Dominican sancocho (root vegetable stew)

A Dominican miscellaneous dish built on whole ingredients.

Servings: 6
Active time: 1 h
Total time: 3 h

Organic sourcing

Root vegetables like yams and cassava are in the Clean Fifteen, with lower pesticide residues. Peppers and celery are on the Dirty Dozen list, so it's worth buying organic.

Ingredients

• 500 g beef chuck, cut into chunks
• 500 g pork shoulder, cut into chunks
• 1 whole chicken, cut into pieces
• 1 lime, juiced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 bell peppers, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 3 medium carrots, sliced
• 2 green plantains, peeled and sliced
• 3 yams, peeled and cubed
• 2 cassava roots, peeled and cubed
• 4 ears of corn, cut into thirds
• 8 cups water
• to taste salt
• to taste black pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Method

1. In a large bowl, mix the beef, pork, and chicken with lime juice and salt. Let it marinate for at least 30 minutes.
2. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté the onion and bell peppers until the onion is translucent.
3. Add the minced garlic, oregano, and cumin to the pot. Cook for a minute until fragrant.
4. Add the marinated meats to the pot, searing on all sides until browned.
5. Pour in water and add bay leaves, celery, and carrots. Bring to a simmer and cook for 1 hour.
6. Add the plantains, yams, cassava, and corn to the pot. Cook for another hour until vegetables are tender.
7. Season the sancocho with salt and black pepper to taste.
8. Stir in the chopped cilantro before serving.

Notes

• To make it spicier, add a chopped hot pepper with the garlic.
• For a thicker stew, mash some of the vegetables before serving.
• Serve with rice and avocado to complete the meal.

Source

Paraphrased from the culinary canon by Organic.is editors, 2026. Classic Dominican recipe. If you'd like a specific source for further reading, ask Tinni (bottom-right) for a book recommendation.