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Encebollado (Ecuadorian Fish Soup)

Encebollado ecuatoriano - receta ecuatoriana

Encebollado is Ecuador’s national soup and its most famous hangover cure. It is a flavorful fish broth with albacore tuna and soft cassava (yuca), topped with a generous heap of pickled red onion, cilantro and lime.

It comes from the Coast and is eaten for breakfast or lunch with plantain chips, popcorn or bread. In the US you can make it with fresh or frozen albacore and frozen yuca from any Latin store.

Region: Coast · Difficulty: Medium

Encebollado ecuatoriano - receta ecuatoriana

Encebollado (Ecuadorian Fish Soup)

Encebollado: an Ecuadorian soup of albacore tuna and cassava in a cumin-scented broth, topped with pickled red onion, cilantro and lime. Served with plantain chips and popcorn.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Course Soup
Cuisine Ecuadorian
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lb albacore tuna fresh or frozen, in large pieces
  • 2 lb cassava (yuca) fresh or frozen
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 2 tomatoes chopped
  • 1 red onion chopped, for the broth
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 8 cups water
  • 5 sprigs cilantro
  • salt and pepper to taste

Pickled onion topping

  • 2 red onions thinly sliced
  • 3 limes juiced
  • 2 tomatoes diced, optional
  • 1/4 cup cilantro chopped

To serve

  • plantain chips, popcorn, lime and hot sauce

Instructions
 

  • Make the topping: soak the sliced onion in salted water for 10 minutes, rinse, and mix with lime juice, tomato, cilantro and salt. Set aside.
  • In a large pot, sauté the chopped tomato and onion in the oil with the cumin, paprika, salt and pepper for 5 minutes.
  • Add the water and cilantro sprigs and bring to a boil.
  • Add the tuna and cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes. Remove the fish, let it cool and flake it into large chunks.
  • Meanwhile, boil the cassava in salted water until very tender, about 25 minutes. Remove the woody center and cut into bite-size pieces.
  • Strain the broth, return it to the pot and add the cassava and the tuna. Heat for 5 minutes and adjust the salt.
  • Serve hot with a big spoonful of pickled onion on top, plantain chips, popcorn, lime and hot sauce.
Keyword ecuadorian encebollado, ecuadorian fish soup, encebollado, encebollado recipe

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Where to find the ingredients in the US

Here is how to find or replace the trickier ingredients in the US and Canada:

  • Albacore tuna: fresh or frozen albacore loins at fish counters or Asian markets. Yellowfin tuna also works. In a pinch, use good canned albacore and add it at the end.
  • Cassava (yuca): sold frozen and already peeled as yuca or cassava in Latin stores and many supermarkets.
  • Plantain chips: look for chifles or plantain chips in the snack aisle.

Tips for the best Encebollado

  • Do not skip the pickled onion: it is what gives encebollado its name.
  • Some cooks blend a few pieces of cassava into the broth to make it thicker.
  • Cook the tuna gently so it stays juicy.
  • A splash of the pickling lime juice in each bowl brightens the flavor.

Frequently asked questions

Why is encebollado a hangover cure?

It is salty, hot, full of fish protein and cassava, and topped with lime and onion. In Ecuador it is the classic breakfast after a party.

Can I use another fish?

Yes. Bonito, yellowfin tuna or a firm white fish work, although albacore is traditional.

What do you eat with encebollado?

Plantain chips, popcorn, bread or rice, with lime and hot sauce on the side.

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