Instant Pot Menudo
This Instant Pot menudo is pure comfort—tender tripe, a rich, gelatinous broth, and deep chile flavor, all ready in a fraction of the time. A faster, easier process so you can make it anytime.
This comforting menudo is made by pressure cooking cleaned tripe and cow’s feet with a rich red chile sauce and aromatics until tender and beautifully gelatinous.
It’s served hot in deep bowls and finished with onion, cilantro, oregano, chile de árbol and fresh lime for classic, homestyle flavor.
What Is Menudo?
Menudo is a traditional Mexican soup made with honeycomb tripe slowly simmered in a deep red chile broth. In many regions, cow’s feet are added for richness, body, and that unmistakable silky texture that only collagen can give.
For me, the cow’s feet are essential. They bring so much depth to the broth and a beautiful contrast in texture. It’s that slow release of collagen that transforms the soup into something comforting, nourishing, and truly special.
Why Menudo Is So Beloved
Menudo is famous for its “reviving” reputation. Not in a medical sense, but in the way a hot, steaming bowl can bring you back to life after a long night or a hard week. It’s the kind of dish people swear by because it feels like home in a bowl.
Regional Variations
Like many traditional dishes, menudo changes from place to place. Some regions add hominy, giving the soup extra heartiness and a subtle corn sweetness. Others keep it all about the tripe and broth.
In northern Mexico, the red chile version is the most common, while other regions enjoy white or even green variations, each with its own character and history.
Ingredients
- Honeycomb tripe brings a mild, meaty flavor and tender chew,while cow’s feet release collagen that gives the broth its rich, silky body and depth.
- Lime freshens the cuts, reduces strong aromas, and helps keep the final broth clean and balanced in flavor.
- Dried Chiles: Guajillo chiles are mild in heat and flavor, making them ideal for pairing with other chiles, while puya chiles are similar in taste but add a gentle heat. Ancho chiles round out the blend with warmth, earthiness, and a subtle raisin-like sweetness.
- Spices & Herbs: Cumin seeds add warm, earthy notes, Mexican oregano brings a light herbal citrus touch, bay leaves add subtle depth, and epazote contributes its distinct, traditional flavor.
- Aromatics: White onion and garlic build a gentle sweetness and savory depth, creating a flavorful foundation for the broth.
- Salt ties everything together, enhancing the natural flavors of the meat, chiles, and aromatics.
How to Make Menudo (Instant Pot Method)
Here’s a quick overview of how everything comes together. For full, step-by-step instructions, be sure to check out the recipe card below.
Step 1: Clean the Tripe & Feet
Prep the tripe, then rinse it in cold water. Soak the tripe and cow’s feet in cold water with lime juice for 30 minutes. Rinse thoroughly to remove all the lime juice, until the water runs clear, and transfer to the Instant Pot.
Step 2: Make the Red Chile Sauce
Lightly toast the dried chiles, rinse, and soak in hot water, then blend with the soaking liquid, oregano, and cumin until smooth.
Step 3: Pressure Cook
Add the tripe, cow’s feet, red sauce, aromatics, water, and some salt to the Instant Pot. Cook on High (Beef) for 1 hour 20 minutes, then allow a 10-minute natural pressure release and carefully release the remaining pressure according to the Instant Pot instructions.
Step 4: Finish & Serve
Remove the aromatics, skim the fat from the broth, trim and cut the collagen-rich outer layer from the cow’s feet, and return it to the pot. Adjust seasoning, then serve hot with traditional toppings and warm corn tortillas.
Recipe Video Tutorial
Watch my easy video tutorial for step-by-step visuals on making Instant Pot Menudo.
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A Dish Born from Tradition
Menudo has humble roots. It was born from using every part of the animal, turning tougher cuts like tripe and feet into something tender and luxurious through long, slow cooking.
Over time, it became a celebratory dish, often served on weekends, holidays, and family gatherings. It’s a soup made with patience, shared with love, and passed down through generations.
Why Soak in Lime Water?
Soaking the tripe and cow’s feet in cold water with lime juice is a traditional step that cleans the cuts and reduces strong aromas.
Some cooks use white vinegar, but its sharper acidity can linger and slightly change the flavor of the broth. Lime, on the other hand, freshens the meat without overpowering it.
This is a tip passed down from my mother and my aunt, and it’s one of those small details that keeps the flavor true and the broth classic.
Store
Refrigerator: Let the menudo cool completely, then transfer to airtight containers. Store for up to 3-4 days.
Freezer: Cool completely and portion into freezer-safe containers or bags, leaving space for expansion. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
Instant Pot Menudo
Ingredients
Tripe & Cow’s Feet
- 4 lbs beef honeycomb tripe
- 2 lb cow’s feet, medium cuts
- 5 limes
Red Chile Sauce
- 10 guajillo chiles, stemmed, seeded, and deveined
- 5 puya chiles, stemmed, seeded, and deveined
- 1 ancho chile, stemmed, seeded, and deveined
- 1 1/2 tsp dried Mexican oregano
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
Aromatics
- 1 white onion, halved
- 1 head garlic, top trimmed
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 sprigs fresh epazote
Liquids & Seasoning
- To taste kosher salt
- 8 cups water, divided
To Serve
- White onion, diced
- Cilantro, chopped
- Dried Mexican Oregano
- Chiles de árbol, pieces
- Lime wedges
- Avocado
- Warm corn tortillas
Instructions
Prep the Tripe and Cow’s Feet
- Cut the honeycomb tripe into medium pieces and place in a large container (a strainer insert is ideal).
- Cover with cold water, gently rub to clean, then drain. Repeat twice.
- Refill with cold water, add the juice of 5 limes, and drop in the lime skins. Add the cow’s feet and soak for 30 minutes.
Make the Red Chile Sauce
- Toast the guajillo, puya, and ancho chiles in batches until fragrant, about 10 seconds per batch, turning constantly to avoid burning.
- Transfer to a heatproof container, rinse, then cover with 4 cups hot water. Soak 5–10 minutes, until soft and pliable.
- Blend chiles with soaking liquid, oregano, and cumin until completely smooth. Strain if needed.
Finish Cleaning
- Discard the lime skins. Rinse the tripe and cow’s feet thoroughly under cold water, removing all the lime juice and continuing until the water runs clear. Drain well.
Cook the Menudo
- Transfer tripe and cow’s feet to an 8-quart Instant Pot insert.
- Pour in the red sauce, onion, garlic, bay leaves, epazote, and 4 cups water (or enough to reach, but not exceed, the Max line). Lightly season with 2 teaspoons of kosher salt.
- Lock the lid and pressure cook on High (Beef setting) for 1 hour 20 minutes. Allow a 10-minute natural release, then carefully release the remaining pressure according to the Instant Pot instructions.
- Open the pot. Remove and discard onion, garlic, bay leaves, and epazote. Skim off excess fat.
- Remove the cow’s feet from the broth. Cut away and keep the outer layer (mainly tendons, skin, and connective tissue), discard the bones, then cut the connective tissue into bite-size pieces and return the chopped pieces to the pot.
- Taste and adjust salt as needed.
Serve
- Ladle into large deep bowls and garnish with chopped onion, cilantro, oregano, chiles de árbol, lime juice, and avocado. Serve with warm corn tortillas on the side.
Equipment
Nutrition
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