Peruvian Crema de Chocho

Crema de chocho is a creamy soup made from de-bittered chochos (tarwi/lupin beans), a high-protein Andean legume that must soak for several days before cooking to remove its bitterness. It’s popular in Peru’s northern highlands, in the Cajamarca region, as a mountain counterpart to coastal cream soups.

It combines a sautéed base with cooked chochos, which are then blended smooth and finished with milk or cream.

Peruvian Crema de Chocho

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• Author: Recetas123
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: 6 servings
• Category: Soup
• Cuisine: Peruvian

Print Recipe

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Description

Peruvian preparation featuring chochos desamargados y leche, adapted for a home kitchen with clear measurements.

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Ingredients

• 300 g de-bittered chochos (lupin beans), cooked
• 1 white onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 cup evaporated milk or cream
• 2 tablespoons ground peanuts
• Salt, pepper, and cumin to taste
• Fresh cheese cubes and chopped cilantro, for serving

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Preparation

1. Sauté, brown the onion and garlic in butter until translucent, add the de-bittered chochos, and cook 3 minutes.
2. Build the base, stir in the flour and toast lightly for a minute.
3. Cook, add the broth gradually while stirring, and simmer 10 minutes.
4. Blend, blend the mixture until smooth and return it to the pot.
5. Finish and serve, stir in the milk or cream and ground peanut, season with salt, pepper, and cumin, and simmer 5 more minutes before serving.

Chef’s Tips

• Use already de-bittered chochos; the soaking process can take several days if starting from raw ones.
• Blend in small batches for an even texture.
• Adjust the thickness with more broth if the cream turns out too dense.

Traditional Variations

Some families replace the peanut with crumbled fresh cheese for extra creaminess.

There are also versions that add cooked potato to the blender to naturally thicken the cream.

How to Serve

Serve hot, as an appetizer or light main course, topped with cubes of fresh cheese and chopped cilantro or huacatay.

Recommended Pairings

• Highland bread
• Fresh cheese
• Boiled corn

Did You Know?

Chocho, or tarwi, is one of the most nutritious legumes of the Andes, with protein content comparable to soybeans, though it must be de-bittered through prolonged soaking before it can be eaten.