Filling, simple, and quite cheap to make, the sopa de garbanzos y chorizo (chickpea & chorizo soup, or garbanzo bean & chorizo soup) is a true delight worth trying.
A hearty staple from lovely Granada
As with many European recipes, the Spanish chickpea & chorizo soup has humble roots in Andalusia. Technically, it’s a stew, and it’s probably one of the most common stews found across Southern Spain (and perhaps all of Spain). While the Alhambra and the vibrant tapas culture usually come to mind when thinking of Granada, this humble dish isn’t to be missed if you have the chance to visit.
This sopa de garbanzos y chorizo recipe was fully inspired by Albert Bevia from Spain on a Fork. I found his YouTube version to be to my liking – simple and tasty!
The chickpeas give it body, the paprika and chorizo give it flavour and make it a filling meal, and this simplicity made it a staple amongst poorer families before and during the Spanish Civil War. And just like many humble recipes of the past, it has since become a staple amongst the wider population today regardless of social class. Enjoy this for lunch or even dinner; it’s commonly eaten as the main course and served with bread.
How can chorizo make for a sauce?
This simple soup (I’ll call it a soup, but as I mentioned earlier, it’s technically a stew) has a simple base made from the rendered fat of the cooked chorizo. Full of flavour on its own, and when mixed with paprika, you’ve got a nicely coloured and flavoured broth base to build upon.
This means that you’ll need to use a fatty sausage. Spanish chorizo is plentiful where I am, but if you can’t find it in your region, just get a firm pork sausage for cooking that’ll render out its fat pretty well.
In terms of other ingredients, this soup is just a base from which you can add practically whatever you want. Potatoes, onions, chunks of ham, bell peppers, and many other ingredients commonly find their way into this humble dish. In the past, many stews were made with whatever families had on hand, so go wild and build on this recipe all you like!
Canned vs. dried chickpeas
For this recipe, it really doesn’t matter whether you use canned/jarred chickpeas or dried. Both will give you a hearty meal and the paprika and chorizo are the heart of the flavour, so use whichever you prefer. I’ve used canned and dried and couldn’t really notice a big difference; dried had a better texture, but nothing worth writing home about.
If using dried, make sure you soak them in a bowl overnight. To soften them up, simmer them on medium-low heat for about two hours before starting this recipe.
Description
The humble sopa de garbanzos y chorizo is a staple in Granada and across Spain. Built on a broth of rendered chorizo fat and smoky paprika and given body with lovely little chickpeas, this hearty dish gives off a wonderful colour and even more wonderful flavour. Great for weeknights or traditionally at a late lunch hour, served with crusty bread.
Ingredients
Instructions
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In a large pot, heat up the olive oil over medium heat. Add all sliced chorizo and cook for about 5 minutes, turning over as necessary, until fat renders. Remove chorizo (keep fat in pot) and place in a bowl.
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Add sliced onions and cook for about 5 minutes until soft and translucent. Stir to absorb the chorizo fat.
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Add garlic and stir for about 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add paprika.
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Add the strained chickpeas, pour in the chicken stock and diced tomatoes, and stir. Add the bay leaf.
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Bring to a simmer and cook for about 25 minutes. Stir occasionally and allow the soup to reduce a little.
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Remove bay leaf and add salt and pepper to taste.
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Serve hot and top with chopped parsley. Serve with crusty bread or your side of choice.
Note
- Storage: keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 4-5 days maximum. Can be frozen for up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave for a few minutes.
- Chorizo: a good Spanish cooking chorizo is raw and will render a lot better than a cured chorizo. Both will work, but cooking chorizo will give you a thicker broth than cured.
- Thickening: you can thicken the broth with egg, stirring in a little cornstarch slurry (cornstarch and water), or perhaps the easiest way is to mash a few chickpeas in the pot until it's thick enough for your liking.
- Variations: this soup is so flexible, you can add practically anything to it and restaurants often do. Try it with spinach or kale, potatoes, green peppers, or other seasonings to your liking.
- Pairings: goes well with a nice bottle of Spanish red wine, a crusty piece of bread or two, or even a side of vegetables.
