Locro de Papa
Locro de Papa is the everyday soup of Ecuador's Andean region, a home dish so common that nearly every family has its own version, depending on the potato variety available locally. The name "locro" comes from a Quechua word used for thick stews throughout the Andes, from Peru to Chile, but the Ecuadorian version stands out for its combination of cheese and avocado as a final garnish. The soup's technique relies on a deliberate mix of textures: the starchy potatoes, cooked long enough, break down naturally in the liquid and thicken it, while the half left whole adds substance to every spoonful. The moment the cheese is added matters as much as the ingredients — if put in while the soup is still boiling, the cheese separates and turns rubbery; added only after the pot has been taken off the heat, it melts smoothly, keeping its creaminess.
Two kinds of potato are used, with different textures
A starchy variety breaks down and thickens the broth, a firmer one stays whole in chunks
Part of the soup gets blended, the rest stays chunky
Combines the creaminess of a puréed soup with the satisfaction of biting into a potato chunk
The cheese goes in at the end, off the heat, not while the soup is simmering
Boiling would turn it rubbery; the residual heat melts it gently, keeping it creamy
Every bowl is finished with avocado and a slice or two of fresh cheese
The avocado's freshness cuts through the richness of the thick potato soup
Ingredients 4 servings
- 600g starchy potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 400g waxy potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp achiote (annatto) or sweet paprika
- 1 liter vegetable broth or water
- 250ml milk
- 150g fresh cheese, crumbled
- 1 avocado, sliced, for serving
- Fresh cilantro, for serving
- Salt, to taste
How to make it
- 1SAUTÉ THE AROMATICS: heat a splash of oil, sauté the onion and garlic with achiote, until the onion softens.
- 2ADD THE POTATOES: add both kinds of potato, stir to coat with the flavored oil.
- 3POUR IN THE LIQUID: pour in the broth or water, bring to a boil, then simmer 20-25 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.
- 4PARTIALLY BLEND: remove about half the potatoes, blend them or mash with a fork, then return them to the pot.
- 5ADD THE MILK: pour in the milk, stir, let simmer gently 5 more minutes, so the soup thickens evenly.
- 6ADD THE CHEESE: take the pot off the heat, stir in the crumbled cheese, mix until it melts smoothly.
- 7SERVE: serve immediately, with avocado slices and fresh cilantro on top.
Nutritional info
per serving (~400 ml)
Estimated nutritional values.
Pairs perfectly with
