Ajiaco Soup from Disney's Encanto (2024)

Ajiaco soup was featured as one of the foods in Disney’s Encanto–learn how to make it at home!

Channel the magic of the Madrigal family with this traditional Colombian ajiaco soup recipe!

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If you’ve seen Disney’s Encanto, you’ve probably noticed how food is an integral part of the Madrigal family’s day.

Not only does Mirabel Madrigal sing about how her “mom Julieta can make you feel better with just one arepa,” but we see other foods make an appearance as well.

For instance, during the scene of Isabel’s engagement dinner with the Guzmans, the two families sit down to a meal of Ajiaco Colombiano, a traditional Colombian soup made with chicken, potatoes, and corn.

Whether you’re planning an Encanto birthday party or just want to sample some of the famous Encanto foods, we’re sharing a simple ajiaco soup recipe.

Be sure to also test your knowledge with our Encanto trivia game and print some Encanto coloring pages!

More Encanto-Inspired Recipes and Ideas:

Arepas from Encanto
“We Don’t Talk About Bruno” Encanto Cupcakes
Encanto Birthday Cakes

What is Ajiaco Soup?

Ajiaco is a soup that originated in Colombia, Peru, and Cuba. Each region has its own version, with Colombian Ajiaco (or Ajiaco Colombiano) being the most common.

Made with chicken, potatoes, and corn, it’s seasoned with garlic, green onions, and an herb called guasca leaf.

A plant in the daisy family, guascas is an herb commonly used in cuisines of Colombia, Peru, and other South American countries. It’s a quintessential ingredient in this soup.

What is Ajiaco Served With?

The finished soup can be served as-is, or you can add white rice, capers, heavy cream, or avocado slices.

As you may have noticed in Encanto, the meal is served family-style, with the toppings separate so each person can dress their bowl as desired.

How to Make Ajiaco

It’s easy to make this soup, thanks to few ingredients and a simple method.

Ingredients You’ll Need:

Olive Oil
Onion
Garlic
Green Onions
Chicken Broth
Chicken Bouillon (I use Better than Bouillon chicken base)
Boneless Chicken Breasts
Dried Guascas
Cilantro
Fresh Corn
Potatoes (Combination of Golden, Red, and Russet)
Options For Serving: Heavy Cream (or some prefer sour cream), Capers, Avocado Slices, White Rice

How to Make It:

Saute. In a stockpot or Dutch oven, add olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add diced onions and cook for 3-5 minutes, until they begin to soften and turn translucent. Add garlic and sliced green onions, cooking just until fragrant, or about a minute.

Simmer. Add chicken broth, bouillon, chicken, guascas, and cilantro. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.

Cook for about 15-20 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken to a plate.

Cook potatoes and corn. Add cubed potatoes and corn to the broth and continue to simmer for another 10 minutes, or until potatoes are fork tender.

Shred chicken. While the potatoes and corn are cooking, shred the chicken. Once potatoes are done, return chicken to the pot and allow to simmer for a couple of minutes to warm through.

Garnish and serve. Add salt and pepper to taste, if needed. Serve with a drizzle of heavy cream or a bit of sour cream. Garnish with more fresh cilantro, capers, and avocado slices if desired, and serve with white rice if you’d like.

Notes and Adaptations:

Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. If you decide to freeze the soup, just keep in mind that the texture of the potatoes can change after defrosting, but the flavor should still be good!
If you can’t find guascas locally, you can order them here on Amazon.

Yield: 6-8 Servings