Sopa de Mute

Ingredients

• 255 g (1½ cups)precooked white hominy
• 454 g (1 lb)potatoes, diced
• 454 g (1 lb)pork backbone
• 340 g (¾ lb)pig’s trotter
• to tastefresh coriander, chopped
• to tastehogao
• 1 bunchfresh herbs (thyme, oregano and sage)
• 1.25 ml (¼ tsp)cumin
• to tastesalt
• optionalblack pepper
• 240 ml (1 cup)hogao (sofrito of spring onion, tomato, cumin, colour seasoning and salt)

Instructions

1. 1

   Rinse ingredients

   Wash the meat and vegetables.

2. 2

   Cook the hominy

   Put the hominy in a large pot, cover with plenty of water and bring to the boil over high heat.

3. 3

   Drain hominy

   Once the kernels are soft and have opened, drain them and set aside.

4. 4

   Simmer the pork

   Cut the meats into pieces and put them in a pot. Cover with water and bring to the boil over high heat.

5. 5

   Season the broth

   Add coriander, cumin, a little salt and, if using, pepper.

6. 6

   Tenderise the meat

   Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the meat is tender, about 50–60 minutes.

7. 7

   Add the hominy

   Stir in the cooked hominy and let it cook for a few minutes.

8. 8

   Add potatoes and herbs

   Add the diced potatoes and the bunch of herbs.

9. 9

   Stir in hogao

   Add the hogao. The recipe describes it as a sofrito made by frying chopped spring onion, then adding chopped tomato and seasoning with cumin, colour seasoning and salt.

10. 10

    Finish the soup

    Mix everything together and cook for a further 25 minutes, or until all the ingredients are soft.

11. 11

    Serve hot

    Serve with freshly chopped coriander, wedges of avocado and white rice.

What is sopa de mute?

Sopa de mute is a substantial Colombian soup built around hominy, meat and vegetables. It is associated with Colombia’s Andean food traditions, where hearty soups make a satisfying shared meal.

This version combines pork backbone and trotter with potatoes, herbs and hogao. Cooking the hominy and meat until very tender is central to its comforting texture.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 480 calories, 30g protein, 43g carbs, 20g fat.

Hominy, potatoes and the suggested white rice supply most of the carbohydrates; pork contributes protein and fat, while hogao adds some fat depending on how it is prepared. For a balanced plate, serve a moderate amount of rice alongside a generous bowl of soup and avocado.

The hominy

Precooked white hominy shortens the preparation, but it still needs to be boiled until soft and beginning to open. Drain it before adding it to the meat broth, as directed.

The pork and broth

Pork backbone and trotter bring different textures to the pot. Simmer them over medium heat after bringing them to the boil, and allow roughly 50–60 minutes for the meat to soften.

Potatoes and herbs

Add the diced potatoes and herb bunch after the hominy has joined the pork. The recipe gives a further 25 minutes of cooking, or until everything is soft.

Remove the herb bunch before serving if you prefer not to have the stems in the bowl.

Hogao’s savoury finish

Hogao is a Colombian tomato and spring onion sofrito, seasoned here with cumin, colour seasoning and salt. Stir it into the soup so its savoury, aromatic flavour spreads through the broth.

Serving the soup

Serve the soup hot with chopped fresh coriander, avocado wedges and white rice, as suggested in the recipe. The rice makes the meal more substantial, while avocado adds a creamy contrast.

Recipe notes & tips

• Wash the meat and vegetables before starting, as the recipe directs.
• Keep the hominy in plenty of water while it cooks, then drain it once the kernels are soft and open.
• Bring the pork to the boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium for its longer simmer.
• Use only a little salt at first, since the hogao also contains salt.
• Check the potatoes and meat for softness before serving; the recipe’s final cue is that both meat and hominy should be very tender.

Variations

• Adjust the pepper: leave it out for the optional pepper-free version.
• Change the herbs: use the listed thyme, oregano and sage together for the recipe’s herb bundle.
• Add avocado: serve wedges alongside each bowl, as suggested.
• Serve with rice: include white rice at the table for a heartier meal.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Undercooked hominy: keep boiling it until soft and beginning to open before draining.
• Tough pork: simmer over medium heat for the stated 50–60 minutes, checking that it has softened.
• Hard potatoes: cook the soup for the additional 25 minutes or until the potatoes are soft.
• Over-salting: start with a little salt and remember that the hogao is seasoned too.

How to store

Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate in a covered container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a pan until piping hot throughout, adding a little water if the soup has thickened.

Frequently asked questions