Main Course · Soup · Latin American ·

Venezuelan Hallaca Soup with Plantain Dumplings

Name: Venezuelan Hallaca Soup with Plantain Dumplings
Prep time: 70 min
Cook time: 210 min
Total time: 280 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Main Course
Ingredients: Chicken, 1 whole — cut into pieces; Chicken stock, 3 quarts; Onion, 1 large — diced; Garlic, 2 cloves — minced; Tomatoes, 2 large — chopped; Bell pepper, 1 — diced; Cumin, 1 tsp; Oregano, 1 tbsp; Salt and pepper, to taste; Beef, ½ lb — diced; Pork, ½ lb — diced; Green olives, ½ cup — sliced; Raisins, ½ cup; Capers, ¼ cup; Ripe plantains, 3 — peeled and mashed; Cornmeal, 1 cup; Butter, 2 tbsp — melted; Salt, pinch; Fresh cilantro, chopped; Lime wedges

Taste the Venezuelan tradition with this flavorful soup, generously filled with aromatic Hallaca flavors and soft plantain dumplings.

4.3(335 reviews)

·By Ethan Brooks·January 14, 2026

Venezuelan Hallaca Soup with Plantain Dumplings — Main Course served and photographed from above

Prep

1 h 10 min

Cook

3 h 30 min

Difficulty

Advanced

Serves

Ingredients

Servings

For the Soup Base

For the Hallaca Filling

For the Plantain Dumplings

For the Garnish

Nutrition

Per serving

Calories: 651 kcal
Protein: 44.4 g
Carbs: 52.8 g
Fat: 33.2 g
Fiber: 5.4 g

Whole recipe

Total

Calories: 3908 kcal
Protein: 266.4 g
Carbs: 316.8 g
Fat: 199 g
Fiber: 32.5 g

Breakdown by ingredient▾

Ingredient	Cal	P	C	F	Fib
Chicken 1 whole — cut into pieces	1200	110	0	85	0
Chicken stock 3 quarts	120	9	0	5	0
Onion 1 large — diced	60	2	14	0	3
Garlic 2 cloves — minced	10	0.5	2	0	0.1
Tomatoes 2 large — chopped	66	3	14	0.5	4
Bell pepper 1 — diced	24	1	6	0	2
Cumin 1 tsp	8	0.4	1	0.5	0.5
Oregano 1 tbsp	4	0.2	1	0	0.5
Salt and pepper to taste	0	0	0	0	0
Beef ½ lb — diced	500	45	0	35	0
Pork ½ lb — diced	500	40	0	38	0
Green olives ½ cup — sliced	100	1	5	9	3
Raisins ½ cup	215	2	57	0	3
Capers ¼ cup	5	0	1	0	0
Ripe plantains 3 — peeled and mashed	450	3	120	1	12
Cornmeal 1 cup	440	9	94	3	4
Butter 2 tbsp — melted	200	0	0	22	0
Salt pinch	0	0	0	0	0
Fresh cilantro chopped	2	0.2	0.5	0	0.3
Lime wedges	4	0.1	1.3	0	0.1

These are estimates, not dietary advice.

Preparation

Get these tasks done before you start cooking.

Marinating the Hallaca Filling

1
Combine Ingredients
In a bowl, combine the beef, pork, olives, raisins, and capers.
2
Add Spices
Add cumin and oregano; mix well.
3
Chill
Let it marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour.

Preparing the Plantain Dumplings

1
Mix Dough
In a mixing bowl, combine the mashed plantains, cornmeal, butter, and salt.
Tip: Dip your hands in water while forming the dumplings for smoother texture.
2
Knead
Knead until a dough forms.
3
Shape Dumplings
Roll into small dumplings of 1-inch diameter.
Tip: Ensure dumplings are well-formed; poorly shaped dumplings can disintegrate in the soup.

How to Make Venezuelan Hallaca Soup with Plantain Dumplings

Total time: 4 h 40 min · Yields 6 servings

1
Soup Base
Sauté onions, garlic, and bell pepper in a large pot over medium heat until soft.
2
Add Ingredients
Stir in tomatoes, chicken, and stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer.
3
Adding Dumplings
After 1 hour of simmering, add plantain dumplings and hallaca filling; cook until dumplings rise to the surface.