Sopa de Hamon y Salchichon – Ham and Salami Soup

Puerto Rican Ham and Salami Soup featuring corn on the cob, salami, carrots, noodles, and red peppers

Sharing is caring!

This traditional Puerto Rican Soup recipe is a perfect cozy, sweater weather soup, and is probably the most authentic recipe you’re going to find as it comes right out of the heart of Ponce, Puerto Rico, from mothers and grandmothers. This Sopa de Hamon y Salchichon is the Salami Soup that has corn on the cob in it, and is one of the more popular soups in Puerto Rico.

As a gringa (state side girl who might be more white than not), I have to admit the comfort vibes of this soup exceed chili. It’s the corn on the cob. Because you slice it into small pieces, and it sits in the soup, the cob sucks in all the flavor so when you are eating your soup, you pick up the corn on the cob and eat the corn (throw away the cob) sucking the soup’s best flavors from the cob as you eat. It’s pure glory.

Sopa de hamon y salchichon -Ham & Salami Soup

Salami and Ham with veggies and Puerto Rican Seasoning for a super delicious soup.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 30 minutes
Course: Soups & Salads
Cuisine: Puerto Rican
Keyword: ham, Hamon, Puerto Rican Cuisine, Puerto Rico, Salami, Salchichon, Sopa, Soup
Servings: 4 -6
Calories: 302kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 Salami – Sliced or Cubed
  • 1 thick slice of ham – cubed
  • 4 potatoes – chunked into bite friendly pieces – smaller the pieces shorter the cook time – peeling optional – I generally quarter baby Dutch yellow potatoes
  • 2 corn on the cob – sliced into smaller pieces
  • 2 carrots – sliced
  • 1/4 white onion – roughly chopped
  • 1/4 of green pepper – roughly chopped
  • 1 can or small jar of red peppers
  • 1/2 fistful of cilantro
  • 1 TBSP mashed or minced garlic
  • Adobo a gusto
  • 1 packet of Sazon
  • 2 chicken bouillon cubes
  • 1 small can of tomato sauce
  • thin spaghetti noodles

Instructions

  • Take a huge pot, on medium heat, and add salami, a little olive oil (like 2tsp) which is optional, and a teaspoon of garlic, onion, and sprinkle some adobo over it.
  • Start chopping ham first if need be, but in a few minutes, stir, and then a few minutes later, add the ham and mix it all up.
  • Start chopping veggies. In a few minutes, add 4 cups of water.
  • The idea is to slightly fry the meats until they feel cooked, until some of the grease comes out.
  • Go ahead an add seasoning to the water – Sprinkle some Adobo, add a packet of Sazon and 2 chicken bouillon cubes. Mix it a bit.
  • Chop all the veggies and add them to the pot.
  • When you add the red pepper, it’s ok to add some of the red pepper juice from the jar or can. I usually grab the peppers with my hands or fork and add those that way, and then dump about 1/4 of the jar’s juice into the pot.
  • Add a heaping teaspoon of garlic.
  • Add the can of tomato sauce and cover with water (about 4 more cups of water).
  • Bring to a boil, and then let simmer for about 45 minutes
  • When the veggies (mainly the potatoes and corn) are cooked thoroughly, add the noodles and cook until those soften.

Where did I get this recipe for Puerto Rican Soup?

My ex-mother-in-law. It is my ex-husband’s favorite soup. His grandmother used to make it, and one of his best childhood memories is eating this soup at his grandmother’s house. I did not make any changes to what she does.

My ex MIL and the grandmother are both 100% Boricua born and raised on the island of Puerto Rico. My ex MIL is known around her parts as being one of the better cooks in the area, and her food is highly sought, and other women get jealous at her mad kitchen skills.

Ingredients for Sopa de Hamon y Salchichon

The salami – so Goya makes a Salchichon you can buy. That’s your ideal choice, but any salami will do. Genoa Salami is supposed to be the closest to Salchichon, and I’ve been known to use Hickory Farms Summer Sausage when I can’t find salami.

The ham – really I love the package of cubed ham. But you can cube a ham steak.

The potatoes – I have no idea the exact potato my MIL uses, but I like to buy the petite, or baby potatoes, preferably Dutch Yellow but I will do red potatoes or a medley, and I just quarter them or do six chunks for the bigger ones. Basically like you might do for a pot roast.

The seasoning – you may have to search a bit for the seasonings, but I do list substitute seasonings for Adobo and Sazon. I can find Sazon in the section of Walmart near Taco Seasoning, and Sazon and Adobo the International Section of Kroger.

What about sofrito?

A lot of Puerto Rican cooking calls for Sofrito (as well as other recipes I’ve seen for this soup). I do think at times my MIL adds Sofrito to this, but she only uses her homemade sofrito, which is primarily onion, green pepper, red pepper, garlic, cilantro and culantro + a little oregano. All of which is already in the recipe except for oregano. So add some oregano if you want.

How to Make Sopa de Hamon y Salchichon or Ham and Salami Soup

Pretty much, you add all the ingredients, and top with water, and cook.

But for the most part, what I do…

Start off by cooking the salami and some garlic and the onion with some Adobo on medium high heat. Stir occasionally, and after 3 to 5 minutes, add ham. Cook, stirring occasionally, for another 5 minutes.

Add some water and the seasonings just to avoid burning while you chop all the veggies. Chop the veggies and add them as you chop them.

In the recipe card, I note that with the red peppers, remove them from the jar and add them, but then add about 1/4 of the jar (or can) of the juice to the mixture.

Bring to boil, and then simmer until all the veggies are cooked.

Add the noodles, and cook until the noodles are tender.

Done.

Doubling up the Recipe?

I have found that if I cook the recipe as it is here, I don’t have enough for my family of 4 because all 3 kids wants seconds and thirds. But if I double it up, I pretty much fill a 12 quart pot, and that’s when the kids only want one serving.

Either way, doubling up makes a bunch of leftovers. It’s super easy to fill Mason Jars, Old Pickle Jars, or Old Spaghetti Jars with this and heat up in the microwave later. Or gift to people you know.

Love this Recipe? Pin it!

Ham & Salami Soup Pin - Best Traditional Puerto Rican Soup Recipe straight from the grandmothers in Ponce, this Sopa de Hamon y Salchichon or Ham and Salami Soup is perfect comfort food for sweater weather eatin and you can make so much affordably, it's also an awesome meal prep idea.
Ham and Salami Soup Pin - Sopa de hamon y salchichon
Best Soup from Puerto Rico, Ham and Salami Soup Recipe - Pin

Sharing is caring!

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Scroll to Top