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Sopa de Milpa (Three Sisters Milpa Soup)

Name: Sopa de Milpa (Three Sisters Milpa Soup)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 3 Courgettes; 400 g Cooked black beans; 1 litre Vegetable stock; 2 Corn cobs; 2 Poblano chillies; 3 leaves Epazote; 2 cloves Garlic; 0.5 Onion

50 min (15 prep + 35 cook) Easy 6 servings Centro

Edmond Bojalil

Recetas Mexas

Published: 24 Mar 2026 · Updated: 30 Mar 2026

Brothy soup with corn, courgette and black beans from the Mesoamerican milpa.

About this recipe

Brothy soup with the three sacred milpa crops of Mesoamerica: corn, courgette and beans, with poblano chilli and aromatic herbs. Vegetarian and nutritious.

History & Origin

The milpa is the most sophisticated agricultural system developed in Mesoamerica - an interdependent set of crops forming a complete productive ecosystem. The three central elements of the milpa - corn, beans and courgette - are known as the "three sisters" because they grow together synergistically: corn grows tall and provides support; beans fix nitrogen in the soil and climb the corn; courgette grows horizontally and protects soil moisture. Sopa de milpa is a liquid celebration of this ancestral agricultural system. There is no single recipe; each region, each family, each cook has their own version. In Puebla, poblano chilli strips are added; in Oaxaca, Mexican pepper leaf; in the State of Mexico, wild greens. What all versions share are the three main ingredients and the philosophy of using what the milpa provides each season. This soup is also a testimony to pre-Hispanic nutritional wisdom. The combination of corn with beans creates complete proteins (the amino acids of one complement the other's), while the courgette provides vitamins and fibre. It is one of the healthiest, most sustainable and most meaningful dishes in all of Mexican gastronomy.

Estimated cost

£4.50

Total cost

£0.75

Per serving

* Approximate prices based on UK supermarkets

Nutritional information per serving

280

Calories

12g

Protein

48g

Carbohydrates

Fat

Fibre

420mg

Sodium

* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.

Method

1
Shuck 2 corn cobs to get the kernels. Cut 3 courgettes into medium cubes. Drain 400g cooked black beans.
💡 You can also use beans from the pot with their cooking liquid.
2
Soften 1/2 chopped onion and 2 garlic cloves in 1 tablespoon oil. Add 2 roasted, peeled poblano chillies cut into strips.
3
Add the corn kernels and 1 litre vegetable stock. Cook 10 minutes.
💡 Bean cooking liquid also makes a good base.
4
Add the courgettes and beans. Cook 15 minutes over medium heat until the vegetables are tender but not falling apart.
💡 The courgettes should retain a little firmness.
5
Season with salt, add chopped epazote or coriander. Serve in deep bowls with lime and warm tortillas.