Mexican Fava Bean Soup (Sopa de Habas)

Mexican Fava Bean Soup
Sopa de Habas

This mild (chile-free) version of Sopa de Habas is all about mellow, earthy flavors and a silky texture. With the beans fully blended, the soup becomes smooth and naturally creamy. Tomato, onion, carrot, celery, and garlic form a subtle backbone — a mild sweetness from fresh tomato and a quiet savoriness from the aromatics.

Mexican oregano added toward the end brings a fresh, herbal lift. It gives the soup a gentle brightness that cuts through the heartiness of the blended beans. And the toppings aren’t just decorative — they add contrast, temperature, and texture, turning a simple bowl of soup into something lively.

Mexican Fava Bean Soup Recipe

Ingredients and Method

• 8 oz. dried peeled fava beans (habas peladas)

Pick over dried beans, then rinse. Place beans in a pot and cover with filtered water by about 2 inches. Bring to hard boil for 5 minutes, skim any scum. Remove from heat, cover and let stand 1 hour.

• 1/2 white onion, rough chop
• 1/2 lg. carrot, peeled , rough chop
• 1/2  lg. celery rib, rough chop
• 2 smashed garlic cloves
• several cilantro sprigs
• good glug of olive oil

After 1 hour, add onion, carrot, celery, garlic, cilantro, and olive oil to the pot. Simmer 45 – 60 minutes until beans are very soft.

• 3/4 t. sea salt
• 1/2 t. mexican oregano, dried

Add salt and oregano about 15 minutes before the end of cooking. When done cooking, remove from heat and blend with immersion blender until smooth.

• 2 roma tomatoes, peeled, small dice
• salt and pepper to taste
• lime juice

Stir diced tomatoes into the soup. Add more salt and fresh ground pepper to taste. Just before serving add a squeeze of lime juice to taste to brighten.

• corn tortillas
• avocado oil

While soup is cooking, slice tortillas into thin strips. Fry them in oil until crispy. Remove to paper towels and season with salt.

To Serve

• mexican crema
• queso fresco, crumbled
• cherry tomatoes, halved
• fried tortilla strips
• cilantro

Ladle soup into warm bowls. Drizzle with crema, sprinkle with cheese and tomatoes. Top with fried tortilla strips and garnish with cilantro.

Más Sopas

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No-Cook Mexican Corn Soup here

Mexican Matzo Ball Soup here

Vegetarian Pozole Verde here

Lobster Tortilla Soup here

Cream of Hatch Chile Soup here

Black Bean Soup with Salsa Verde here

Tortilla Soup with Pasilla Chile here