Sopa de Guías con Chochoyotes
(so-pah deh ghee-ahs cohn cho-cho-yo-tehs)
La Comida de Domingo: The Weekly Family Gathering
If you want to know what the earth smells like after the first summer rain in Oaxaca, you eat Sopa de Guías. It's a masterclass in making something out of nothing, utilizing every part of the squash plant from the twisting vines to the bright blossoms. For generations, Oaxacan grandmothers have built this restorative soup to celebrate the milpa. We're swapping hard-to-find herbs for baby spinach and regular zucchini, but the soul of the dish remains untouched. The real trick is entirely in the technique: blending a few ears of fresh corn straight into the broth for a velvety richness, and dropping in chochoyotes—savory, lard-enriched masa dumplings with a signature thumbprint designed to catch the liquid. It's an ancient, deeply authentic bowl of comfort, translated seamlessly for a Tuesday night in America.
Before you start
Peel the squash vines.
Snap the thick end of a vine and pull downward to strip away the tough, fibrous outer skin and prickly hairs before chopping. Do not skip this step, or the soup will be woody and inedible.
Ingredients
- pork lard2 tbsp
- white onion1 med
- garlic4 clove
- fresh corn on the cob5 med
- water10 cup
- kosher salt1 tsp
- squash vines1 bunch
- zucchini4 small
- fresh baby spinach2 cup
- fresh squash blossoms15 med
- fresh masa fina1 cup
- pork lard2 tbsp
- kosher salt1/2 tsp
Method
- 01
Build the broth.
In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, sauté the onion and garlic in two tablespoons of lard over medium heat until translucent, then pour in the water, add a generous pinch of salt and the thick corn rounds, and simmer for 15 minutes.
- 02
Thicken the soup.
Place your reserved loose corn kernels into a blender with a ladle of hot broth, blend on high until completely smooth, and pour this mixture through a fine-mesh strainer directly back into the soup pot.
- 03
Make the chochoyotes.
In a mixing bowl, knead the masa, the remaining two tablespoons of lard, and a half teaspoon of salt until soft and pliable. Roll the dough into walnut-sized balls, pressing your thumb deeply into the center of each to create a small dimple designed to catch the broth.
- 04
Cook the vegetables and dumplings.
Add the chopped zucchini and peeled squash vines to the simmering broth, then carefully drop the chochoyotes into the pot one by one, simmering undisturbed for 8 to 10 minutes until they firm up and float slightly.
- 05
Finish with greens and blossoms.
In the final three minutes of cooking, gently fold in the baby spinach and the torn squash blossoms, cooking just until wilted to preserve their bright color.
- 06
Serve immediately.
Ladle the hot soup into wide bowls, ensuring everyone gets a piece of corn, plenty of vegetables, and a few chochoyotes, passing lime wedges and salsa at the table.
Notes
The Masa Hack.
The chochoyotes dough can be mixed, shaped, and kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days before cooking. Drop them straight into the boiling soup from the fridge.
Blossom Storage.
If you source fresh squash blossoms ahead of time, do not wash them until the exact moment of use. Store them wrapped in dry newspaper inside an airtight bag in your crisper drawer.
The Chepil Substitute.
Traditional abuelas forage for local herbs like chepil, but baby spinach perfectly mimics its delicate, earthy flavor for an easy weeknight substitution.
From Cook Oaxacan in America.