This Spanish potato soup with chorizo is the kind of bowl you crave on a cold Tuesday: smoky, garlicky, and thick with soft potatoes that soak up a brick-red paprika broth. It comes together in one pot with pantry-friendly ingredients, and the chorizo does most of the flavor work for you.
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The trick is blooming the paprika and rendering the chorizo first, so the fat that coats the potatoes is already packed with smoke and spice. From there it is just a gentle simmer until the potatoes crush easily against the side of the pot.
Serve it with crusty bread for dunking and a drizzle of good olive oil, and you have a weeknight dinner that tastes like it simmered all afternoon.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
About the Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
Use a mild extra-virgin olive oil since it is added early. If you only have butter, use 1 1/2 tablespoons butter plus 1/2 tablespoon oil to keep the smoke point up.
8 ounces (225g) Spanish chorizo, diced
Look for cured Spanish chorizo, not fresh Mexican chorizo, for firm smoky cubes. If you can only find the fresh kind, brown it and drain some fat before adding the onion.
1 large yellow onion, finely diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
Yellow onion gives the sweetest base; white onion works but is sharper. Frozen diced onion is a fine shortcut at about 1 1/2 cups.
4 garlic cloves, minced
Fresh garlic is best, but 1 teaspoon garlic paste can stand in. Add it late so it does not scorch and turn bitter.
1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika (sweet or bittersweet)
Smoked paprika is essential for the Spanish flavor; regular paprika will taste flat. If yours is hot (picante), start with 1 teaspoon and taste.
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Cumin rounds out the smoke; toast it with the paprika for 20 seconds to wake it up. Ground coriander is a good swap if you are out of cumin.
2 1/2 pounds (1.1kg) Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
Yukon Golds turn creamy and hold their shape; russets will break down and thicken the soup more. Leave the skins on for a rustic version if you scrub them well.
6 cups (1.4L) low-sodium chicken broth
Use vegetable broth to make it vegetarian, and add 1/2 teaspoon salt to compensate. Homemade broth makes a noticeably richer soup.
1 can (14.5 oz / 410g) diced tomatoes, undrained
Fire-roasted diced tomatoes add extra depth. If you only have crushed tomatoes, use the same amount and the soup will be slightly thicker.
1 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
Hold back some salt until the chorizo has simmered, since cured chorizo is salty. Kosher salt can be used but use 1 1/4 teaspoons.
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Fresh-cracked pepper is worth it here. A pinch of red pepper flakes adds heat if your chorizo is mild.
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus more for serving
Flat-leaf parsley is preferred over curly for flavor. Chopped cilantro or sliced scallions are good alternatives.
Tips & Tricks
Do not rush the chorizo
Render it over medium heat until the edges are crisp and the fat runs, about 6 to 8 minutes. Skipping this leaves the soup greasy and flat.
Bloom, do not burn, the paprika
Stir it into the hot fat for only 20 to 30 seconds. Paprika scorches in seconds and turns the whole pot bitter.
Undercook the potatoes slightly
Pull them off the heat when a knife slides in with a little resistance, since they keep softening in the hot broth.
Season at the end
Chorizo is salty, so taste after simmering and only then adjust with salt and pepper.
Pro Tips
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Heat the pot
Warm 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat (350F / 175C) for 2 minutes, until the oil shimmers and a drop of water sizzles on contact.
2. Crisp the chorizo
Add the diced chorizo and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cubes are golden brown and the fat has rendered into the pot. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the chorizo to a plate, leaving the fat behind.
3. Soften the onion
Add the onion to the chorizo fat and cook over medium heat (350F / 175C) for 5 to 6 minutes, until translucent and soft at the edges, scraping up the browned bits as it cooks.
4. Bloom the spices
Stir in the garlic, smoked paprika, and cumin and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant and the garlic no longer smells raw. Do not let the paprika darken or it will turn bitter.
5. Build the broth
Add the potatoes, diced tomatoes, chicken broth, salt, and pepper. Raise the heat to medium-high (400F / 205C) and bring to a gentle boil, which takes about 6 minutes.
6. Simmer until tender
Lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer (200F / 95C) and cook uncovered for 18 to 20 minutes, until a knife slides into a potato chunk with only slight resistance.
7. Thicken and finish
Return the chorizo to the pot and crush a few potato chunks against the side with a spoon to thicken the broth. Simmer 3 more minutes, then taste and adjust salt and pepper.
8. Rest and serve
Take the pot off the heat and let it rest 5 minutes so the flavors settle. Ladle into bowls and top with chopped parsley and a drizzle of olive oil.
Delicious Variations
Smoky Greens Version
Stir 3 cups chopped kale or spinach into the pot in the last 4 minutes of simmering for a greener, lighter bowl.
Chickpea and Chorizo
Swap 1 pound of the potatoes for 1 can of drained chickpeas, adding them with the chorizo at the end so they stay firm.
Spicy Tomato Base
Add 1 teaspoon hot smoked paprika and 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes with the spices for a bolder, spicier broth.
How to Store Spanish Potato Soup with Chorizo
Refrigerator
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; the soup thickens as it sits, so loosen with a splash of broth when reheating.
Freezer
Freeze in portions for up to 3 months; potatoes soften slightly on thaw, so freeze without the parsley garnish.
Reheating
Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat (250F / 120C) for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until steaming hot; add broth or water if it is too thick.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I make it in a slow cooker?
Yes: brown the chorizo, onion, and spices on the stovetop first, then transfer everything except the parsley to a slow cooker and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours. Add the chorizo back in the last 30 minutes so it stays firm.
Give this Spanish potato soup with chorizo a try this week and let the smoky broth do the work. If you make it, snap a photo and tell me in the comments how your family liked it, and share it with a friend who needs a cozy one-pot dinner.
Spanish Potato Soup with Chorizo
This Spanish potato soup with chorizo simmers smoky paprika, tender potatoes, and garlicky broth into a rich, hearty one-pot meal ready in under an hour.
🧂 Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 8 ounces (225g) Spanish chorizo, diced
- 1 large yellow onion, finely diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika (sweet or bittersweet)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 1/2 pounds (1.1kg) Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 6 cups (1.4L) low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 can (14.5 oz / 410g) diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus more for serving
📋 Instructions
- 1Heat the pot — Warm 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat (350F / 175C) for 2 minutes, until the oil shimmers and a drop of water sizzles on contact.
- 2Crisp the chorizo — Add the diced chorizo and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cubes are golden brown and the fat has rendered into the pot. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the chorizo to a plate, leaving the fat behind.
- 3Soften the onion — Add the onion to the chorizo fat and cook over medium heat (350F / 175C) for 5 to 6 minutes, until translucent and soft at the edges, scraping up the browned bits as it cooks.
- 4Bloom the spices — Stir in the garlic, smoked paprika, and cumin and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant and the garlic no longer smells raw. Do not let the paprika darken or it will turn bitter.
- 5Build the broth — Add the potatoes, diced tomatoes, chicken broth, salt, and pepper. Raise the heat to medium-high (400F / 205C) and bring to a gentle boil, which takes about 6 minutes.
- 6Simmer until tender — Lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer (200F / 95C) and cook uncovered for 18 to 20 minutes, until a knife slides into a potato chunk with only slight resistance.
- 7Thicken and finish — Return the chorizo to the pot and crush a few potato chunks against the side with a spoon to thicken the broth. Simmer 3 more minutes, then taste and adjust salt and pepper.
- 8Rest and serve — Take the pot off the heat and let it rest 5 minutes so the flavors settle. Ladle into bowls and top with chopped parsley and a drizzle of olive oil.
