RoughChop Logo
Suggestions
🖨️

Lagua De Choclo

Chop Rating
chopchopchopchopchop
Sign in to review
Not yet rated
soups•bolivian•vegetarian, gluten-free, contains dairy
55 minutes•4 servings•

Ingredients

  • 3 cups choclo corn kernels – blended to a coarse paste
  • 1 cups choclo corn kernels – left whole
  • 6 cups vegetable stock (unsalted)
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 medium onion – finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic – minced
  • 2 tbsp aji amarillo paste
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 pounds potatoes – peeled and diced 0.5-inch (~3 medium potatos)
  • 2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
  • 2 tbsp huacatay leaves – finely chopped
  • 6 ounces queso fresco – cut into 0.5-inch cubes
  • huacatay leaves – chopped (for serving)
Lagua de choclo

Instructions

1. Blend 3 cups of the choclo corn kernels with 0.5 cup of the measured vegetable stock to a coarse paste; set aside.

2. Heat the vegetable oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion and cook, stirring, until translucent and lightly sweet, 5–7 minutes.

3. Stir in the minced garlic, aji amarillo paste, and ground cumin; cook until fragrant, 1–2 minutes.

4. Pour in the remaining vegetable stock and bring to a simmer.

5. Add the diced potatoes and simmer until starting to soften, about 10 minutes.

6. Stir in the blended corn paste and the remaining 1 cup of whole corn kernels. Simmer gently, stirring often to prevent sticking, until the potatoes are tender and the soup is thick and bubbling like a soft porridge, 12–15 minutes.

7. Season with kosher salt and black pepper. Stir in the finely chopped huacatay leaves and the queso fresco; cook 1–2 minutes more to wilt the herb and warm the cheese without melting it away.

8. Ladle into warm bowls and garnish with chopped huacatay leaves (for serving). Serve hot.

Lagua de choclo is a thick, comforting Andean corn soup with a spoon-coating body and gentle heat. Ground choclo gives it a naturally creamy texture, while diced potatoes add soft, hearty bites. Aji amarillo contributes fruity warmth and color, and huacatay (Andean black mint) adds a distinctive herbal aroma. Mild queso fresco softens into the broth, giving richness without overpowering the fresh corn flavor. It’s simple, rustic food meant to nourish and warm in the highlands.

Rooted in Quechua and Aymara foodways, the dish’s name traces to the Quechua word “lawa,” meaning thick soup or gruel. In Bolivia, especially across the Altiplano and valleys around La Paz, Oruro, and Cochabamba, it’s a seasonal staple when corn is abundant. Variants have long included local touches—charque (sun-dried beef) in colder regions, or a finish of fresh cheese and wakataya (huacatay) in markets and home kitchens. Today it endures as a beloved everyday soup and a taste of pre‑Columbian culinary technique centered on fresh, starchy corn.