Locro de Papa with Avocado and Toast

A comforting and thick Ecuadorian potato and cheese soup, enriched with milk and achiote, served with creamy avocado slices and crusty toasted bread.

• Prep: 20 min
• Cook: 45 min
• Total: 1 hr 5 min
• Servings: 2
• Cuisine: Ecuadorian
• Difficulty: Medium
• Cost: $5.33/serving

Dietary

• Gluten-Free
• Nut-Free
• Egg-Free
• High-Protein
• High-Fiber

Tags

• comfort food
• savory
• rich
• boil
• healthy

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 yellow onion (medium, finely diced)
• 2 clove garlic (minced)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 0.5 teaspoon achiote paste (or powder)
• 1.5 pound yellow potatoes (peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes)
• 4 cup chicken broth
• 0.5 cup milk
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese (shredded or crumbled)
• 0.5 teaspoon salt
• 0.25 teaspoon black pepper
• 0.25 cup fresh cilantro (chopped)
• 1 avocado (ripe, sliced)
• 2 slice crusty bread (toasted)

Instructions

1. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add finely diced yellow onion and minced garlic. Sauté for 5-7 minutes until softened and translucent.
2. Stir in ground cumin and achiote paste. Cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.
3. Add the cubed yellow potatoes and chicken broth to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until the potatoes are very tender and easily mashable.
4. Using a potato masher or the back of a large spoon, mash about half of the potatoes directly in the pot. This will thicken the soup and give it a creamy texture while leaving some chunks intact. If you prefer a smoother soup, mash more potatoes.
5. Stir in the milk and shredded mozzarella cheese. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until the cheese has melted and the soup is creamy. Do not let the soup boil after adding the cheese and milk.
6. Stir in 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
7. Ladle the hot locro de papa into bowls. Garnish each serving with sliced avocado and additional fresh cilantro. Serve immediately with toasted crusty bread on the side.

Notes

Using yellow potatoes is key for the creamy texture of this soup. For a completely vegetarian version, use vegetable broth. Quesillo is the traditional cheese, but mozzarella works well for its melting qualities.

Nutrition (per serving)

• Calories: 814
• Protein: 28.3 g
• Carbohydrates: 99.4 g
• Fat: 36.7 g
• Fiber: 14.2 g
• Sodium: 2931 mg
• Saturated Fat: 11.6 g
• Sugar: 11.8 g
• Cholesterol: 45 mg