As I mentioned in a previous post {here} Mexico is a soup country, wherever you visit there’s a varied selection of delicious, regional, and seasonal soups or caldos.

Last time I went to Mexico, I asked my mom to make sopa de habas for me, unfortunately I got sick and couldn’t eat the soup {read: food poisoning…in Mexico? no way!}.

So as soon as my mom landed in Montreal, she whipped up a batch of this heart warming, perfect-for-this-rainy-weather soup, and I thought, given that autumn is upon us, I should share her recipe. 

This soup is somewhat reminiscent of Quebec’s split pea soup, minus the pork so… not really! But same type of hearty & tummy-filling texture.

For Noura and baby Marianne

Sopa de Habas: Fava bean soup

Ingredients

2 tblsp olive oil
2 1/2 c large split fava beans, thoroughly rinsed
1/2 large onion, minced
1/4  bell pepper, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 tomatoes, peeled & minced
1-2 tblsp tomato paste
3 sprigs of cilantro
1-2 sprigs of mint (optional)
2+ tblsp oregano or marjoram
8 c water
salt & pepper

In a large pot, over medium heat, heat olive oil. Once it’s hot add large onion and sautée until cooked through and translucent. Add bell pepper and cook until onion is slightly golden. Then add garlic and sautée for about 30 sec. Add the tomatoes and tomato paste and sautée until the tomatoes are cooked through and form a thick paste (about 5+ min). Add the fava beans, water, cilantro, mint, and oregano and mix thoroughly. Once it starts simmering, partially cover, reduce the heat to medium-low. Lightly season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 1.5-2 hours, and check periodically (about every 15 min). Mix the soup and scrape the bottom every time you check to make sure it’s not burning. Once the beans are cooked through the soup should boil for at least 5 min so that the flavors meld.

Taste the soup and rectify the seasoning if needed {If you want to increase the garlic flavor you can mince a garlic clove and mix it in the soup once it’s done cooking}.

To serve drizzle a bit of olive oil and sprinkle some oregano. My aunt normally fries a small piece of bread and places it in the center of the plate, its delish trust me!

Hope you enjoyed this & thank you for reading!