Easy Mexican Fava Bean Soup
This easy Mexican fava bean soup or sopa de habas is made with dried fava beans and inexpensive basic pantry ingredients. Make it in the Instant Pot for a quick meal any day of the week. It’s easy to make, healthy and very nutritious!
Sopa de Habas: Mexican Fava Bean Soup
Sopa de habas or fava bean soup is a hearty, creamy, and flavorful soup that’s incredibly easy to make.
My fava bean soup is completely plant-based, gluten-free, not spicy, and incredibly easy to make!
This hearty Mexican meal with is made with traditional vegetables and seasonings as the base. It’s an easy to make one pot meal, that is also perfect for meal prepping and for making a large batch with and enjoy all week long.
There are several variations to the traditional recipe. Some differ in texture and others in the ingredients used.
Some people prefer their sopa de habas with a creamy texture and others prefer it more chunky. It’s really up to you how you want to eat it. Below I have tips on how to achieve either texture.
You’ve simply got to make sopa de habas! It’s comforting — comfort food in a bowl, I’d say. It’s delicious, creamy, hearty, filling, healthy, notorious, loaded with plant protein and vitamins and nutrients. Plus so easy to make!
What Are Fava Beans
Fava beans are also called broad beans. They are not lima beans, those are different so be aware of that.
Fava beans have a buttery or creamy taste and texture. They are incredibly delicious either fresh or dried. Of course, cooking methods are different for each type.
Fresh broad or fava beans are inside a long, thick green pod — which needs to be shelled or removed first. But be aware the the pods can stain your fingers a dark greyish or black color, it’s harmless though.
When fresh, some people remove the outer thick shell before cooking and eating. It’s edible so can leave it, it’s more prep work too, which can be a bit of a pain. But some say they taste better peeled.
When dried you’ll find some fava beans that are left with their shell and others peeled. The ones pictured below have been peeled.
Fresh or dried, fava beans are not as cheap as other beans — however, for nutritional purposes they are very much worth the added expense!
They’re Good For You
Like other beans, fava beans too are loaded with fiber and are also a natural plant protein. They are also loaded with nutrients, vitamins and so many other health benefits.
Broad beans are believed to boost immunity, be good for our bones, help with symptoms of anemia, improve blood pressure, aid weight loss, lower cholesterol and so many other health benefits. Learn more on this article.
Ingredients for This Mexican Soup
As I mentioned previously, the ingredients for sopa de habas can vary from person to person or even region. Below are the basic pantry ingredients I use to make a quick Mexican fava bean soup, feel free to adjust as desired.
- Dried Fava Beans: Get ones that say shelled. I use a Mexican brand but they look just like this brand.
- White Onion: If you don’t have white use anything but red onions.
- Garlic
- Roma Tomato: You can use any red variety if you don’t have Roma.
- Seasonings: I only use salt and ground black pepper. Cumin would be a nice addition.
- Vegetable Broth: Traditionally chicken broth is used, but vegetable works even better!
- Olive Oil: Not traditional but it’s anti-inflammatory. Another option would be avocado oil. Or if you’re oil free then use water or broth to sauté the vegetables.
- Toppings: I love chopped avocado on my sopa. Check serving suggestions below.
Optional Ingredients
Some people like to add a spicy touch to the soup by sautéing fresh jalapenos with the onion. I don’t really like to do this, but its totally up to you.
Another type type of chile that is sometimes added is dried pasilla chile that’s cut into thin strips and lightly fried in oil then used as a topping.
How to Make Fava Bean Soup in the Instant Pot
When cooking fava beans in the Instant Pot, or other electric pressure cookers, you don’t have to presoak the beans. That’s a great advantage that will help us save time.
- Rinse the fava beans and make sure to remove any debris or badly damaged beans.
- Set the Instant Pot to Sauté and once hot add the oil. Then add the onion and sauté until softened. Then mix in the minced garlic and cook another 2 minutes.
- Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for a few minutes until they begin to break down.
- Mix in the fava beans then sprinkle in the salt and pepper.
- Pour in the vegetable broth and stir until well combined. Cancel Sauté function.
- Place the lid on the Instant Pot. Move valve to Sealing, select High Pressure and set time to 45 minutes.
- Once timer goes off, carefully do a quick release by moving the valve to Venting with a wooden spoon. Open the pot away from your face.
At this time the soup is cooked and ready to serve. But if you’d like a creamier soup you can use a handheld blender and blend it up a bit. Either way it’s delicious!
Oil Free Cooking: If you don’t cook with oil then use a 1/4 cup of water when sautéing the onion. Don’t let it dry it out and burn, add a little bit more water to the pot as needed.
How to Cook on Stovetop
Cooking fava beans on the stove top takes quite a bit longer. You can soak them overnight or for at least 6 to 8 hours before cooking, to cut down the cooking time.
- Soak the fava beans overnight, rinse the next day then pour into a large pot.
- Cover the beans with plenty of vegetable broth or water, a few inches above.
- Cook covered and until soft and tender. This can take up to one hour, but check them every 10 minutes.
- Add more water as needed so the beans don’t dry out and burn.
- Once beans have cooked, stir in the salt and turn off heat.
- In a pan heat the oil then sauté the onion until soft. Then add the garlic and tomato and and pepper. Cook until the tomatoes have broken down.
- Pour the sautéed vegetables into the cooked beans and stir until well combined.
- Simmer for 15 minutes, taste and adjust the seasoning if desired — they’ll most likely need more salt if you used water instead of broth to cook the beans.
- Cook until the soup reaches your desired texture. Serve!
Oil Free Cooking On Stovetop: If you don’t cook with oil then use a 1/4 cup of water when sautéing the onion. Don’t let it dry it out and burn, add a little bit more water to the pot as needed. Or you can just add the onion and garlic to the pot when boiling the beans. The tomatoes do cook down before adding to help with the texture.
How to Serve Sopa de Habas
This soup can be served with anything you’d like. Let me make some suggestions.
Vegan or regular cheese like queso fresco, avocado, pasilla chiles cut into strips, sour cream, hot sauce or some homemade salsa would be great, tortilla strips for a crunch to the creamy texture.
Lastly, some homemade warm corn tortillas or even flour tortillas are always a great side to Mexican sopas.
I should mention too that some people also add nopales to their sopa de habas.
Traditional Lenten Food
Amigos, I should mention that this sopa de habas is quite a popular dish during the Lenten season in Mexico.
So make sure you bring out this soup during Lent, if you celebrate — even if you don’t, any excuse to eat this soup is great!
How to Store
Sopa de habas will keep fresh in fridge for up to 5 days, and in the freezer for 2 to 3 months.
Questions About Sopa de Habas
Where to Buy Fava Beans
You can find dried fava beans at most grocery stores, and of course on Amazon too. Check the link below. If you don’t see fava beans then look for dried broad beans — same thing, different names.
Dried or Fresh Favas
You definitely want to use dried and shelled fava beans for this soup recipes.
Do The Fava Beans Need to Be Soaked
If cooking the soup in the Instant Pot, or pressure cooker, then it’s not necessary. But I suggest if cooking on the stovetop or slow cooker to soak for 6 to 8 hours or overnight.
Soup Consistency
It can be either creamy or chunky like pictured here. It’s completely up to you. You could use an immersion blender to blend it all or some until you get the texture desired.
Is Sopa de Habas Healthy
Yes it is! This soup is loaded with nutrients, vitamins and so many health benefits.
Other Soup Recipes
- Vegan Mexican Lentil Soup | Sopa de Lentejas
- Mexican Shells Soup | Easy Sopa de Conchas
- Easy Sopa de Fideo Recipe
- The Best Vegetarian Mexican Albondigas Soup Recipe
- Frijoles Charros | Mexican Charro Beans Recipe
- Instant Pot Menudo Made Vegan
- How to Make Vegan Pozole Rojo
- Veggie Loaded Miso and Sriracha Noodle Soup (non-Mexican recipe)
Easy Mexican Fava Bean Soup
Ingredients
- 2 cups fava beans rinsed thoroughly
- 1.5 Tablespoons olive oil or oil of your choice
- ½ cup onion chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 medium Roma tomatoes chopped
- 3/4 teaspoon salt adjust to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper or to taste
- 5 cups of vegetable broth mine was salted, if yours isn’t soup will need more salt
- 1 avocado chopped into small cubes
Instructions
- Set Instant Pot to Sauté function, add the oil then add the onion and cook until soft. Mix in the garlic and cook for a couple of minutes.
- Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for a few minutes until they begin to break down.
- Mix in the fava beans then sprinkle in the salt and pepper.
- Pour in the vegetable broth and stir until well combined. Cancel Sauté function.
- Place the lid on the Instant Pot. Move valve to Sealing, select High Pressure and set time to 45 minutes.
- Once timer goes off, carefully do a quick release by moving the valve to Venting with a wooden spoon. Open the pot away from your face.
Video
Notes
How to Cook on Stovetop
Cooking fava beans on the stove top takes quite a bit longer. You can soak them overnight or for at least 6 to 8 hours before cooking, to cut down the cooking time.- Soak the fava beans overnight, rinse the next day then pour into a large pot.
- Cover the beans with plenty of vegetable broth or water, a few inches above.
- Cook covered and until soft and tender. This can take up to one hour, but check them every 10 minutes.
- Add more water as needed so the beans don’t dry out and burn.
- Once beans have cooked, stir in the salt and turn off heat.
- In a pan heat the oil then sauté the onion until soft. Then add the garlic and tomato and and pepper. Cook until the tomatoes have broken down.
- Pour the sautéed vegetables into the cooked beans and stir until well combined.
- Simmer for 15 minutes, taste and adjust the seasoning if desired — they’ll most likely need more salt if you used water instead of broth to cook the beans.
- Cook until the soup reaches your desired texture. Serve!
Nutrition
Nancy Lopez is a food blogger and author of the cookbook Mexican Tamales Made Meatless. Born in Mexico, raised in the US, and currently living in Southern Mexico, she has followed a meatless diet for almost 10 years. It is her passion and mission to share all she has learned about vegan Mexican cooking and vegetarian Mexican recipes. Mexican Made Meatless is a blog dedicated to preserving the authentic flavors of Mexican cuisine just without the meat. It’s a place to celebrate Mexican culture and all it’s delightfully delicious traditional foods. Read more…
I loved your recipe!! so yummy! Thank you for sharing!
Thank you so much George! 🙂
This was just like my tia made. Quicker in the insta pot.
I do love my Instant Pot. 🙂