and adobo.
• In a large stock pot over medium heat, sear chicken on all sides, add chopped pork chops and sausage and cook halfway through. Add tomato sauce and cook for 10 minutes.
• Add the rest of the ingredients except lime juice and olive oil. Cook until squash is tender and then remove squash and carrot pieces. Blend with some of the same liquid and add that puree back into the pot. Stir.
• Simmer for 15 more minutes and finish seasoning with lime juice and olive oil. Serve with white rice and avocado slices.

Notes

You can substitute Dominican longaniza with Italian sausage, or any pork based sausage. If you can find culantro, a family of the cilantro with thicker leaves, definitely throw some in!

Servings: 6

Author: Marnely Murray

More Sancocho Recipes

Seven Meat Hearty Stew (Sancocho) by Aunt Clara’s Kitchen

Dominican Sancocho Recipe, by Mari’s Cakes

Dominican Sancocho on Epicurious by Junot Diaz

Sancocho Dominicano by Delicious Dominican Cuisine