Soups & StewsMedium

Sopa de Guías (Courgette Vine Soup)

Name: Sopa de Guías (Courgette Vine Soup)
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 60 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 2 litres Water; 2 cloves Garlic; 2 Sliced tender courgettes; 0.5 White onion; 4 sprigs Fresh chepiche; 2 Corn cobs, cut into rounds; 6 Flores de Pumpkin; 300 g Guías de Pumpkin limpias; 1 tbsp Pork lard; 150 g Corn dough for chochoyotes; 1 tsp Salt

4.0(1 rating)

60 min (25 prep + 35 cook) Medium 6 servings Oaxaca

Edmond Bojalil

Recetas Mexas

Published: 24 Mar 2026 · Updated: 3 Jun 2026

Oaxacan courgette vine soup with corn dumplings.

About this recipe

Oaxacan soup made with courgette vine tendrils, chepiche herb, sweetcorn, baby courgettes and corn dough dumplings called chochoyotes.

History & Origin

Sopa de guias is one of Oaxacan cuisine's most emblematic dishes, a comforting broth celebrating the milpa in all its generosity. The "guias" are the tender stems, young leaves and tendrils of the courgette plant, parts that in other cuisines would be discarded but in Oaxaca are used with ancestral wisdom. This dish is a testimony to the zero-waste philosophy of indigenous Mexican cookery. It is prepared during the rainy season when courgette plants produce abundant tender shoots. The recipe includes courgette vines, flowers, baby courgettes, sweetcorn and the aromatic herb called chepiche, endemic to Oaxaca. The distinguishing element is the chochoyotes: small corn dough balls with a thumbprint in the centre that cook directly in the broth.

Estimated cost

£32.11

Total cost

£5.35

Per serving

* Approximate prices based on UK supermarkets

Nutritional information per serving

190

Calories

Protein

30g

Carbohydrates

Fat

Fibre

380mg

Sodium

* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.

Method

1
Limpia the guías of pumpkin: remove the partes duras and fibrosas, leaving only the tallos tiernos, leaves jóvenes and zarcillos. Cut into pieces of 5 cm.
2
Prepare the chochoyotes: shape small balls of dough (like large marbles) and press a dimple into the centre of each with your thumb.
💡 The dimple helps them cook evenly.
3
In a large pot, sauté the onion and the garlic in lard. Add the water and bring to the boil.
4
When it boils, add the chochoyotes and the corn cobs. Cook for 10 minutes.
5
Add the guías of pumpkin, the courgettes and salt. Cook 10 minutes more.
6
Add the flores of pumpkin and the chepiche fresh. Cook 3 minutes more and serve hot.

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Edmond Bojalil

Founder, Recetas Mexas

Mexican from Puebla, IT professional and foodie. Author of 1000+ authentic Mexican recipes adapted for home kitchens worldwide. Based in Madrid since 2018.