Asopao Soup

Carribean Asopao Soup

The Food Pharmacy
Asopao is a rice soup prepared in many parts of the Caribbean. This is our plant-based version of this Puerto Rican home cooking classic.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Course Soup
Cuisine Carribean, Puerto Rican
Servings 2 servings

Ingredients
  

  • ¼ cup medium onion diced
  • ¼ cup red/orange peppers diced
  • 1 carrots diced
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 green plantain sliced or shredded
  • 1 tbsp fresh or dried oregano
  • 6 garlic cloves crushed
  • 2 culantro leaves diced (optional)
  • ¼ cup parboiled brown rice
  • 4 cups low sodium veg broth
  • ¼ cup cabbage diced
  • 2 cups red beans cooked
  • 2 cups butternut squash or calabaza
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Toppings

  • cilantro to taste
  • avocado to place on top of asopao once served

Instructions
 

  • Cook onions, peppers, garlic, carrots, culantro (if using) and tomato paste in 2 Tbsp veg broth for 2-3 minutes.
  • Add rice, plantain, and the rest of the broth and cook for 15 minutes or until rice is cooked.
  • Add butternut squash, beans, and cabbage and cook for 10 minutes or until thickened and squash is tender.
  • If asopao is too thick, add a little bit more of veg broth. To thicken asopao, you can blend 1/4 cup of the asopao and return to the pan.
  • Serve topped with fresh cilantro and avocado.

Notes

You can substitute the red beans with any other bean or pigeon peas (gandules)