Sopa de Frijoles con Costilla y Masitas
Sopas de Domingo: The Slow Simmer
The weekend in El Salvador, and in the kitchens of the diaspora, is measured by the slow, rhythmic simmer of this soup. It is a humble but miraculous alchemy of red silk beans, bone-in pork ribs, and masa dumplings that soak up the earth and the fat. Here, you sear the ribs hard to build a dark, savory foundation, rely on masa harina and hard cheese to bridge the gap of the American supermarket, and employ a simple, brilliant trick—a splash of cold water—to keep the delicate dumplings from breaking. It is unpretentious, deeply comforting, and tastes exactly like home.
Before you start
Soak the beans overnight to compress the cooking time.
If you have the foresight, submerge the red beans in cold water the night before. If not, proceed directly—they will simply take an extra hour to tenderize in the pot.
Have your butcher cut the ribs.
Ask the meat counter to cross-cut the pork spare ribs into 2-inch segments if you do not have a heavy cleaver at home.
Ingredients
- small red beans1 lb
- bone-in pork spare ribs2 lb
- vegetable oil1 tbsp
- white onion1 large
- cloves garlic6 med
- green bell pepper1 large
- Roma tomatoes2 med
- water10 cup
- chicken bouillon powder1 tbsp
- chayote squash1 med
- zucchini1 med
- yuca1/2 lb
- fresh cilantro1/2 cup
- fresh mint1 small
- masa harina1 cup
- warm water3/4 cup
- unsalted butter1 tbsp
- Cotija or Parmesan cheese1/4 cup
- chicken bouillon powder1/2 tsp
Method
- 01
Sear the pork ribs in a heavy pot to build a savory foundation.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the ribs with salt and pepper, then sear them until a deep, golden-brown crust forms on all sides, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the ribs and set aside, leaving the rendered fat in the pot.
- 02
Fry the aromatics in the rendered pork fat.
Add the finely chopped half of the onion, the green bell pepper, and the tomatoes to the pot. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom, until the vegetables soften and become fragrant.
- 03
Return the pork and simmer the soup until the beans are tender.
Add the ribs back in along with the rinsed beans, the intact half-onion, smashed garlic, 10 cups of water, and 1 tablespoon of bouillon. Bring to a rolling boil, skim any gray foam, then cover and simmer on low. Expect this to take 1 to 1 1/2 hours for soaked beans, or up to 2 1/2 hours if unsoaked. The pork should be nearly falling off the bone.
- 04
Blend a small portion of the beans and broth to thicken the soup naturally.
Scoop out about 1 cup of the cooked beans and broth, blend until entirely smooth, and stir it back into the pot for a luxurious, velvety texture.
- 05
Simmer the root vegetables and squash until fork-tender.
Add the yuca, chayote, and zucchini to the bubbling broth and cook for an additional 15 minutes.
- 06
Knead the masa dough and form the dimpled dumplings.
In a bowl, mix the masa harina, softened butter, grated cheese, and 1/2 teaspoon of bouillon. Gradually add the 3/4 cup warm water, kneading until it feels like soft play-dough. Roll into 1-inch balls, and use your thumb to press a shallow dimple into the center of each so they cook evenly without remaining raw in the middle.
- 07
Splash cold water into the boiling broth before dropping in the masitas.
Bring the soup to a lively simmer, then pour in 1/4 cup of cold water to momentarily kill the violent boiling action. Immediately drop in the masitas, cilantro, and mint sprig. Cover, reduce heat to low, and poach gently for 10 to 12 minutes until the dumplings float to the surface.
Notes
Serve with the traditional table-side garnishes.
A proper bowl demands warm corn tortillas, a squeeze of fresh lime juice, sliced avocado, a sprinkle of grated cheese, and a spoonful of fresh chirimol (pico de gallo).
Utilize a pressure cooker to save time on a weeknight.
If using an Instant Pot, combine the seared pork, sautéed vegetables, beans, garlic, intact onion, and water. Cook on High Pressure for 45 minutes, naturally release, then transfer to a stovetop pot to finish the remaining vegetable and dumpling steps.