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    Home » Recipes » Soups & Stews

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    Sopa Boba (Vegetable Soup)

    Sopa boba (vegetable soup) recipe.

    En Español Recipe ↆ

    Sopa Boba (Dominican Vegetable Soup) is an easy recipe for a lighter, meatless alternative to other soups in our blog. A nourishing and comforting food with deep roots in our cuisine, it is an inexpensive, uncomplicated soup that will be great for vegans and meat-eaters alike.

    Bowl of sopa boba (vegetable soup).
    Sopa boba (vegetable soup).

    JUMP TO: show ↓
    1. Why we ❤️ it
    2. Why "boba?
    3. Dominican sopa boba
    4. Top tips
    5. About this recipe
    6. Video
    7. Recipe

    Why we ❤️ it

    Sopa Boba is one of the stars of Dominican cuisine, a simple, light vegetable soup that, more often than not, we use when in need of comfort or nourishing sustenance. It's also a dish with a curious name.

    Why "boba?

    In Spanish, the word boba(o) can be used to describe someone who is "simple" or of limited intellectual capacity.

    The Spanish "sopa boba" was a soup made with leftover food from convents around the thirteenth century and given to the destitute as a charity. The ingredients were of dubious provenance, and the flavor was lacking. It was a dish made strictly for sustenance and survival.

    Sopa boba (vegetable soup).
    Sopa boba (vegetable soup).

    Sopa boba dominicana.

    Dominican sopa boba

    The name may be taken from that old Spanish soup, but our sopa boba has little in common with that unglamorous concoction. What makes ours "boba" is the lack of meat in it, but there is a wealth of flavor and vegetables, some of which were not available to Spaniards in those days (yuca [cassava], for example).

    It is most commonly associated with times in which we needed recovery and given credit for being of easy digestion. It can also be served as a light dinner, or at least that's how we did in my extended family.

    Top tips

    • Typically we use pineapple vinegar in the DR (it's cheaper, I guess), but apple cider vinegar is fine too.
    • You may substitute cilantro for parsley if you prefer.

    About this recipe

    The common element in any sopa boba served in the Dominican Republic will be the lack of any meat. It's one of our quintessential vegan recipes. Adding any meat to it will make it into an altogether different dish. It also always have noodles (angel's hair).

    Having said that, each home and each cook will have their preferred vegetables, usually yuca, auyama, and potatoes. Others will depend on availability and preference.

    Do you add anything to your sopa boba that ours doesn't have? Share it in the comments.

    Buen provecho!

    Tia Clara

    Video

    Recipe

    This awesome free recipe contains Amazon affiliate links, we receive a small commission from any purchase you make at no extra cost to you. Thanks!

    Bowl of sopa boba (vegetable soup).
    Keep screen on while cooking

    Sopa Boba [Recipe + Video] Vegetable Soup

    By: Clara Gonzalez
    Sopa Boba is a meat-free traditional Dominican vegetable soup, and a lighter, easier, alternative to other soups in our blog
    5 from 1 vote
    Save for Later Send by Email Print Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 20 mins
    Total Time 30 mins
    Course Dinner, Lunch
    Cuisine Caribbean, Dominican
    Servings 6 servings
    Calories 144 kcal

    Ingredients

    • 1 quart vegetable broth, [1 liter]
    • 1 tablespoon fruit vinegar
    • 1 cup potatoes, cut into small cubes
    • 2 sprigs of thyme, (optional)
    • 7 allspice berries (malagüeta), (optional)
    • 1 cup yuca (cassava), (cassava) cut into small cubes
    • 1 celery stalk, , sliced
    • 2 cloves garlic, , sliced
    • 1 cup auyama (kabocha squash), (West Indies pumpkin) cut into small cubes
    • 1 cup angel hair noodles
    • 1 sprig of cilantro, , chopped
    • ¼ teaspoon pepper (freshly-cracked, or ground)
    • 1 teaspoon salt

    Instructions
     

    • Boiling vegetables: Mix in a pot vegetable broth, 1 qt of water [1 liter], vinegar, potatoes, thyme, allspice berries, yuca, celery, garlic, and auyama.
      Bring to a boil over medium heat until it breaks a boil.
    • Cooking noodles
      Cooking noodles: Add the noodles and stir.
      Cook covered over medium heat until all the ingredients are cooked throughout. Stir occasionally to avoid sticking.
    • Seasoning soup
      Seasoning: Add cilantro and season with pepper and salt to taste. Discard allspice berries.
    • Serving sopa boba soup
      Serving: Serve hot alongside toasted rustic bread or pan de agua.

    Tips and Notes

    Typically we use pineapple vinegar in the DR (it's cheaper, I guess), but apple cider vinegar is fine too.
    You may substitute cilantro for parsley if you prefer.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 144kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 3gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 1034mgPotassium: 365mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 2845IUVitamin C: 16.5mgCalcium: 34mgIron: 1.5mg

    Nutritional information is calculated automatically based on ingredients listed. Please consult your doctor if you need precise nutrition information.

    READERS SEARCHED FOR dominican vegan soup, meatless soup, vegetable soup
    More recipes with: auyama, pasta, potato, pumpkin, yuca

    Published Dec 21, 2001, revised Feb 27, 2023

    More Comforting Dominican Soups and Stews Recipes

    • Habichuelas Blancas Guisadas (Small White Beans Recipe)
    • Lentejas Guisadas (Stewed Lentils Recipe)
    • Vegan Asopao (Rice and Vegetables Stew)
    • Asopao de Chuleta Ahumada (Rice Pork Chop Soup)
    Edited: Feb 27, 2023 | Publish: Feb 27, 2023

    ¡Hola! I am Tía Clara, your host. Thanks for visiting.
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