Locro de papa
Ecuadorian highland potato and cheese soup, orange with achiote, finished with avocado — nothing like the Argentine locro.
Recipe by I Want Some Food · Reviewed by the editorial kitchen.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Rest
- None
- Total
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spice
- No chilli
- Cost
- Cheap nightUnder $8 USD · indicative, not a store price
About
Ecuador's locro is a thick potato soup, not the corn-and-meat stew that goes by the same name in Argentina. Potatoes cook in an achiote-coloured base of onion, garlic and cumin until half of them collapse and thicken the pot; milk and crumbled cheese go in at the end, and each bowl gets slices of avocado and a spoon of ají. It is creamy from potato starch rather than cream, mild, orange-gold and filling. The right potato is floury and a bit sweet; in Ecuador it is the chola. It takes 40 minutes and one pot.
What you'll need
12 ingredients. Tap each one once it's out on the bench.
Ingredients
Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.
Steps
Step 1
Melt the butter in a pot and stir in the achiote until the fat turns orange. Soften the onion, garlic and cumin with a pinch of salt for 6 minutes without browning.
7 min
Step 2
Add all the potatoes and stir to coat for 2 minutes. Pour in the water, bring to a simmer and cook 20 minutes until the small dice fall apart and the chunks are tender.
22 min
Step 3
Crush some of the chunks against the side of the pot with a spoon until the soup is thick but still has whole pieces. Stir in the milk and warm through without boiling.
5 min
Tip: Thick enough that a spoon leaves a trail, thin enough to still be soup.
Step 4
Take off the heat and stir in most of the cheese so it softens. Season with salt.
2 min
Step 5
Ladle into bowls. Top with avocado slices, the remaining cheese and coriander. Pass ají at the table.
3 min
Nutrition
Per serving · estimate
- Calories
- 469 kcal
- Protein
- 12.1 g
- Carbs
- 68.4 g
- Fat
- 17.3 g
- Saturated fat
- 6.1 g
- Fibre
- 11.4 g
- Sugar
- 8.8 g
- Sodium
- 1247 mg
Calculated from canonical ingredient data (USDA FoodData Central averages and equivalent published tables). Estimates only.
Allergens
Informational only. Not a medical guarantee. Cross-contamination happens in real kitchens.
- Milk
- Vegetarian
- Gluten-free
- Nut-free
Adapt this recipe
The original recipe stays as it is. Personal versions are labelled. Serving changes are simple maths.
Adaptations · 0 / 15 used. Resets 13 November.
Substitutions
Queso fresco → Feta, rinsed, or a mild mozzarella
Feta is saltier; hold back on the salt until the end.
Tips
- Do not blend it. Locro should be rough and starchy, not velouté.
- It thickens to a paste in the fridge. Reheat gently with a splash of milk or water.
History & culture
Daily soup of the sierra, from Quito to Cuenca, served as the first course of the set almuerzo in every neighbourhood lunch place. Cold-weather food at 2,800 metres. Families argue about whether the cheese melts into the soup or is crumbled on top; both happen. Locro de cuero adds pork skin, locro de habas broad beans.
Locro derives from the Quechua ruqru, a thick stew, and Andean potato soups predate the Inca. Dairy and cumin are Spanish additions. The Argentine and northern Chilean locro branched off the same word toward corn and meat; the Ecuadorian branch stayed with the potato.
Traditional
Provenance: Editorial adaptation.
Questions about this recipe
Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips.
How long does Locro de papa take?
50 min all in — 15 min prep, 35 min cook. Cook and rest follow the method. Leftover storage and optional extra waits are not included.
How many does it serve?
The recipe is written for 4 bowls. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.
How hard is it?
Easy.
How spicy is it?
No chilli.
What allergens should I watch?
This recipe is labelled for Milk. Labels are informational — check the packets in your kitchen. This is not medical advice.
Does it fit a diet?
The published recipe is labelled Vegetarian, Gluten-free, Nut-free.
7 more questionsFewer questions
What does it cost to cook?
Cheap night — about Under $8 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.
What equipment do I need?
Stockpot, Chef's knife.
How much salt do I put in?
The recipe lists Salt at 1½ tsp.
What can I use instead?
Queso fresco → Feta, rinsed, or a mild mozzarella. Feta is saltier; hold back on the salt until the end.
Any tips from this recipe?
Do not blend it. Locro should be rough and starchy, not velouté. It thickens to a paste in the fridge. Reheat gently with a splash of milk or water.
Can I prepare this ahead?
It thickens to a paste in the fridge. Reheat gently with a splash of milk or water.
Can I use an air fryer?
This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.
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