Name: Spanish Potato Soup with Chorizo
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Spanish
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 large onion, diced; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 red bell pepper, diced; 200g Spanish chorizo, sliced; 500g potatoes, peeled and diced; 1 teaspoon smoked paprika; 1.2 liters chicken broth; Salt and black pepper, to taste; Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Let’s Chat: Why This Spanish Potato Soup Hits the Spot

So, picture this: it’s a stormy Saturday, I’m rooting around in the kitchen, and all I want is something (a) hot, (b) hearty, and (c) easy enough not to set off the smoke alarm again. That’s almost always when I gravitate to this Spanish Potato Soup with Chorizo. My kids call it “the spicy potato stew,” though if you ask me, there’s, like, the perfect amount of heat. Hell, I remember the first time I made it – I accidentally added double the chorizo, and it basically tasted like a meaty hug. Anyway, for me, this soup has always been about comfort with a bit of chaos tossed in – which, frankly, is life.

Why You’ll Love This – Or At Least I Do

I make this when I can’t face washing more than one pot (and also when I want leftovers, but they magically vanish). My family goes totally bonkers for this—especially when I serve it with crusty bread or, once, those stale bread rolls I found hiding in the bread bin. It’s also totally customizable, which is good, because I almost never have exactly what the Internet says I need. (The chorizo is non-negotiable, though—the day I tried salami instead… don’t ask.) For real, if you need a dinner that looks like you put in loads of effort but only really required you to remember your own name, you’re in the right place.

The Good Stuff: Ingredients (With Excuses!)

250-300g Spanish chorizo (I usually just slice whatever’s on sale. Raw or cooked is fine, though raw gives more flavor)
1 large onion, chopped (Red onions work if that’s all you’ve got. I once tried shallots, and honestly, it was pretty posh.)
4–5 medium potatoes, peeled and chunked (about a kilo? Just whatever fits in your hands. Waxy ones get a bit creamy, but floury spuds go nice and soft. Pick your poison.)
1 large carrot, diced (Or two small ones, or parsnip if you’re being weird—kidding!)
3–4 garlic cloves, smashed (I sometimes use that jarred stuff on very lazy days. Judge away.)
1–1.2 liters chicken stock (Cube, homemade, carton, whatever. My grandmother swore by Maggi, but, eh, use what you like.)
1 bay leaf (But nothing bad happens when I forget it, promise.)
1 tsp smoked paprika (sometimes more, sometimes less – depends how Spanish I’m feeling)
Salt and black pepper, to taste (Careful with the salt if your stock is already salty. Probly add less at first.)
A handful of chopped parsley (totally optional, unless you’re serving to people who judge food by color…)

Directions (Okay, Here Goes…)

Grab your biggest soup pot. Up to you if you want to go Dutch oven or basic saucepan – just needs to fit everything. Splash in a glug of olive oil (I usually do two tablespoons but never bother measuring, honestly.)
Sizzle the chorizo. Toss in those chorizo slices over medium heat. Let ‘em get a bit crispy for, like, 5-7 minutes. The color will freak you out at first – it’s paprika oil, not a disaster. This is usually where I sneak a taste. Someone’s gotta taste-test, right?
Onion + Carrot party. Down go the chopped onions and carrot. Stir them around with the chorizo, scraping up the tasty bits stuck to the pan. Five minutes or so until the onion’s soft. (If it’s going brown fast, just drop the heat – no need to panic.)
Let the garlic in. Chuck in the smashed garlic. Give it about a minute; you’ll smell when it’s right. If it burns, shrug and carry on – a little bitter edge never hurt anyone.
In go potatoes, stock, bay, and smoked paprika. Here’s where things start to look a little… murky. Don’t worry, it always looks weird until it doesn’t. Get it up to a gentle boil, then knock the heat down and let it putter along for 25 minutes, maybe a touch longer if your potato chunks are chunky (which mine usually are because, you know, laziness).
Salty taste test time. Fish out the bay leaf. If you want more salt or pepper, sling it in now. Actually, I find it works better if you let it sit ten minutes at this point—the flavors kind of, I dunno, mellow together?
Parsley, maybe? If you feel fancy, lob in some parsley right before serving. Or don’t, your call.

Notes From the Trenches (Aka, My Kitchen Fails)

Once I accidentally used sweet paprika instead of smoked. Still good, just… less epic.
If you like your soup thicker, mash a few potato chunks against the side at the end. If you prefer it lighter, add a splash more stock or even water.
Tried adding green beans once. Would not repeat. They get floppy and sad.
I honestly think this tastes better the day after, but it’s very nearly always gone before dinner ends.

Variations to Play With (Some Winners, Some… Not)

Vegetarian experiment: Swapped chorizo for smoked paprika + chickpeas. Not bad. Not classic, but it’ll do if you’re feeding vegetarians (or just forgot to buy chorizo again—been there).
Beans: Sometimes I add a tin of white beans for bulk. Kids said it was “less soup, more stew” but they still ate it.
Cabbage: Chopped cabbage at the end is actually nice, but don’t overdo it or the soup goes all cabbagey. Learned this the hard way.
Don’t use smoked turkey sausage. Honestly, tried it once, but it was like the soup lost its passport and went wandering somewhere bland.

Got the Gear? (But Seriously, Improvise)

Big ol’ pot. Anything that holds at least 2 liters will work.
Chef’s knife. Or steak knife if that’s all you own – just watch your fingers.
Ladle. But if you’re like me and never have one clean, just use a big mug or pyrex jug. Does the trick.

Keeping & Storing (Not That You’ll Need To)

If, by some miracle, you have leftovers, stick ’em in a lidded tub in the fridge. Lasts 2 days, maybe even 3 if you’re a risk-taker. But honestly, in my house it never lasts past day one, so I’ve had to ask my neighbor how hers kept (She said it gets even better, which sounds about right to me).

How I Like to Serve It (Bread, Bread, Bread!)

This soup was made for hunks of bread dunked right in—the ones with lots of holes to soak up that orangey goodness. Sometimes, if I’m feeling all posh, I fry up some garlicky croutons and chuck them in. Or just serve with nothing at all and slurp by the mugful standing up in the kitchen (don’t judge; it’s a vibe).

Lessons From the Edge (In Other Words: Do These Things)

I once tried rushing the potato cooking step and wound up with crunchy chunks – not the goal. Let them get properly soft. Cue patience music.
If you don’t let the chorizo sizzle out its oil, the soup is a bit flat. Seriously—let it go, even if it feels silly watching sausage for 5 extra minutes.
Adding all the paprika at the start sometimes made it clump. I find sprinkling it after liquids go in is better (on second thought, maybe that’s just me…)

Random Digression: Spanish TV & Soup

Completely off topic (sort of): I once watched this Spanish soap opera where everyone’s always arguing in the kitchen. I swear half the drama could’ve been solved if somebody just served this soup to the whole cast. Food for thought, eh?

Real Questions I’ve Gotten About This Soup (FAQs!)

“Can I freeze it?” – You can! But the potatoes go a bit weird in texture, kinda grainy, so I tend to just eat it fresh. Or pawn off leftovers on friends.
“What if I can’t find Spanish chorizo?” – Don’t fret. Any good smoky sausage will do, just up the smoked paprika to get that real flavor.
“Is there a way to make this less spicy for kids?” – Yup! Use mild chorizo, and maybe halve the paprika. (Honestly, my youngest could handle the full heat before she could spell soup.)
“Can I make this in a slow cooker?” – Probably? I haven’t, but why not. Still, I’d fry the chorizo and onions first for the flavor mojo. (Otherwise, you risk bland city.)
“Why does mine look different from yours?” – Eh, it’s a mood soup. Sometimes mine’s redder, sometimes chunky, sometimes more soupy. It’s all about the vibe, mate.

Spanish Potato Soup with Chorizo – Cozy, Real-Deal Guide