Caribbean Beef Soup Recipe

By
Cynthia Nelson
Cynthia Nelson
Cynthia Nelson
Food columnist and blogger Cynthia Nelson is the author of "Tastes Like Home: My Caribbean Cookbook." Living in Barbados, Cynthia shares her love of the diverse food of the islands.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 12/12/22
Tested by
Young Sun Huh
Young Sun Huh
Tested by Young Sun Huh
Young Sun is a freelance recipe developer, tester, and food stylist with over 15 years of experience in the food industry.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Caribbean Beef Soup

The Spruce / Sabrina Russo

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 56 mins
Pressure Build/Release: 15 mins
Total: 91 mins
Servings: 5 servings
Yield: 9 cups
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
679 Calories
16g Fat
73g Carbs
69g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 5
Amount per serving
Calories 679
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 16g 20%
Saturated Fat 6g 28%
Cholesterol 180mg 60%
Sodium 440mg 19%
Total Carbohydrate 73g 26%
Dietary Fiber 14g 51%
Total Sugars 26g
Protein 69g
Vitamin C 59mg 294%
Calcium 321mg 25%
Iron 8mg 44%
Potassium 1859mg 40%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Soups, on the whole, are very hearty affairs in the Caribbean. They often contain some type of meat, ground provisions, dumplings, vegetables, and peas, preferably split peas.

Each island has its own traditional soup day. In Jamaica, that day is Saturday and they love to make beef soup. Other islands choose Friday or Sunday as their soup day. But you don't need to wait for a specific day to try this version of Caribbean beef soup.

"This soup was relatively quick and easy to make using a pressure cooker. The different starches lightly thickened the soup and along with the beef, made for a hearty and comforting meal. It’s a good, basic recipe you could easily build upon. Next time, I would add some garlic and a Scotch bonnet pepper." —Young Sun Huh

Caribbean Beef Soup/Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons neutral cooking oil

  • 3/4 cup diced onion

  • 6 sprigs thyme, divided

  • 2 pounds bone-in stew beef, cut up

  • 1/2 cup yellow split peas

  • Kosher salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • 5 to 6 cups water

  • 1 pound white sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks

  • 1 pound half-ripe plantains, peeled and cut into 1-inch rounds

  • 2 medium carrots, diced

  • 1 recipe ​dumpling (spinners)

  • 6 to 8 okra, tops and tips removed

  • 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Caribbean Beef Soup ingredients

    The Spruce / Sabrina Russo

  2. Heat the oil in the pressure cooker or pot. It's best to make this soup in a pressure cooker, but you can prepare it in a regular pot. If you use a regular pot, you will need to add more water to the soup and increase the cooking time.

    pressure cooker

    The Spruce / Sabrina Russo

  3. Add onions and sauté until translucent, 2 to 3 minutes.

    onions in a pressure cooker

    The Spruce / Sabrina Russo

  4. Add 3 sprigs of thyme and sauté for 1 minute.

    onions and herbs in a pressure cooker

    The Spruce / Sabrina Russo

  5. Add beef and sauté until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Add split peas, and salt and pepper to taste.

    beef, with peas, onions and herbs in the pressure cooker

    The Spruce / Sabrina Russo

  6. Add 5 cups of water and stir, scraping up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Close the pressure cooker and let pressure-cook for 20 to 25 minutes. Timing begins from the first whistle. If you are using a pot, add an extra cup of water, bring to a boil, cover, and then let simmer for 30 to 35 minutes.

    water added to the beef mixture in the pressure cooker

    The Spruce / Sabrina Russo

  7. Open the pressure cooker and add sweet potatoes, plantains, carrots, and remaining 3 thyme sprigs and enough water (if needed) so the ingredients are mostly submerged and make soup. Simmer on medium heat for 12 to 15 minutes until vegetables are tender. Do not lock the pressure cooker; just let the cover rest on top of the pot.

    Caribbean Beef Soup cooking in a pressure cooker

    The Spruce / Sabrina Russo

  8. Gather the raw dumpling dough and shape into spinners.

    raw dumplings shaped into spinner on a plate

    The Spruce / Sabrina Russo

  9. Add spinner dumplings and the okra to pot. Cover and cook until the dumplings are cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes.

    Caribbean Beef Soup in a slow cooker

    The Spruce / Sabrina Russo

  10. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, if needed. Stir in green onions and serve.

    Caribbean Beef Soup in a slow cooker

    The Spruce / Sabrina Russo

Recipe Variations

  • The plantains and white sweet potatoes could be substituted with regular potatoes, winter squash, or yams.
  • Try adding small wheels of fresh corn along with the other vegetables.
  • Spice things up with a Scotch bonnet or habanero pepper. Halve the pepper and add to the soup, or pierce a whole pepper with a fork for a more subtle heat.

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