Name: Ecuadorian Encebollado | Authentic Fish Soup Recipe
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Ecuadorian
Ingredients: 1 red onion, roughly chopped; 1 bell pepper (pimento), chopped; 1 tomato, chopped; Cilantro (use stems + some leaves for boiling); 10 pieces yuca (cassava); 4 albacore tuna, drained; Salt, to taste; A small splash of oil; Water (enough to boil ingredients); 1 red onion, thinly sliced (julienne); Juice of 3 lemons; Fresh cilantro, finely chopped; Salt, to taste

Ecuadorian Encebollado | Authentic Fish Soup Recipe

Written by: Mirian Montalvo

Mirian Montalvo

Expertise: Traditional Ecuadorian Cooking, Baking & Pastry

Experience: 40+ years of experience in baking, pastry, catering, and traditional Ecuadorian cuisine. Former owner of Delicias Dulces y Saladas and former kitchen lead for the Ecuadorian Air Force (FAE), preparing meals for large groups and special events.

I'm Mirian Montalvo. Since I was 18 years old with two children, I began my journey cooking and baking to sell. The recipes came from Hogar magazine, which was very popular at the time. I would make them for my family first, taste them, remove or add ingredients, and adjust them until I liked them enough to sell. I started seriously by making Swiss rolls, which people called brazos gitanos, but they were actually sponge rolls filled with dulce de leche, whipped cream, and strawberries. I made them cold, and they sold very well frozen as ice cream cakes. Later I began making flavored cakes such as orange, chocolate, and black cake, which is very important for weddings and baptisms in Ecuador. I did this for years, and eventually there were many orders from friends with businesses and for large parties. I took short courses in Arabic appetizers, international cuisine, and Christmas dinners. During the holiday season we prepared Christmas meals for companies. I say “we” because my children helped me, along with a little friend named Vilma, who truly assisted me with everything. Later we opened a bakery called Delicias Dulces y Saladas (“Sweet and Savory Delights”). We made lasagna to sell, our famous paisanito sandwich, hamburgers with a recipe nobody would believe, but we sold a lot, along with pies, bread, yogurt, and a famous yogurt drink in Ecuador called Chivería. After that, I was hired by the Ecuadorian Air Force (FAE), where I had two wonderful assistants whom I will never forget. They were the hardest-working people I had ever known. We prepared breakfasts and lunches for 80, 100, or even 120 people depending on the day. It was beautiful work. Later I decided to move to the United States, and here I have done smaller things such as fondant cakes and cake pops, but only a little. I have a page called The Zert where there are some examples of the work I used to do. Now, seeing my son Kity’s skills more closely, he has become a pastry chef. He is very active in the pastry world. And here I am, at 62 years old, trying to make videos for all of you before I forget everything I have in my head, so I can share it with you

Jump to Recipe

What Encebollado Means to Me

I want to write a blog for this fish soup that, in my country, is called encebollado. It’s sort of our national dish, and I didn’t begin loving it until I was 20 years old.

I grew up with my whole family eating it every Sunday after church at this street place called “La Chica.” My father would basically beg me to eat it and tell me we had to, because it was what we did, and it was so healthy and all that. And me being a brat, I would hate that time.

Now that I think about it, I remember it so well, and it makes me happy to think about it. The smell of fresh tuna in the morning used to make me sick, but now when I smell it, it’s so surreal and good.

Even though I haven’t been to my country in more than 10 years, I ask my mom to make it for me, and I feel alive. And now even my Turkish husband loves it. I can honestly say it’s his favorite food from my country. Every other Ecuadorian dish, he says, is sweet or just weird mixes, like the use of peanut butter, but anyway.

Sundays After Church at “La Chica”

I want this blog to make the reader envision the place where we were eating the fish soup in Ecuador. It was right on the street in a kiosk big enough to sit six, and every time my father would take us to “La Chica,” the girl would make room for our whole family.

The way my mom makes this is the real deal. She gets fresh tuna and yuca, and she says this method is the easiest for someone like me who isn’t the best cook or doesn’t have the best skills. So it works for the best cook and someone like me. No one can fail.

Yield: 4

Ecuadorian Encebollado | Authentic Fish Soup Recipe

Ingredients

1 red onion, roughly chopped
1 bell pepper (pimento), chopped
1 tomato, chopped
Cilantro (use stems + some leaves for boiling)
10 pieces yuca (cassava)
4 albacore tuna, drained
Salt, to taste
A small splash of oil
Water (enough to boil ingredients)

For the onion-cilantro salsa

1 red onion, thinly sliced (julienne)
Juice of 3 lemons
Fresh cilantro, finely chopped
Salt, to taste

Instructions

1. Boil the base — Add water, chopped red onion, bell pepper, tomato,
and cilantro stems (with a few leaves) to a large pot. Add the yuca,
bring to a boil, and cook until the yuca is partially tender. Ecuadorian Encebollado-Boil the base
2. Remove yuca and vegetables — Lift the cooked vegetables and yuca
out of the pot together, leaving the broth behind. Ecuadorian Encebollado-Lift the ingredients
3. Reserve most of the yuca — Set aside the larger yuca pieces on a
cutting board. These go back into the soup later. Ecuadorian Encebollado-Set aside the larger yuca pieces
4. Blend for thickness — Add all the cooked vegetables and a few
pieces of yuca to a blender, then ladle in some broth from the pot to
help it blend. Blend until smooth. Ecuadorian Encebollado-Add all the cooked vegetable
5. Return the blended mixture — Pour the blended vegetables and yuca
back into the pot with the broth.
6. Cube the reserved yuca — Cut the set-aside yuca pieces into smaller,
evenly sized cubes.
7. Add the yuca and tuna — Add the cubed yuca and a few pieces of tuna to the pot together.
8. Finish cooking — Simmer until everything is well cooked and the
flavors are combined. Add a small amount of oil and check the salt.
9. Make the salsa — In a separate bowl, mix the julienned red onion
with lemon juice, chopped cilantro, and salt. Gently massage the onions
with the lemon juice to soften them.
10. Combine and serve — Add pieces of tuna to each serving bowl.
Ladle the hot soup (encebollado) over the tuna. Top with salsa and serve immediately.

Notes

Encebollado tastes even better after resting for a bit, the flavors deepen, and the citrus-onion salsa brings everything to life.

Nutrition Information

Yield

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 149Total Fat 0gSaturated Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 0gSodium 173mgCarbohydrates 30gFiber 7gSugar 7gProtein 7g

The nutritional information provided is an estimate based on the ingredients and cooking methods used in this recipe. Actual nutritional content may vary depending on the brands of ingredients and portion sizes. Please consult a registered dietitian or nutritionist for precise dietary advice.

Want a low carb version of a fish soup recipe? Check out our low carb soup recipe.