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Guatita

Silky beef tripe simmered in a creamy peanut sauce with potatoes — the boldly comforting stew that Guayaquil swears by.

⏱ 20 minPrep time
🔥 1 hr 30 minCook time
🍽 6Servings
🏷 DinnerCategory
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Guatita - Tripe in Creamy Peanut Sauce

Guatita — ‘little belly’ — is a beloved Ecuadorian stew built on book tripe, which is simmered until tender and then bathed in a rich sauce of ground peanuts, achiote, onions, and spices. It is a dish that wears its humble ingredients with pride, and in Guayaquil it is served over rice with avocado and a squeeze of lime.

Peanut-creamy sauce, melt-in-your-mouth tripe

The tripe turns soft and silky, catching every bit of the velvety peanut sauce, which is nutty, savory, and gently warmed by cumin and achiote. Potatoes soak up the sauce and add body, and a bright squeeze of lime at the end cuts through the richness like a ray of sunshine.

Step by stepInstructions

  1. Rinse the tripe well, place it in a pot with salted water, and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours until tender (or pressure-cook for 45 minutes); drain, cool, and slice into bite-size strips.
  2. Blend the peanuts with the milk until smooth and set aside.
  3. Heat the achiote oil in a large pot over medium heat and cook the onion for 5 minutes, then add the garlic and cumin for 1 minute.
  4. Add the tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes until they soften into a sauce.
  5. Stir in the peanut-milk mixture and 3 cups of broth, and simmer for 5 minutes until slightly thickened.
  6. Add the tripe, potatoes, and salt, and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes until the potatoes are tender and the sauce is creamy, adding broth if it gets too thick.
  7. Serve over white rice with avocado slices and lime wedges.

💡 Chef tips & storage

A pressure cooker halves the tripe cooking time — do not skip the initial simmer, tenderness is everything here. Guatita thickens as it stands; thin it with broth when reheating and it keeps 3 days refrigerated.

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Recipe details

Prep20 min
Cook1 hr 30 min
Servings6
CategoryDinner
PublishedAugust 17, 2026
Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes

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 →