Menudo Rojo and Menudo Blanco: Two Traditional Mexican Styles

A slowly simmered pot of menudo brings tender beef tripe, aromatic broth and favorite table garnishes together. This recipe offers two traditional approaches: Menudo Rojo with a dried red chile sauce, and Menudo Blanco with a clear broth.

Choose your favorite style, add hominy if it suits your regional or family tradition, and set out warm tortillas, lime, onion and oregano so everyone can finish their bowl to taste.

Each version uses the base quantities below. If making two full pots, shop for two batches of the base.

A Brief History of Menudo

Menudo’s story brings together regional cooking, family gatherings and traditions of resourcefulness. From chile-red menudo rojo to clear-broth menudo blanco, recipes vary across Mexico and from household to household. Its exact origin remains uncertain, and popular Revolutionary-era stories are part of its folklore rather than a proven account of its invention.

Learn more about the regional styles, family traditions and stories behind this beloved soup in our History of Menudo article.

Menudo Rojo and Menudo Blanco Recipe

Regional recipes vary greatly. Use the optional ingredients according to the style you are preparing.

Base Ingredients

• 4 lb cleaned beef tripe, cut bite-size
• 1 beef foot, optional
• 1 large onion, halved
• 1 garlic head, halved
• Salt to taste
• Water to cover
• 2–3 cups cooked hominy, optional by regional style

Rojo

• 8–10 guajillo or chile colorado pods
• 2 ancho chiles optional
• 1 tsp Mexican oregano
• ½ tsp cumin optional

Blanco

• Clear broth base, no red chile sauce
• Optional Anaheim/serrano
• Oregano, onion, lime and chile piquín/chiltepín to serve

Directions

1. Rinse cleaned tripe thoroughly and trim excess fat; follow supplier food-safety directions.
2. Simmer tripe, optional foot, onion, garlic and salt until tender, often 3–5 hours.
3. Add hominy during final 30–60 minutes if using.
4. ROJO: Soften dried chiles, blend with garlic and broth, strain if desired, add and simmer 30–45 minutes.
5. BLANCO: Keep broth clear; season and serve with fresh chile, onion/green onion, oregano and lime.
6. Serve either style with tortillas, lime, oregano, onion and salsa.

Shop Menudo Ingredients at MexGrocer

Stock your pantry with hominy for the optional corn addition, dried guajillo chiles for the rojo sauce, and Mexican oregano for seasoning and serving.

Explore our menudo products and pantry options for more choices. Prepared canned menudo is also an option for a convenient meal; it is not an ingredient in this from-scratch recipe.

Menudo Shopping List

This list covers one version serving 8–10. Choose the rojo or blanco extras that match your pot.

MexGrocer Pantry Items

• Hominy — 2–3 cups cooked, optional
• Guajillo or chile colorado — 8–10 pods for rojo
• Ancho chiles — 2, optional for rojo
• Mexican oregano — 1 tsp for rojo, plus extra for serving
• Cumin — ½ tsp, optional for rojo
• Chile piquín or chiltepín — for serving blanco
• Tortillas or Maseca for making tortillas — to serve
• Salsa — to serve
• Menudo mix — optional pantry extra; not required by this recipe

Menudo mixes vary. Check the ingredients before using one in blanco if you want to keep the broth free of red chile.

Fresh and Local Items

• 4 lb cleaned beef tripe
• 1 beef foot, optional
• 1 large onion, plus onion/green onion for serving
• 1 garlic head
• Limes, for serving
• Anaheim/serrano or other fresh chile, optional
• Cilantro/green onion, optional garnish
• Salt, if needed