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Cuchuco de Trigo

Name: Cuchuco de Trigo
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 90 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups cracked wheat (cuchuco de trigo), soaked overnight; 1 lb pork ribs, cut into pieces; 2 potatoes, peeled and cubed; 1 cup fresh or frozen peas; 1 onion, chopped; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 1 bunch cilantro, chopped; 1 tsp ground cumin; 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 1 tsp salt, plus more to taste; 8 cups water

A thick, nourishing soup of cracked wheat and pork ribs from the Boyacá highlands — farmhouse food at its most honest.

⏱ 15 minPrep time

🔥 1 hr 30 minCook time

🍽 6Servings

🏷 Colombian KitchenCategory

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Cuchuco de trigo is the hearty soup of Colombia’s eastern highlands, where cracked wheat, pork ribs, and vegetables simmer into a thick, starchy bowl of comfort. It is the kind of food made for cold mountain nights, filling and deeply savory.

Cracked wheat, pork ribs, and patience

The wheat cooks into a soft, porridge-like broth that clings to the spoon, while the ribs surrender their flavor and the peas add little pops of sweetness. It is rustic, rib-sticking, and wonderfully fragrant with cilantro.

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Step by stepInstructions

Heat the oil in a large pot and brown the pork ribs for 6 minutes; add the onion and garlic and cook 3 minutes.
Drain the soaked wheat, add it with the water and cumin, and simmer covered over low heat for 1 hour.
Add the potatoes and cook 15 minutes, then add the peas and cook 10 minutes more.
Season with salt — the broth should be thick and starchy from the wheat.
Stir in most of the cilantro and simmer 5 minutes more.
Ladle into bowls and finish with the remaining cilantro; serve with ají and avocado.

💡 Chef tips & storage

Soak the wheat overnight to cut the cooking time, and stir occasionally so the starchy grains don't stick. Cuchuco keeps 4 days refrigerated and thickens as it sits — thin with broth when reheating.

Recipe details

Prep15 min

Cook1 hr 30 min

Servings6

CategoryColombian Kitchen

PublishedAugust 17, 2026

Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

Hi, I'm Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes. Simple, tested comfort food for real weeknights, written down the way grandma would. Pull up a chair. More about me →

Cuchuco de Trigo

Cracked wheat, pork ribs, and patience

Step by stepInstructions

💡 Chef tips & storage

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Recipe details

Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

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Cuchuco de Trigo

Cracked wheat, pork ribs, and patience

Step by stepInstructions

💡 Chef tips & storage

Rate this recipe

Recipe details

Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

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