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Ecuadorian

Locro de papa

Vegetarian

A creamy Andean potato soup from Ecuador's highlands, coloured with achiote and enriched with milk and melting fresh cheese, served topped with avocado.

Locro de papa is an Ecuadorian soup, ready in about 55 minutes and made with potato, milk and queso fresco. It serves 6 and is rated easy to cook.

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Prep
15 min
Cook
40 min
Total
55 min
Serves
6
Level
Easy
Calories
324

Ingredients

6 servings

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Melt the butter (opens in a new tab) with the achiote (opens in a new tab) and cook the onion (opens in a new tab), spring onion (opens in a new tab), garlic (opens in a new tab) and cumin (opens in a new tab) until soft, 6–8 minutes.

    Onions frying golden in a pan
    How it looks · Photo: Magda Ehlers on Pexels

  2. Step 2

    Add the potatoes (opens in a new tab) and stir for 2 minutes, then add the water and salt. Simmer for 25–30 minutes until the potatoes are very soft.

    • 30 min
    • medium-low heat

  3. Step 3

    Mash some of the potatoes (opens in a new tab) in the pot so the soup thickens but keeps some chunks. Stir in the milk (opens in a new tab) and heat without boiling.

    • 4 min
    • low heat
    Potatoes being mashed
    How it looks · Photo: Mateusz Feliksik on Pexels

  4. Step 4

    Take the pot off the burner and stir in the cheese and cilantro (opens in a new tab). Serve with avocado (opens in a new tab) slices on top.

    • 2 min
    A finished dish being plated
    How it looks · Photo: Willians Huerta on Pexels

About this dish

Origin
Ecuador · Well documentedLocro is a broad Andean family of soups and stews; this potato-cheese version is typically Ecuadorian.More food from Ecuador
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Soups
Cooking method
Simmered, Boiled
Taste
creamy, mild, savoury, earthy
Diet
Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · No gluten ingredients · No nut ingredients
All labelsVegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · Whole-food focused · No gluten ingredients · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Low-fat
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
One-pot · Everyday · Budget-friendly · Child-friendly
Cook more with
Potato · Milk · Queso fresco · Butter · Annatto (achiote) seeds / ground · Onion
Techniques
Boiling · Simmering

Allergens

  • Contains: Milkfrom butter, milk, queso fresco

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

324 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 561 g · recipe makes 6

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 15%
  • Carbohydrate 50%
  • Fat 35%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy324 kcal58 kcal
Protein12.1 g2.1 g
Carbohydrate41.1 g7.3 g
Net carbohydrate36.3 g6.5 g
Sugars5.6 g1 g
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre4.8 g0.9 g
Fat13 g2.3 g
Saturated fat7.3 g1.3 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol36 mg6 mg
Sodium1092 mg195 mg
Salt equivalent2.7 g0.5 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
1014 mg
Calcium
304 mg
Iron
2.1 mg
Magnesium
69 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
128 µg
Vitamin C
43 mg
Vitamin D
1.5 µg
Vitamin B12
0.8 µg
Folate (DFE)
43 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: avocado.
  • Not counted (tiny amounts or “to taste”): annatto (achiote) seeds / ground.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Mixing floury and waxy potatoes gives both creaminess and texture.

Common mistakes

  • Boiling after adding the milk and cheese, which can make it grainy.

Serve with

  • With ají criollo and toasted corn on the side.

Storage

  • Refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Reheating

  • Reheat gently, adding water or milk to loosen.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

  • Butter25 g
  • Potato, peeled and cubed; a floury and a waxy variety mixed1200 g
  • Milk250 ml · 258 g
  • Queso fresco, crumbled or diced200 g
  • Avocado, sliced, to serve (optional)2 piece · 300 g
Used in steps 1, 2, 3, 4

Reviews & corrections

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