Sop Buntut, also known as Indonesian Oxtail Soup, is one of Indonesia’s most beloved comfort foods. This rich and deeply flavorful soup features tender pieces of oxtail slowly simmered until the meat becomes succulent and nearly falls from the bone. Potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, celery, and aromatic spices create a hearty broth that is both comforting and satisfying.Unlike many heavily spiced Indonesian dishes, Sop Buntut has a beautifully balanced flavor profile.
Sop Buntut:
The broth is savory, fragrant, and gently spiced, allowing the rich flavor of the oxtail to remain at the center. Garlic, shallots, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, pepper, and cinnamon add warmth and complexity, while tomatoes and fresh herbs provide brightness.This traditional-style Indonesian oxtail soup is perfect for a family lunch, weekend dinner, or special gathering. Serve it steaming hot with steamed white rice, fried shallots, lime wedges, sambal, and crispy crackers for a comforting meal that captures the delicious character of Indonesian home cooking.
History of Sop Buntut:
Sop Buntut has become an iconic Indonesian soup and is enjoyed throughout the country in homes, restaurants, food stalls, and special-occasion gatherings. The dish is particularly popular in Jakarta and other major Indonesian cities, where different restaurants have developed their own versions.Oxtail became an important ingredient in Indonesian cooking through a combination of local culinary traditions and historical influences. Cooks learned to transform this relatively tough cut into a luxurious dish by slowly simmering it for several hours until the meat became tender and the bones enriched the broth.Over time, Indonesian cooks incorporated familiar local aromatics and spices such as garlic, shallots, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, pepper, and cinnamon. Today, Sop Buntut is often served with vegetables, fried shallots, fresh herbs, lime, sambal, steamed rice, and sometimes a fried or grilled piece of oxtail for an especially indulgent presentation.
Subscribe to our youtube channel Kitchenpedia for more delicious recipes and hit the like button if you enjoyed this youtubevideo. Share it with your friends and Family.
Sop Buntut
Ingredients
For the Oxtail
- 1.5 kg beef oxtail, cut into pieces
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
For the Aromatic Spice Paste
- 6 shallots, roughly chopped
- 5 garlic cloves
- 1-inch piece fresh ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
For the Soup
- 2 liters water or beef stock
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 whole cloves
- 1 stalk lemongrass, bruised
- 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
- 2 medium carrots, sliced
- 2 tomatoes, cut into wedges
- 2 stalks celery, sliced
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- Black pepper, to taste
For Garnishing
- 2 spring onions, finely sliced
- 2 tablespoons chopped celery leaves
- 4 tablespoons crispy fried shallots
- Lime wedges
- Fresh red chilies, sliced
- Crispy prawn crackers, optional
For Serving
- Steamed white rice
- Indonesian sambal
- Lime wedges
- Emping or prawn crackers
- Fried shallots
Instructions
Clean the Oxtail
- Place the oxtail pieces in a large pot and cover them with cold water.Bring the water to a boil and simmer for approximately 5–10 minutes.Drain the oxtail and discard the cooking water.Rinse the oxtail pieces under clean water and wipe the pot clean.This blanching step helps remove excess impurities and creates a cleaner, clearer soup.
Prepare the Aromatics
- Add the shallots, garlic, ginger, coriander, pepper, and nutmeg to a food processor.Blend into a coarse aromatic paste.You can also finely mince the ingredients by hand if you do not have a food processor.
Brown the Oxtail
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat.Season the oxtail pieces with salt and black pepper.Brown them in batches for approximately 2–3 minutes per side.Avoid overcrowding the pot.Transfer the browned oxtail to a plate.
Fry the Spice Paste
- Reduce the heat to medium.Add the aromatic spice paste to the same pot.Cook for approximately 3–5 minutes, stirring frequently.The paste should become fragrant and slightly golden.This step develops the deeper Indonesian flavor of the soup.
Build the Broth
- Return the browned oxtail to the pot.Pour in approximately 2 liters of water or beef stock.Add the bay leaves, cinnamon stick, cloves, bruised lemongrass, sliced onion, soy sauce, and sugar.Stir gently.
Add Tomatoes and Celery
- Add the tomato wedges and sliced celery during the final 10 minutes of cooking.This keeps their texture fresher and adds a bright vegetable flavor to the broth.
Season the Soup
- Taste the broth carefully.Add additional salt, black pepper, or soy sauce as needed.The soup should taste rich and savory with gentle warmth from the spices.Remove the cinnamon stick, cloves, bay leaves, and lemongrass before serving
Finish the Soup
- Turn off the heat and allow the soup to rest for approximately 5 minutes.If there is excessive fat on the surface, carefully skim some off with a spoon.For an even cleaner broth, refrigerate the soup and remove the solidified fat from the surface before reheatingGarnish
Garnish
- Ladle the hot Sop Buntut into large bowls.Top generously with fried shallots, spring onions, celery leaves, and fresh cilantro.Add sliced red chilies for extra heat.
Serve
- Serve immediately with steamed white rice, lime wedges, sambal, and crispy crackers.Squeeze fresh lime juice over the soup just before eating to brighten the rich broth.
Notes
- Blanch the oxtail first: This helps create a cleaner and clearer broth.
- Brown the meat: Browning develops deeper savory flavor.
- Simmer gently: A slow simmer produces tender oxtail and a flavorful broth.
- Skim excess fat: Oxtail naturally contains a significant amount of fat.
- Do not rush the cooking: Tough oxtail needs sufficient time to become tender.
- Add vegetables later: Potatoes and carrots can become mushy if cooked for several hours.
- Taste before adding salt: Stock and soy sauce can already contain sodium.
- Use fresh lime at serving: The acidity balances the richness of the broth beautifully.
Tips for Sop Buntut:
- Use meaty oxtail pieces: They provide more meat and create a richer soup.
- Cook the oxtail a day ahead: Chilled soup makes it much easier to remove excess fat.
- Use homemade beef stock when available: It gives the broth additional depth.
- Fry the spice paste properly: Cooking the aromatics before adding liquid significantly improves the flavor.
- Keep the broth at a gentle simmer: Vigorous boiling can make the broth cloudy and toughen the meat.
- Add lime only at the end: Prolonged cooking can diminish its fresh flavor.
- Use crispy fried shallots generously: Their crunchy texture contrasts beautifully with the tender meat.
- Serve the soup piping hot: Sop Buntut is especially comforting when served immediately after cooking.
FAQs for Sop Buntut:
1. What is Sop Buntut?
Sop Buntut is a traditional Indonesian oxtail soup made by slowly simmering beef oxtail with vegetables, aromatic spices, and herbs until the meat becomes extremely tender.
2. Why is oxtail used for soup?
Oxtail contains bones, connective tissue, and flavorful meat. Slow cooking allows the connective tissue to break down and enrich the broth with a naturally silky texture.
3. How long does oxtail take to become tender?
Traditional stovetop cooking generally takes around 2½–4 hours, depending on the size and quality of the oxtail pieces.
4. Can I make Sop Buntut in a pressure cooker?
Yes. A pressure cooker can significantly reduce the cooking time. Follow your appliance’s instructions for cooking tough beef cuts and adjust the vegetable cooking time separately.
5. Can I make Sop Buntut ahead of time?
Yes. In fact, preparing it ahead can improve the flavor. Refrigerating the soup also makes it easier to remove excess solidified fat from the surface.
6. Why is my oxtail still tough?
Oxtail simply needs more cooking time if it remains tough. Continue simmering gently until the meat becomes tender and separates easily from the bone.
7. Can I freeze Indonesian Oxtail Soup?
Yes. Allow the soup to cool safely, transfer it to airtight freezer-safe containers, and freeze. Thaw in the refrigerator and reheat thoroughly before serving.
8. What is traditionally served with Sop Buntut?
Sop Buntut is commonly enjoyed with steamed rice, sambal, lime, fried shallots, fresh herbs, and crackers such as emping or prawn crackers.
Conclusion:
Sop Buntut is the ultimate Indonesian comfort soup for anyone who loves rich broth, tender meat, and aromatic spices. Slowly simmered oxtail creates an incredibly flavorful base, while garlic, shallots, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, and pepper give the soup its distinctive Indonesian character.
The secret to a great Sop Buntut is patience. Slowly cooking the oxtail allows the meat to become wonderfully tender while the bones and connective tissue enrich the broth. Adding the vegetables toward the end keeps them flavorful and perfectly textured.
Serve this steaming bowl of Indonesian Oxtail Soup with fluffy rice, crispy fried shallots, fresh lime, sambal, chilies, and crunchy crackers. Whether served for a relaxed family dinner or a special weekend meal, Sop Buntut is a deeply satisfying Indonesian classic that is well worth the cooking time.