Menudo is a staple in Mexican, Latin America, and Spanish households. Its origins remain a mystery – some people attribute its humble beginnings in Central Mexico during Mexico’s pre-revolution era as a soup prepared from poverty – also known as “poor man’s soup.” Usually, food waste and leftovers were given to peasant cooks, who invented menudo by using the stomach. Some people believe its popularity began in the 1930s as a celebratory dish for Christmas, New Year, or other holidays. The two most popular types of menudo include menudo rojo from northern Mexico and Guadalajara, and white menudo, from Sinaloa and central Mexico.
Menudo’s Ingredients are Key
While everyone says their family’s menudo is the best, there are some common ingredients that are popular to use in most recipes:
- Corn
- Garlic
- Onion
- Hominy
- Beef Tripe
- Bay Leaves
- Other Spices
- Chiles (Arbol and Guajillo)
Common ingredients to garnish menudo include cilantro (and other herbs), corn tortillas, and lime wedges.
Menudo Takes Time
One thing that makes menudo a worthy dish to enjoy with your friends and family is the time it takes to cook it. Often, menudo takes seven to ten hours to cook properly due to the toughness of the tripe, which is why it’s considered a dish worthy of taking time to cook for the holidays, or better yet, a weekend hangover cure!
Take Home Delia’s Menudo
We offer menudo every Saturday and Sunday – both small and large – from our seven locations, including our newest site in San Antonio! Enjoy them with our tamales, salads, and aguas frescas.
Purchase Our Menudo This Weekend
Our menudo is worth purchasing every weekend. Be sure to send us a message online if you have any questions about our menudo, tamales, or other menu items. Show us how you enjoy your menudo on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Use #DeliasTamales!
FAQs
His menudo rojo (with red chile) is common in northern Mexico, while menudo blanco (white menudo, without chile) is more popular in Sinaloa and central Mexico. Menudo is often served only on the weekends because it takes a long time to prepare – and perhaps because that's when it's most needed as a hangover cure.
Is menudo healthy for weight loss? ›
Menudo is a pretty healthy food! Mexican cuisine is full of nourishing soups and caldos like menudo. They make great additions to a balanced diet because a soup like menudo has a good blend of protein, carbs, fiber, and vegetables.
Is menudo good for your stomach? ›
The hominy in Menudo contributes to the dish's fiber content, promoting healthy digestion and feelings of fullness.
Why is menudo called menudo? ›
"Menudo" comes from latin "minutus", which means small or lesser, and evolved also to "minuto".
How many days is menudo good for? ›
Also, as long as it's refrigerated, it will stay good for days—and even improve. Because the longer it stews in its own juices, the richer its flavor will eventually become.
Why is menudo a hangover cure? ›
Drinking water both during your night out and the morning after can reduce the negative effects of alcohol. This is a reason why menudo is helpful for a hangover. The soup provides more hydration than other types of food and as a result, you may feel better, if only slightly.
Which is healthier, pozole or menudo? ›
Posole can be made a bit leaner than menudo thanks to the option of making it with chicken, but both dishes are full of vegetables and different groups of nutrients, so honestly, both soups are pretty healthy overall.
Can you eat menudo at night? ›
There is no right time to have menudo, and you can eat it any day of the year. Keep in mind that, among Mexican culture, menudo and pozole have a reputation of being the ultimate hangover cure. So, if you had a night of heavy drinking, having a plate of menudo will get you back on your feet.
Can a diabetic eat menudo? ›
A study done by Dr Vivian Fonseca from the University of California, San Diego, found that Menudo improved insulin sensitivity among people with type 2 diabetes when they ate it twice a week compared to those who didn't eat it at all.
Is menudo full of collagen? ›
Menudo's tripe is also a good source of collagen, known for promoting skin and joint health. Menudo is known to aid digestion and soothe an upset stomach, making it a great choice for those with digestive issues.
Why am I craving menudo? ›
In popular Mexican culture, menudo is believed to be a remedy for hangovers. Nowadays, menudo is a popular breakfast food that people enjoy during the weekend, particularly on Sundays. For this reason, many restaurants offer this dish exclusively during the weekend.
What is the English word for menudo? ›
First recorded in 1900–05; from Mexican Spanish; compare Spanish menudos “giblets, innards,” noun use of menudo “small, insignificant,” from Latin minūtus; minute 2, menu.
What animal is menudo meat? ›
Menudo is made with hominy, a type of dried maize, cow's feet and tripe, which is cow's stomach. The ingredients are cooked together for hours with deliciously spicy chilies and herbs, resulting in a thick, hearty soup eaten with bread on the side.
Why would most Spaniards not like to eat menudo? ›
The answer is - It contains offal meat Menudo is a traditional Mexican soup made fr…
Does menudo taste better the next day? ›
Menudo is better reheated the next day, as are most dishes which use red peppers and garlic. The crock pot took too long to get rolling and wasted counter space. If the boys had been hungover, this dish would have been a failure. There is no waiting for hangover food–-only car keys and a greasy spoon.
Is menudo a peasant food? ›
Menudo's origins are firmly planted in peasant food heritage and poverty. According to research, in pre-revolution Mexico, poverty among the campesinos was chronic and little if anything that might be prepared as food was left to waste.
