Colombian Mondongo Antioqueño Tripe Stew with Achiote

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• True Antioqueño comfort: richly flavored broth tinted with achiote and layered with classic Colombian hogao.
• Perfectly tender tripe and silky pork knuckle, slow-cooked for deep, savory goodness.
• Vegetables added in stages for ideal texture: creamy yuca, soft potatoes, bright peas, sweet carrots.
• A complete, cozy meal with fluffy white rice and a fresh pop of lime and cilantro.

Grocery List

• Produce: Honeycomb tripe, pork knuckle/hock, yuca (cassava), potatoes, carrots, green peas, onions, scallions, garlic, tomatoes, cilantro, limes.
• Dairy: None.
• Pantry: Neutral oil, ground achiote (or annatto oil), ground cumin, dried oregano, bay leaves, kosher salt, black pepper, long-grain white rice.

Full Ingredients

For Cleaning the Tripe (recommended)

• 1 tbsp coarse salt
• 1 lime, halved
• Water for rinsing and parboiling

For the Stew Base

• 2 lb (900 g) honeycomb beef tripe, cleaned and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces
• 1.5 lb (680 g) pork knuckle/hock, bone-in
• 10 cups (2.4 L) water
• 1 large onion, halved (use half here; reserve half diced for hogao)
• 4 scallions (use greens here; whites for hogao)
• 6 garlic cloves (3 smashed for broth; 3 minced for hogao)
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

For the Achiote Hogao (Colombian sofrito)

• 2 tbsp neutral oil (or 2 tbsp annatto oil)
• 2 tsp ground achiote (annatto), if not using annatto oil
• 1 small onion, diced (about 1 cup)
• Whites of the 4 scallions, thinly sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 medium ripe tomatoes, diced
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

Vegetables & Finish

• 1 lb (450 g) yuca (cassava), peeled, cored, and cut into 1.5-inch chunks
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced 1/2-inch thick
• 1 lb (450 g) waxy potatoes (yellow or red), peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 cup (140 g) green peas (fresh or frozen)
• 1/2 cup (15 g) chopped fresh cilantro
• Lime wedges, for serving

For the White Rice

• 1.5 cups (285 g) long-grain white rice, rinsed
• 2.25 cups (530 ml) water
• 1 tbsp neutral oil
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Clean and parboil the tripe

Place the tripe in a large bowl. Sprinkle with 1 tbsp coarse salt and squeeze the juice of 1 lime over it. Massage for 1–2 minutes, then rinse thoroughly under cold water. Bring a pot of water to a boil, add the tripe, and parboil for 10 minutes. Drain, rinse again, and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces.

Step 2: Start the broth and slow-cook the meats

In a large heavy pot, combine 10 cups water, the pork knuckle, tripe, half of the onion (left in a large chunk), the greens of the scallions, 3 smashed garlic cloves, bay leaves, 2 tsp salt, and 1 tsp black pepper. Bring to a boil, skimming foam. Reduce to a gentle simmer at about 190°F (88°C), cover partially, and cook for 1 hour 45 minutes, until the tripe is supple and the knuckle begins to release from the bone.

Pressure cooker option: Cook tripe, knuckle, aromatics, and water on High Pressure for 40 minutes, then natural release 15 minutes. Continue with Step 3 on Sauté.

Step 3: Make the achiote hogao

In a skillet, warm 2 tbsp oil over low heat. Stir in 2 tsp ground achiote and bloom for 2 minutes until the oil turns deep orange-red (do not let it smoke). Add the diced onion, sliced scallion whites, and minced garlic; cook over medium heat for 5 minutes until softened. Stir in tomatoes, cumin, oregano, and 1/2 tsp salt; cook 8–10 minutes, stirring, until thick and jammy.

Step 4: Build flavor and start the vegetables

Stir the hogao into the simmering pot. Remove and discard the onion chunk and bay leaves. Add the yuca and carrots, keeping the heat at a gentle simmer (about 190°F/88°C). Cook for 20 minutes.

Step 5: Shred the pork knuckle and add remaining vegetables

Lift the pork knuckle out to a board and let it cool slightly. Shred the meat, discarding bone and excess skin. Return the shredded pork to the pot along with the potatoes. Simmer 12–15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Add the peas during the last 5 minutes to keep them bright.

Step 6: Cook the white rice

While the stew finishes, make the rice. In a saucepan, bring 2.25 cups water to a boil. Stir in the rinsed rice, 1 tbsp oil, and 1/2 tsp salt. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook for 18 minutes. Remove from heat and rest 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork.

Step 7: Finish with cilantro and serve with lime

Taste the mondongo and adjust salt and pepper. If the broth is too thick, add a splash of hot water; if too thin, simmer uncovered a few minutes more. Stir in the chopped cilantro off the heat. Ladle into warm bowls, making sure each serving has tripe, pork, yuca, potatoes, carrots, and peas. Serve with fluffy white rice and generous lime wedges to squeeze over the top.

Pro Tips

• Trim any spongy or overly fatty bits from the tripe for the best texture; cutting into uniform 1-inch pieces helps it cook evenly.
• Skim the broth during the first 10 minutes of simmering for a clean, bright flavor and color.
• Yuca has a woody core—halve thick pieces lengthwise and remove the fibrous center before chunking.
• Blooming achiote gently in oil deepens color and releases its nutty, earthy aroma without bitterness.
• For a silkier broth, lightly mash a few cooked potato or yuca pieces against the side of the pot at the end.

Variations

• Pressure Cooker Mondongo: Cook tripe and knuckle 40 minutes on High Pressure, natural release 15 minutes; add hogao and vegetables and simmer on Sauté until tender (about 25 minutes total).
• Spicy Antioqueño Twist: Add 1 finely chopped ají dulce or mild red chili to the hogao. Finish with a few drops of Colombian-style ají pique at the table.
• No Achiote? Use 1 tsp sweet paprika + 1/2 tsp turmeric bloomed in oil for a similar warm color and gentle earthiness.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Cooked mondongo keeps well. Cool, then refrigerate in airtight containers up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months. Reheat gently on the stovetop, adding a splash of water if needed. For stress-free serving, cook the tripe and pork knuckle a day ahead in their broth; refrigerate overnight, then proceed with the hogao and vegetables the next day. Cook rice fresh for the best texture.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate values including rice: 750–780 kcal; 34 g protein; 90 g carbohydrates; 23 g fat; 8 g fiber; 980 mg sodium. Values will vary with exact ingredients and salt levels.