---
title: "Chilean Cracked Wheat Stew — Homemade Cazuela de Frangollo Recipe"
description: "Versión en Español. Chilean cazuela de frangollo is a hearty stew of beef shank (osobuco) browned with onion and garlic, simmered in water with soaked cracked wheat (frangollo), oregano, ají de color,..."
url: https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/chilean-cracked-wheat-stew-cazuela-de-frangollo-recipe/
date: 2026-09-27
modified: 2026-09-27
author: "Carlos Uhart M."
image: https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/chilean-cracked-wheat-cazuela-de-frangollo-featured.jpg
categories: ["Soups"]
type: post
lang: en
---

# Chilean Cracked Wheat Stew — Homemade Cazuela de Frangollo Recipe

[Versión en Español](https://comidaschilenas.com/receta-de-cazuela-de-frangollo/)

![Chilean cazuela de frangollo, a cracked wheat stew with beef shank and vegetables](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/chilean-cracked-wheat-cazuela-de-frangollo-featured.jpg)*Homemade Chilean cazuela de frangollo*

Chilean cazuela de frangollo is a hearty stew of beef shank (osobuco) browned with onion and garlic, simmered in water with soaked cracked wheat (frangollo), oregano, ají de color, and cumin, then finished with potatoes, carrots, bell pepper, squash, and corn on the cob. It takes 3 hours of soaking plus 60 minutes of cooking and serves 4 people.

It is an almost forgotten recipe from the Valparaíso region, once made with wheat stone-ground on the same day.

## How to Make Cazuela de Frangollo?

Cazuela de frangollo was made with seasonal vegetables and hen, rabbit, or beef, and was a popular dish of the Valparaíso region. The cracked wheat is soaked, the meat is browned, and the vegetables are added in stages.

## Nutritional Information

Each serving of cazuela de frangollo contains approximately 450 kcal, 60 g of carbohydrates, 15 g of fat, 25 g of protein, 10 g of fiber, 10 g of sugars, 50 mg of cholesterol, and 800 mg of sodium. These values are estimates and may vary depending on ingredients and portion sizes.

## Homemade Chilean Cazuela de Frangollo Recipe

**Preparation:** 3 hours
**Cooking:** 60 minutes
**Servings:** 4 people

### Ingredients

- 400 g (14 oz) of beef shank (osobuco)
- 250 g (9 oz) of cracked wheat (frangollo)
- 100 g (3.5 oz) of winter squash
- 4 pieces of corn on the cob
- 4 peeled potatoes
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 2 carrots
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 onion
- Oil
- Fresh cilantro
- Oregano
- Ají de color (sweet paprika)
- Ground cumin
- Fine salt

### Instructions

1. Soak the frangollo in cold water for at least 3 hours and squeeze it out just before adding it to the pot. In a large pot, heat a little oil and sauté the chopped onion and garlic for a few minutes until the onion is translucent.

![Beef shank pieces for the cazuela de frangollo](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Osobuco-Beef-for-Chilean-Cazuela.jpg)*Beef shank*

1. Add the beef shank and brown it on all sides. Pour in 2 liters (8 1/2 cups) of water, add the squeezed frangollo and salt, and season with a little dried oregano, ají de color, and cumin. Stir gently and cook for 15 minutes.

![Potatoes and squash cut into pieces for the cazuela](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/potatoes-and-squash-charquican.jpg)*Potatoes and squash*

1. Add the peeled potatoes, the carrots cut into julienne, the bell pepper and squash in pieces, and the corn, and cook over medium heat for 25 to 35 minutes until everything is tender. Serve very hot in deep bowls, garnished with chopped fresh cilantro if you like.

![Corn on the cob pieces for the cazuela](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/corn-on-the-cob-pieces-cazuela.jpg)*Corn on the cob*

## Additional Tips

### Cook it in clay

A clay pot spreads heat evenly and helps keep the wheat from sticking.

### Ferment the wheat

For easier digestion, soak the cracked wheat in a mix of whey and warm water (2:1) for 12 hours before cooking.

### Add liquid when reheating

Frangollo keeps absorbing liquid, so add a little water or stock when you reheat it.

| Original ingredient | Substitute | Ratio | Flavor note |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Beef shank | Hen, free-range chicken, or rabbit | 1:1 | Lighter broth |
| Frangollo | Bulgur | 1:1 | Quicker, similar texture |
| Winter squash | Butternut squash | 1:1 | Sweeter |
| Water | Beef stock | 1:1 | Richer broth |

## Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

### 1. What is frangollo?

Frangollo is cracked wheat, an affordable, nutritious grain that was a staple for farmers, shipyard workers, and working families in the Valparaíso region.

### 2. Can I use mote instead of frangollo?

It is not ideal. Frangollo is cracked raw wheat, while mote is hulled and precooked, so texture and cooking time differ.

### 3. What other meats can I use?

Hen, free-range chicken, rabbit, or tender beef all work well.

### 4. How long does it keep?

Up to 3 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container; add water or stock when reheating.

## What Is Cazuela de Frangollo?

Cazuela de frangollo is a traditional Chilean cazuela thickened with cracked wheat, a humble, filling stew from the Valparaíso region.

## A Nearly Forgotten Grain

Frangollo was once ground in stone mills on the day it was cooked, then soaked in water or broth and used in stews and cazuelas.

## Did You Know?

The word frangollo is related to the Latin frangere, meaning to break, a reference to the cracked wheat grains.

## Recommended

- [Chilean Beef Cazuela](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/chilean-beef-cazuela-recipe/)
- [Chilean Meatball Cazuela](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/chilean-meatball-cazuela-de-albondigas-recipe/)
- [Chilean Magallanes Lamb Cazuela](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/chilean-magallanes-lamb-cazuela-de-cordero-recipe/)
- [Chilean Puchero Seco](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/chilean-puchero-seco-one-pot-boiled-dinner-recipe/)