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Broad Bean and Cactus Lenten Broth

Name: Broad Bean and Cactus Lenten Broth
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 300 g Dried broad beans; 300 g Fresh nopal cactus; 3 chiles Guajillo chilli; 2 Tomato; 3 cloves Garlic; 1 bunch Coriander; 2 sprigs Epazote; 1 tsp Salt; 1 White onion

55 min (15 prep + 40 cook) Easy 4 servings Centro de México

Edmond Bojalil

Recetas Mexas

Published: 30 Mar 2026 · Updated: 30 Mar 2026

Light broad bean broth with nopal cactus and guajillo chilli, a traditional Lenten vigil dish for Holy Week.

About this recipe

A light, comforting broth made with dried broad beans, fresh nopal cactus paddles, and guajillo chilli — the quintessential Lenten vigil dish from central Mexico. The broad beans bring creaminess and body to the broth, while the nopales add texture and a subtle herbal note. This humble stew is one of the most iconic dishes of the Mexican Cuaresma (Lent) kitchen, found in markets and home kitchens throughout Holy Week.

History & Origin

Caldo de habas is one of the great classics of Lenten cooking in central Mexico. Simple, nourishing, and deeply rooted in the country's religious and culinary tradition, this stew appears on the tables of millions of Mexican families during the forty days from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday. Broad beans (Vicia faba) arrived in Mexico with the Spanish conquistadors in the sixteenth century, but they adapted so well to the climate of the Mexican highlands that they became a fundamental crop in the states of Mexico, Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, and Puebla. Dried broad beans, more economical and longer-lasting than fresh ones, became a staple food of the working classes: easy to store, highly nutritious, and capable of feeding large families on a small budget. The combination of broad beans with nopal cactus is distinctly Mexican. The nopal (Opuntia ficus-indica) is entirely native to Mexico, cultivated and eaten for more than 9,000 years. Its gently gelatinous texture and subtly tangy flavour perfectly complement the creaminess of cooked broad beans. Together they form a broth that, as well as being delicious, is extraordinarily nutritious: rich in plant protein, fibre, vitamins, and minerals. The guajillo chilli adds the subtle warmth and the characteristic orange-red colour of this broth. This dried chilli, one of the most widely used in Mexican cooking, is actually the dried mirasol chilli, with a fruity, mildly hot flavour with notes of tomato and berry. In many families across central Mexico, this broth is prepared on Good Friday with an almost religious devotion: it is the dish that cannot be absent during the most important vigil of the year. Today, outside Mexico, this recipe is a gateway into the most authentic and emotionally charged Lenten cooking.

Estimated cost

£4.50

Total cost

£1.10

Per serving

* Approximate prices based on UK supermarkets

Nutritional information per serving

220

Calories

12g

Protein

38g

Carbohydrates

Fat

Fibre

380mg

Sodium

* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.

Method

1
Soak the dried broad beans in cold water overnight or for at least 4 hours. Drain and remove the outer skins by pressing each bean between your fingers.
💡 If short on time, a quick soak in boiling water for 1 hour also works.
2
Cook the peeled broad beans in a pan with plenty of water, half an onion, and 1 garlic clove over medium heat for 20–25 minutes until tender but not falling apart.
💡 Only add salt at the end of cooking so the beans don't toughen.
3
While the beans cook, also cook the nopal cactus pieces in salted water with a piece of onion for 8–10 minutes until tender. Drain and rinse with cold water to remove the natural sliminess.
💡 Rinsing the nopales removes the natural viscosity and keeps the broth clean.
4
Open the guajillo chillies and remove the seeds and veins. Toast lightly on a dry comal for 15–20 seconds per side, then soak in hot water for 10 minutes. Blend with the tomatoes (charred or raw), remaining onion, and remaining garlic with a little soaking water until smooth.
5
Strain the guajillo sauce directly over the cooked beans (without draining them). Add the drained nopales. Stir well and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes to combine the flavours.
💡 If the broth is too thick, add water or the bean cooking liquid.
6
Add the fresh epazote sprigs. Season with salt to taste. Cook for a further 5 minutes over low heat.
💡 Epazote is essential in this broth: it adds its distinctive aroma and helps with digestion of the broad beans.
7
Serve the broth hot in deep bowls. Sprinkle with chopped fresh coriander. Serve with warm corn tortillas and, if desired, a squeeze of lime juice.
💡 This broth can be made a day ahead: the flavours improve with resting.