Encebollado
Encebollado is Ecuadorian coastal soup built on flaked albacore or bonito, chunks of boiled yuca (cassava), and a tomato-cumin broth, finished with a heap of quick-pickled red onions, lime juice, and cilantro. The name comes from cebolla (onion) and literally means "onioned," referring to that raw or lightly pickled onion topping rather than the broth itself. In Ecuador, especially Guayaquil, it's eaten at breakfast, often as a hangover remedy, and served with mustard, ketchup, aji (hot sauce), and crunchy plantain chifles or popcorn on the side.
Varieties
In Ecuador, "encebollado" almost always means this specific fish and yuca soup. Elsewhere in Latin American and Spanish cooking, the same word is used more generally as a cooking style, as in higado encebollado (liver and onions) or riñones encebollados (kidneys and onions), where it simply means meat braised or topped with sautéed onions rather than a soup.
Buying tips
Choose yuca that feels firm and heavy with no soft spots or dark streaks when the skin is scored; frozen peeled yuca is a reliable substitute for fresh and cooks just as well. For the fish, look for firm, moist fillets or, if using canned, choose solid albacore over chunk light for better texture.
Substitutes
Canned solid white albacore tuna — 1:1 by weight
Stands in for fresh bonito or albacore when fresh fish isn't available; drain well and flake it into the broth during the last few minutes of cooking so it doesn't turn mushy.
Fresh corvina, halibut, or mahi-mahi — 1:1 by weight
A firmer white fish holds up in the broth better than delicate fillets like tilapia; poach it in the broth itself rather than boiling separately.
Yukon gold potatoes — 1:1 by weight
Yuca has a denser, slightly sticky texture potatoes won't fully match, but potatoes cook in less time and are far easier to find; reduce simmering time by about 10 minutes.
Green plantain, boiled — 1:1 by weight
Adds a starchier, faintly sweet note closer to yuca's texture than potato; peel while warm since the skin clings hard once cool.
White or sweet onion, quick-pickled with lime — 1:1 by volume
Use when red onion isn't available; the color won't be as vivid pink, but the sharp, acidic bite that cuts the broth's richness comes through the same way.
Storage
Store the broth with fish and yuca in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; keep the pickled onion topping separate so it doesn't turn the soup pink or go soft. Reheat the broth gently on the stove and add fresh onions and lime just before serving. Freezing isn't recommended since yuca turns grainy once thawed.
How to use
Serve hot as a stand-alone breakfast or light lunch, ladled over the yuca and fish with a generous mound of pickled onions on top. Pass mustard, ketchup, and aji criollo at the table so each person adjusts heat and tang individually, and serve chifles or popcorn on the side for crunch.
What it pairs with
Pairs naturally with aji criollo (a fresh onion-cilantro hot sauce), lime wedges, chifles, and a cold beer or glass of fresh orange juice.
Nutrition
A bowl is high in protein from the fish and provides complex carbohydrates from the yuca, along with vitamin C from the onions and lime juice added at the end.
FAQ
What fish is traditionally used in encebollado?
Fresh bonito (a small tuna relative called albacora in Ecuador) is the traditional choice, though canned solid albacore tuna is a common home-cooking substitute when fresh fish isn't sold locally.
Is encebollado supposed to be spicy?
The base broth isn't spicy; heat comes from aji sauce added at the table, so each bowl can be adjusted from mild to very hot depending on how much is spooned in.
What does the word encebollado actually mean?
It comes from cebolla, meaning onion, and translates roughly to "onioned." It describes the pickled onion topping piled onto the soup, not the soup's name in a literal sense.
Can encebollado be made without fish for a vegetarian version?
Yes, though it stops being traditional encebollado. Some home cooks substitute hearts of palm or mushrooms simmered in the same tomato-cumin broth, keeping the yuca and pickled onion topping intact.
Why is encebollado eaten for breakfast in Ecuador?
It's widely considered a hangover cure along the coast, valued for its hot, acidic broth and hydrating qualities, and street stalls in Guayaquil often sell it only in the morning hours for that reason.
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