Gut Friendly Classic Menudo

Total time4 hr 45 min

Prep time45 min

Cook time4 hr

4.5

(29)

Few dishes are as deeply nourishing and restorative as a slow-simmered tripe soup built on a rich, chile-stained broth. The long, gentle cook time is the real secret here — the honeycomb tripe becomes tender and yielding, the hominy blooms open, and the guajillo and ancho chile sauce weaves itself into every corner of the pot. That combination of collagen-rich tripe and whole hominy makes this the kind of meal that genuinely supports a happy gut, delivering slow-cooked proteins and fiber in a format that's been trusted across generations for exactly that reason. Toasting the dried chiles before soaking them unlocks a smoky, earthy depth that no store-bought shortcut can replicate, and straining the blended sauce keeps the broth silky and smooth. The optional pig's feet add even more body to the broth, turning it almost glossy by the time it's done. Served with a squeeze of lime, fresh cilantro, and warm corn tortillas on the side, every bowl is both a complete meal and a genuinely comforting experience. This is weekend cooking at its most rewarding — the kind of recipe that fills your kitchen with an incredible aroma and pays you back tenfold at the table.

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Ingredients

8 servings

4 lb honeycomb tripe, cut into 1 ½-inch pieces
1 lb pig's feet (about 2 pieces), optional (optional)
1 white onion, halved
8 garlic cloves, peeled
2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
2 cans (29 oz each) hominy, drained and rinsed

For the chile sauce

6 dried guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed
3 dried ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed
1 dried chile de árbol, stem removed
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1 tsp dried mexican oregano
1 tsp ground cumin

For serving

½ white onion, finely diced (optional)
4 limes, cut into wedges (optional)
¼ cup dried mexican oregano, for serving (optional)
½ cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped (optional)
crushed red pepper flakes or dried chile de árbol, for serving (optional)
warm corn tortillas, for serving (optional)

Instructions

1
Place the tripe pieces (and pig's feet, if using) in a large stockpot and cover with cold water by at least 2 inches. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook for 10 minutes, then drain and rinse the tripe thoroughly under cold running water. Wipe out the pot.
2
Return the tripe (and pig's feet, if using) to the pot. Add the halved onion, 8 garlic cloves, and 2 tsp salt. Pour in enough cold water to cover by 3 inches — about 12 cups. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a steady low simmer. Skim any foam that rises to the surface during the first 20 minutes.

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