Ecuador has an amazing selection of delicious soup recipes, from traditional seafood soups in the coast to meat soups in the Andean Highlands. You will find Ecuadorian soups made a lot of different ingredients that you didn’t expect, we have soups made with plantains, with quinoa, with fava beans, with cow feet, and even a soup called caldo de guanchaca (possum soup). One of the most traditional soups in Ecuador is called fanesca, it’s a very special soup that is only prepared during Easter. Soups are a must have at every lunch in Ecuador. Soups in Ecuador are always served with avocado slices and aji criollo or hot sauce. I grew up eating soup at least once a day and one of things that I crave the most when I’m homesick are soups. Here’s a list of my favorite Ecuadorian soup recipes:

Aguado de gallina: Aguado de gallina is a thick soup made with chicken, rice, potatoes, onions, peppers, other vegetables, herbs and spices.

Arvejas con guineo: Arvejas con guineo is a typical Ecuadorian soup made with green bananas, peas, onion, garlic, cumin, achiote, cheese and cilantro.

Biche de pescado: Biche de pescado, also called viche, is a typical Ecuadorian soup made with fish, peanuts, yuca, sweet plantains, corn, and other vegetables and spices.

Caldo de bolas de verde: Caldo de bolas is a typical Ecuadorian soup of green plantain balls or dumplings stuffed with meat and served in a delicious broth with corn and yuca.

Caldo de pata or cow feet soup: Caldo de patas de res or cow feet soup is a traditional Latin American comfort soup made with cow feet, yuca, mote or hominy, cilantro, parsley, onions, garlic, achiote, cumin, peanuts, milk, oregano.

Encebollado de pescado: Ecuadorian fish soup recipe made with fresh tuna, yuca, tomato, onions, cilantro, cumin, hot pepper and topped with pickled onions and tomatoes.

Fanesca: Fanesca is an Ecuadorian soup or stew made only during Easter, it is made with bacalao, squash, fava beans, chochos, corn, peas, porotos or fresh beans, rice, onions, garlic, cumin, achiote, peanuts, milk, cream and cheese.

Locro de habas: Locro de habas is a thick soup made with fava beans, potatoes, milk, eggs, cheese, onions, garlic, tomatoes, cumin, hot pepper, and cilantro.

Locro de papas: Locro de papas is a classic Ecuadorian potato and cheese soup

Repe lojano: Repe is a creamy soup made with green bananas or green plantains, onions, garlic, milk, cheese and cilantro.

Sopa de quinua con carne: Healthy and delicious Ecuadorian quinoa soup made with quinoa, beef, potatoes and peas.

Sopa de zapallo: Squash soup made with squash, onions, tomatoes, garlic, cumin, and chicken or vegetable stock, served with feta or goat cheese and chives.