Spanish potato and chorizo soup is proof that a simple, weeknight dinner can be packed FULL of flavor! Spicy chorizo, tender potatoes, just a little bit of bacon (yeah I went there), and plenty of paprika all come together to make a hearty meal perfect for a rainy summer’s evening or a cold winter’s night.
Hello, all!
Right now I’m all about summer foods and fresh produce and so many salads! But what to do when the weather is cool and rainy and all you want is a bowl of soup? Like today right now as I look out my window.
That’s a day when you need spicy Spanish soup! š²š§
Who’s with me? I hope you are, because this soup is amazing! It’s spicy and creamy and satisfying and exactly the soup you need to make tonight. It’s simple to make, but with plenty of layered flavors.
Flavors of Potato and Chorizo Soup
- Chorizo. The basis of this soup is the spicy, flavorful Spanish (and Portuguese) sausage which adds a huge punch of flavor all by itself.
- Bacon. Yep, this recipe has bacon. And we all know how much flavor bacon adds to a dish!
- Paprika. I use both sweet paprika and smoked paprika.
- Potatoes. The potatoes are more here for their starchy, creaminess but yellow potatoes do add a lovely and buttery flavor to the soup.
- Tomato paste. Umami!
- Onion and garlic. The basis of so many amazing dinners!
- Cayenne. The chorizo is spicy but we need a little cayenne to give it some more kick. How much is up to you!
How do you make potato and chorizo soup?
To make this spicy potato and chorizo soup saute some bacon, then chorizo and onions in your pot. Add stock, potatoes, and spices and simmer until the potatoes are soft and the flavors have melded together. Enrich with a little cream, add parsley, and serve.
There is a little more to it, but not much!
- Bacon. Saute up your bacon and render out the fat. Once the bacon is cooked, move it to a plate and leave back a couple tablespoons of the fat.
- Chorizo. Brown the chorizo in the bacon fat.
- Onions. Now add the onions and get them all soft, translucent, and a little browned around the edges.
- Garlic, tomato paste, and spices. Soften the garlic, caramelize the tomato paste, and toast the spices a little. It’s all about flavor!
- Stock and potatoes. Add, bring everything to a simmer, and wait until the potatoes are nice and soft.
- Taste. Taste your soup, add more spices if needed, and stir in the parsley.
- Eat. You’ve got this part!
Variations to try
While this soup is wonderful as written (or I would not have written it!), you might want to try a few other variations of the recipe. Here are some ideas.
- Sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes are a great pairing for chorizo and would add a few extra vitamins to mix as well.
- Beans. Cannellini beans or chickpeas make the soup more stew-like, add more protein to the mix, and are a great winter variation.
- Cilantro. Give the soup a more Mexican vibe by switching out the parsley.
- Linguica. Change out the chorizo for its sweet (as in not spicy) Portuguese cousin. Great for serving to kids and anyone who doesn’t like too much spice.
More recipes using chorizo (or linguica)
If you try my recipe for Spanish Potato and Chorizo Soup, I would love to hear from you in the comments with your experience and rating! And Iām happy to answer any questions you might have.
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Spanish Potato and Chorizo Soup
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon, chopped
- 8 oz chorizo, diced
- 1 large white onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, or more to taste
- 4 cups chicken stock, low or no sodium
- 3-4 medium yellow potatoes, peeled, quartered, and sliced
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Heat a large pot and add the bacon. Cook on medium-low until crisp and the fat is rendered. Remove the bacon to a plate.
- Pour out all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat.
- Add the chorizo and increase the heat to medium high. Cook, stirring frequently, until the chorizo is browned.
- Reduce the heat to low and add the onion. Cook for 5-6 minutes, or until the onion is soft and a little browned around the edges.
- Add the garlic and tomato paste. Cooke for 1 minute.
- Add the smoked paprika, paprika, and cayenne. Cook for 20-30 seconds.
- Pour in the chicken stock. Add the potatoes and return the bacon to the pot.
- Increase the heat and bring the soup to a boil. Then lower the heat so that the soup is simmering. Simmer the soup for about 20 minutes. The potatoes will be soft and and tender.
- Add the cream and stir in. Taste the soup and add salt, pepper, and more cayenne to taste.
- Stir in the parsley and serve.
Notes
- Chorizo: Use linguica if you prefer a sweet sausage instead of a spicy one. Also note that I used a cured chorizo (Gaspar Chourico). If you use a fresh chorizo you will have different results.
- Variations/Substitutions: See post above for several variation ideas.
- Cream: The cream is optional but very tasty in the soup. You can skip entirely or sub in sour cream/plain yogurt/creme fraiche.
- Bacon: If you prefer a crispy bacon topping, don't add the bacon with the potatoes but reserve it for the table.
Joyce B says
It was a rainy night and I was in the mood for some soup. I came across your recipe and thought I’d give it a try. Excellent! Loved the flavr!
justalittlebitofbacon says
I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the feedback.