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    TaraTeaspoon » Recipes » One Dish Meals

    Mexican Tomatillo and Shredded Beef Soup

    Published: Feb 8, 2017 · Updated: Jul 30, 2022 by Tara Teaspoon · This page contains affiliate and sponsored links. See my full disclosure

    Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe
    Mexican shredded beef soup pin
    Mexican soup with tomatillo and shredded beef pin

    Mexican Soup with Tomatillo and Shredded Beef gets its zest from poblano chiles. Flavorful, authentic ingredients create a warming weeknight dinner.


    I don't use enough tomatillos. It's a fact. I really like them though. They add a savory tanginess to dishes – like a tomato but slightly less sweet and of course with a different flavor. So like the tomato-based soups I love, I wanted to create a tomatillo-based soup with all the glorious Mexican flavors I could.

    Mexican Tomatillo and Shredded Beef Soup in rustic bowl w chips on side

    I started with beef shank. It's a very authentic cut, often used to make rich beef broths in South American cuisines. The cut bones help add richness and viscosity to a soup. However, if you cant' find shank in your market, or your butcher won't cut or order it for you, you can choose some substitutes.

    You want a new favorite dinner? This Mexican Tomatillo Soup with Shredded Beef is going to hit the mark.

    Beef short ribs are a fine sub, as is osso buco (but that can be pricey and doesn't quite have the same flavor). In a pinch you can also use chuck roast. Cut it into pieces before searing it. You'll miss out on the cut bones from beef shank that add to the broth, but you'll still have a lovely soup!

    Mexican Tomatillo and Shredded Beef soup in bowl with spoon

    I sear the meat to give a little caramelized flavor to the base and then add some other ingredients to start my broth. The beef then gets simmered in the soup for at least an hour until it's super tender! You'll love to top the soup with a crumble of queso blanco or Cotija. They are dry, white Mexican cheeses that give a little sharp flavor, and act as a pretty garnish. So delicious!

    📖 Recipe

    Mexican tomatillo and shredded beef soup in clay bowl

    Mexican Tomatillo and Shredded Beef Soup

    Tara Teaspoon
    Warming soup is a great healthy weeknight dinner.
    4.67 from 3 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Work Time 20 minutes mins
    Cook Time 2 hours hrs 5 minutes mins
    Total Time 2 hours hrs 25 minutes mins
    Course Main Course, Soup
    Servings 12 cups

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 (3 lb) beef shank with bone (cut into 1- to 2-inch-thick pieces)
    • 2 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 large onion (cut into ½-inch dice)
    • 2 garlic cloves (minced)
    • 3 cans (14 oz each) beef broth
    • 3 cans (11 oz each) tomatillos
    • 2 tablespoon fresh lime juice
    • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
    • 2 poblano chiles (roasted, peeled, seeded and cut into ½-inch squares)
    • 3 thin carrots (cut into ½-inch-thick rounds)
    • 3 celery stalks (cut into ½-inch-thick slices)
    • 1 chayote or summer squash (peeled and cut into ½-inch dice)
    • ¼ cup fresh cilantro (coarsely chopped )
    • ½ cup queso blanco cheese (crumbled)
    • Restaurant-style tortilla chips (for serving (optional))

    Instructions
     

    • Rinse beef and pat dry; season well with salt. In a large pot, heat oil over high heat. Add beef and brown on all sides, 6 to 8 min. Transfer beef to a plate. Reduce heat to medium; add onion and garlic. Cook until onion is softened, about 3 min. Return beef to pot; add broth, tomatillos, juice and cumin. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 1 hr. Transfer beef to a cutting board and, when cool enough to handle, shred meat (discard bones) and return to pot. Add chile, carrot, celery and chayote; simmer until tender, 20 to 25 min more. Skim off fat and stir in cilantro.
    • Ladle soup into bowls and sprinkle with cheese. Serve with tortilla chips (if using).

    Notes

    Beef short ribs are an fine sub, as is ossobuco (but that can be pricey and doesn't quite have the same flavor). In a pinch you can also use chuck roast. Cut it into pieces before searing it.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1gCalories: 930kcalCarbohydrates: 54gProtein: 58gFat: 55gSaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 99mgSodium: 5511mgPotassium: 2794mgFiber: 15gSugar: 24gVitamin A: 32830IUVitamin C: 236.1mgCalcium: 697mgIron: 7.9mg
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    Soup's On! Warming soups make great weeknight dinners. I've got so many favorites. Explore the options here and try some of these.

    Creamy Chicken Tomato Bisque is hands down one of my favorite tomato soups. Such a perfect combo.

    Thai Coconut Shrimp Soup is so easy to make. And so good you'll forget the spoon and want to drink it right out of the bowl.

    Tara in kitchen making salad

    Tara Teaspoon

    I’ve been in food publishing for over 25 years, creating recipes & food-styling for magazines, books, television, food brands, & advertising. With two cookbooks under my belt and thousands of my recipes at your fingertips, I hope you'll be inspired to spend more time in the kitchen!

    More about Tara

    Recipe Tara Teaspoon. Photographer Blaine Moats. Food Stylist Carol Linnan. Originally published LHJ 02/08

    Comments

      4.67 from 3 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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    1. Mary says

      July 19, 2018 at 9:06 pm

      Such a wonderful combination of flavors! So hearty and beautiful!

      Reply

    Hi, I'm Tara Teaspoon!

    I’ve been sharing my original ideas for years. What began as a passion, turned into a publishing career as Food Editor at Martha Stewart Living and Ladies’ Home Journal magazines.

    Now I write cookbooks, and share delicious recipes and expert cooking tips with you here! Thanks for stopping by Tara Teaspoon!

    More about me →

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