Fava bean soup - Ecuadorian locro de habas
This fava bean soup or Ecuadorian locro de habas is a hearty soup made with fava beans, potatoes, milk, eggs, cheese, onions, garlic, tomatoes, cumin, hot pepper, and cilantro.
- Prep time
- 14 min
- Cook time
- 31 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 4 cups twice peeled fresh fava beans (from about 4 lbs of whole fava pods)
- 2 tbs oil
- 4 garlic cloves (crushed)
- 2 cups diced white onion (about 1 whole onion)
- 2 roma tomatoes (peeled, seeded and chopped)
- ½ tbs ground cumin
- ½ tsp ground achiote powder
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 3 large gold potatoes (peeled and chopped in medium chunks, about 3cups)
- 6 cups water or broth
- ½ cup milk
- 3 eggs (lightly beaten)
- 1 ½ cups crumbled queso fresco (can substitute with feta cheese, but most supermarkets now have some type of queso fresco available)
- 3 tbs finely chopped cilantro or parsley
- Salt to taste
- Aji hot sauce
- Avocado slices
Instructions
- 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.