Mexican Menudo Recipe
Mexican Menudo is one of the most iconic and deeply flavored soups in all of Mexican cuisine. This slow-simmered red chile tripe soup is built on a rich, earthy broth made from dried guajillo and ancho chiles, tender beef tripe, and hearty hominy corn. It takes time and patience, but the result is a bowl of something truly special — bold, warming, and deeply satisfying. Serve it with warm corn tortillas, fresh diced onion, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime for the full traditional experience.
Equipment
- Large stockpot (8-quart or larger) Essential for simmering tripe over several hours
- Blender For blending the rehydrated dried chiles into a smooth sauce
- Fine mesh strainer or sieve For straining the blended chile sauce to achieve a smooth broth
- Cutting board
- Sharp knife
- Large bowl For soaking dried chiles in boiling water
- Dry skillet or comal For toasting dried chiles before soaking
- Tongs
- Ladle For serving
Ingredients
For the Soup
- 2 lbs beef tripe about 900g; pre-cleaned, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 lb hominy corn about 450g; 1 large can, drained
For the Chile Sauce
- 4 dried guajillo chiles stems and seeds removed
- 2 dried ancho chiles stems and seeds removed
Aromatics & Seasoning
- ½ white onion roughly chopped
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 tsp dried oregano Mexican oregano preferred
- salt to taste
For Serving
- warm corn tortillas
Toppings
- white onion finely diced
- fresh cilantro roughly chopped
- dried oregano for sprinkling
- red pepper flakes
- lime wedges
Instructions
- Rinse the beef tripe thoroughly under cold water, then cut into 2-inch pieces. Place in a large stockpot, cover with cold water, bring to a boil, and boil for 10 minutes. Drain, discard the water, and rinse the tripe and pot before proceeding.
- Return the tripe to the pot with the chopped onion and garlic cloves. Cover with 10 to 12 cups of fresh water, bring to a boil, then reduce to a medium-low simmer. Cover and cook for 3 to 4 hours, adding water as needed, until the tripe is fork-tender.
- Remove stems and seeds from the guajillo and ancho chiles, then toast in a dry skillet over medium heat for 20 to 30 seconds per side until fragrant. Transfer to a bowl, cover with boiling water, and soak for 20 to 30 minutes until softened.
- Drain the soaked chiles and blend with 1 cup of tripe cooking broth until completely smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing to extract all the liquid. Discard the solids.
- Remove and discard the cooked onion from the tripe pot, then stir in the strained chile sauce and drained hominy. Add the dried oregano and season generously with salt to taste.
- Bring the soup back to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 20 to 30 minutes until the broth is deep red, rich, and slightly thickened. Taste and adjust salt and oregano as needed.
- Ladle the hot menudo into deep bowls and serve immediately with warm corn tortillas. Set out diced white onion, fresh cilantro, dried oregano, red pepper flakes, and lime wedges for topping.
Notes
- Don't skip the parboil: boiling and draining the tripe before the main simmer removes impurities and significantly reduces strong odors in the finished soup.
- Toast the chiles carefully — just 20 to 30 seconds per side in a dry pan. Burned chiles will make the entire broth taste bitter and cannot be fixed.
- Always strain the blended chile sauce through a fine-mesh sieve. This one step gives the broth a silky, smooth texture instead of a grainy one.
- Tripe needs low and slow heat to turn tender. Start testing at the 3-hour mark — it should be soft and easy to pierce with a fork, not rubbery.
- Season aggressively with salt in the final 30 minutes. Menudo broth needs more salt than most soups — taste frequently and adjust as you go.
- For a spicier version, add 1 to 2 dried chile de arbol to the blender along with the guajillo and ancho chiles.
- Menudo tastes even better the next day. Make it ahead and reheat gently on the stovetop, adding a splash of water if the broth has thickened.
- To freeze, cool completely and portion into airtight containers. Menudo keeps in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
- For a slow cooker version: after parboiling the tripe and making the chile sauce, combine everything in a slow cooker and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.
- Mexican oregano is different from Mediterranean oregano — it has an earthier, more floral flavor that is much more authentic in this dish. Use it if you can find it.
Nutrition
Serving: 1BowlCalories: 210kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 22gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 130mgSodium: 620mgPotassium: 280mgFiber: 4gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 12IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 4mgIron: 15mg
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