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Fava bean soup - Ecuadorian locro de habas
5 from 15 votes

Fava bean soup - Ecuadorian locro de habas

Fava bean soup, or Ecuadorian locro de habas, blends fresh peeled fava beans with potatoes, onions, garlic, tomatoes, and spices such as cumin and achiote. The soup is slowly simmered to soften the potatoes and beans, then finished with a milk and beaten egg mixture to lend a creamy texture. Crumbled queso fresco cheese and chopped cilantro add a mild, fresh finish. This hearty soup offers a blend of earthy and mildly spicy notes, ideal for warming meals.

Course: Soup
Cuisine: South American, Ecuadorian

Ingredients

  • 4 cups fava beans from about 4 lbs of whole fava pods, twice peeled, fresh
  • 2 tbs neutral cooking oil generic cooking oil
  • 4 garlic crushed, cloves
  • 2 cups onion about 1 whole onion, white, diced
  • 2 Roma tomato peeled, seeded and chopped
  • ½ tbs cumin ground
  • ½ tsp achiote powder ground
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 3 potatoes peeled and chopped in medium chunks, about 3cups, large, gold variety
  • 6 cups water or broth
  • ½ cup milk
  • 3 egg lightly beaten
  • 1 ½ cups queso fresco can substitute with feta cheese, but most supermarkets now have some type of queso fresco available, crumbled
  • 3 tbs cilantro or parsley; finely chopped
  • salt to taste
To serve:
  • aji hot sauce
  • avocado slices

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan and add the chopped onion, cook for about 5 minutes
  2. Add the crushed garlic, cook for another 2 minutes
  3. Add the chopped tomatoes, cumin, hot pepper powder or chili powder, achiote powder and salt, mix well and cook for another 3 minutes
  4. Add the potatoes and the water or broth, bring to a boil.
  5. Reduce heat to simmer and add 2 cups of the twice peeled fava beans, cook until the potatoes are soft, about 25 minutes.
  6. Use a potato masher to soften and crumble the potato chunks.
  7. Add the remaining 2 cups of fava beans and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  8. Whisk the milk and the eggs together, stir this mixture into the soup.
  9. Stir in the crumbled queso fresco.
  10. Sprinkle with the chopped cilantro or parsley and serve warm with hot sauce and avocado.