Cachupa Rica (Cape Verdean Hominy and Bean Stew)
In short: Dried hominy and beans simmered for hours with pork, smoked sausage and root vegetables into a thick, savory stew, the national dish of Cabo Verde. It takes about 4 h 10 min in total and makes 10 servings.
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 3 h 30 min
- Resting
- 12 h
- Total
- 4 h 10 min
- Servings
- 10
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 610 kcal
Cachupa rica is the celebration version of Cabo Verde's national stew. Dried hominy and beans cook slowly with pork, smoked sausage, beef and a pile of cassava, sweet potato and pumpkin until the pot turns thick and glossy. Families make it for weddings, birthdays and New Year, and always cook too much, because leftovers are the point: crisped in a pan the next morning with an egg, cachupa frita is the best breakfast on the islands. Plan on soaking the corn the night before.
Instructions
- Drain the soaked hominy and beans and put them in a very large heavy pot with 3 liters (3 quarts) of fresh water. Bring to a rolling boil and boil hard for 10 minutes, which makes the kidney beans safe to eat. Skim off the foam, then cover and simmer gently for 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, heat the oil in a frying pan and brown the pork, beef, bacon and sausage in batches over medium-high heat, about 5 minutes per batch. Set the meat aside.
- In the same pan, cook the onions for 6 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes, scraping up the browned bits. Tip everything into the corn pot with the meat, bay leaves, parsley, salt and pepper.
- Add hot water if needed so the contents are covered by 5 cm (2 in). Simmer, covered, over low heat for 1 1/2 hours, stirring from the bottom every 20 minutes so nothing sticks. The corn should be nearly tender.
- Add the cassava, sweet potato, pumpkin and green banana. Simmer for 30 minutes, then tuck in the cabbage wedges and cook for 20 minutes more, until all the vegetables are tender and the stew is thick.
- Check that the pork and beef are fork-tender, well past 63°C (145°F) inside. Taste and adjust the salt. If the stew looks loose, mash a few spoonfuls of corn and potato against the side of the pot and stir them in. Remove the bay leaves.
- Rest the pot off the heat for 15 minutes. Serve in wide bowls with some meat and a piece of each vegetable, with hot pepper sauce on the side.
- For cachupa frita the next day, fry leftover stew in a little oil over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes until a crust forms, and top each portion with a fried egg.
Tips
- No dried hominy? Use dried whole corn kernels soaked for 12 hours, or add canned hominy together with the vegetables. Kidney beans stand in well for the local bean varieties.
- The everyday version, cachupa pobre, skips the sausage, bacon and beef and uses fish or just vegetables. Keep the corn and bean base the same.
Questions and answers
Can I make cachupa ahead of time?
Yes, and it tastes better the next day. Cool it, refrigerate in a covered container for up to 4 days, and reheat with a splash of water or fry it for cachupa frita.
Can you freeze cachupa?
Yes, for up to 3 months. Cassava turns slightly grainy after freezing, so leave it out of the portions you plan to freeze if you can. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
What do you serve with cachupa?
It is a full meal on its own. Serve it with hot pepper sauce, and a fried egg on top if you like.
How long does it take to make Cachupa Rica (Cape Verdean Hominy and Bean Stew)?
About 4 h 10 min in total: 40 min of preparation and 3 h 30 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Cachupa Rica (Cape Verdean Hominy and Bean Stew)?
About 610 kcal per serving, with 26 g of protein, 83 g of carbohydrates and 19 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 610 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 26 g |
| Carbohydrates | 83 g |
| Fat | 19 g |
| Fiber | 11 g |
| Sugar | 6 g |
| Sodium | 1050 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
