Cachupa

Name: Cachupa
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 120 min
Total time: 145 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Cabo Verde
Ingredients: 2 cups dried hominy corn, soaked overnight; 1 cup dried lima beans, soaked overnight; 1 lb beef stew meat, cubed; 1/2 lb linguiça or chorizo sausage, sliced; 1 onion, chopped; 2 tomatoes, chopped; 2 sweet potatoes, cubed; 1 cabbage wedge, chopped; 1/4 cup olive oil; 6 cups water

8 servings25 min prep120 min cookMedium Cabo Verde

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The Story Behind It

The Tale of Cachupa

Story updated September 17, 2026

Cachupa, a slow-simmered stew of hominy corn and beans, is considered Cabo Verde's national dish, born of necessity on islands where communities made do with corn, beans, and whatever meat or fish was on hand. Poorer households traditionally stretched a pot of cachupa over several days, giving rise to variations like cachupa rica and leftover cachupa guisada.

Ingredients

Scale:· 8 servings

2 cups dried hominy corn, soaked overnight
1 cup dried lima beans, soaked overnight
1 lb beef stew meat, cubed
1/2 lb linguiça or chorizo sausage, sliced
1 onion, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
2 sweet potatoes, cubed
1 cabbage wedge, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
6 cups water

Instructions

1Heat olive oil in a large pot and brown the beef and sausage with onion.
2Add tomatoes and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
3Add the soaked hominy, lima beans, and water; bring to a boil, then simmer covered 1 1/2 hours until the corn and beans are tender.
4Add sweet potatoes and cabbage and simmer 20-25 more minutes until tender.
5Season with salt and let the stew thicken slightly.
6Serve hot in deep bowls.

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