Fanesca (Ecuadorian Holy Week Bean and Grain Soup)
In short: Holy Week soup of beans, lentils, corn, pumpkin and salt cod, enriched with milk, peanuts and cheese and topped with egg and fried plantain. It takes about 2 h 30 min in total and makes 10 servings.
- Prep
- 1 h
- Cook
- 1 h 30 min
- Resting
- 24 h
- Total
- 2 h 30 min
- Servings
- 10
- Difficulty
- Challenging
- Calories
- 520 kcal
Fanesca is made once a year, in Holy Week, and it is a project: beans, lentils, corn, peas and squash are cooked separately, then simmered together with salt cod. Milk and ground peanuts make the soup thick and creamy. Garnishes of hard-boiled egg, fried ripe plantain, fresh cheese and parsley go on at the table. It takes a long day, but one pot feeds a crowd and tastes even better the next day.
Instructions
- Drain the soaked white beans and kidney beans and put them in separate pots with fresh water. Boil the kidney beans hard for 10 minutes, then simmer both for 50 to 60 minutes until very tender. Keep 500 ml (2 cups) of the red bean liquid.
- Simmer the lentils in 750 ml (3 cups) of water for 20 minutes until soft. Boil the drained cod in fresh water for 10 minutes, then drain, remove skin and bones and shred the flesh.
- Boil the fava beans for 5 minutes and slip off their tough skins. Boil the lima beans for 10 minutes, the peas for 3 minutes and the corn for 5 minutes, and drain each.
- Heat the oil in a very large pot and cook the onion for 8 minutes until soft. Stir in the garlic, cumin and achiote for 1 minute.
- Add the pumpkin and 1 liter (4 cups) of water and simmer for 15 minutes, until the pumpkin falls apart. Mash it roughly with a spoon.
- Stir in all the cooked beans, lentils, corn, peas and cod, with the reserved bean liquid. Simmer for 15 minutes.
- Blend the peanuts with 250 ml (1 cup) of the milk until smooth. Stir it into the pot with the rest of the milk and the cheese, and heat gently for 15 minutes without boiling. Add salt only now, tasting first.
- Ladle into bowls and top each with egg, fried plantain, cheese, parsley and a little ají.
Tips
- Hold the salt until the end, because the cod keeps releasing salt as it simmers and the cheese adds more.
- To cut the work, use drained canned beans and lentils plus frozen fava and lima beans, and skip the long soaking and boiling in steps 1 and 2. You will have it on the table in about an hour.
Questions and answers
Can I make fanesca ahead of time?
Yes, it is better the next day. Refrigerate for up to 4 days and reheat slowly with a splash of milk. Add the garnishes only when serving.
Can fanesca be frozen?
It freezes well for up to 2 months without the garnishes. Thaw it overnight and reheat on low heat, stirring in a little milk to loosen it.
Why is fanesca eaten during Holy Week?
It is a Holy Week tradition, a time when many families avoid red meat. The soup uses salt cod and a wide mix of beans and grains instead.
How long does it take to make Fanesca (Ecuadorian Holy Week Bean and Grain Soup)?
About 2 h 30 min in total: 1 h of preparation and 1 h 30 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Fanesca (Ecuadorian Holy Week Bean and Grain Soup)?
About 520 kcal per serving, with 28 g of protein, 55 g of carbohydrates and 23 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 520 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 28 g |
| Carbohydrates | 55 g |
| Fat | 23 g |
| Fiber | 11 g |
| Sugar | 10 g |
| Sodium | 1200 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
