01/02/2024

Chickpea, Chorizo & Kale Soup

Name: Chickpea, Chorizo & Kale Soup
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 2 tbsp olive oil; 160 g chorizo ((the cured firm type, skinned and thickly sliced)); 2 medium onions ((skinned, roughly chopped)); salt and black pepper; 4 - 5 large cloves garlic ((skinned, finely chopped or thinly sliced)); 2 medium potatoes ((peeled or unpeeled, diced)); 240 g cooked chickpeas ((approx. 1 standard tin, weight after draining)); 1 tsp smoked paprika; ½ - 1 tsp Aleppo pepper or mild chilli flakes; ½ tsp ground cumin; 650 - 800 ml chicken stock ((if using stock cubes dissolve 2 in hot water)); 4 big handfuls kale ((tough stems removed, leaves roughly chopped))

Chickpea, Chorizo & Kale Soup, simple but hearty and delicious, is inspired by the cocidos and caldos of central and northern Spain. Smoked paprika intensifies the chorizo flavour of a garlicky broth that’s subtly spiced with cumin and chilli. Add in chickpeas, potatoes, kale, or other greens, and you’ve a filling, tasty bowl for lunch or dinner.

Jump to Recipe

I’m always amazed at the sheer number of soups and stews it’s possible to create with pulses, a little meat, everyday veggies like onion, greens, potatoes, plus a few simple herbs and spices. Whether I want a restorative bowl for lunch or a hearty evening meal, there’s always something to fit the bill. And one of my current favourites is this easy but truly delicious Chickpea, Chorizo & Kale Soup.

INSPIRATION FOR CHICKPEA, CHORIZO & KALE SOUP

Although Chickpea, Chorizo & Kale Soup is my own creation, it’s inspired by the soups, potajes, caldos and cocidos of northern and central Spain.

Caldo gallego, or Galician broth, comes from the northwest corner of the Iberian peninsula. I’ve visited Galicia often and came to love it. Lots of Galicians have vegetable gardens and their homegrown beans, potatoes, and green turnip tops are turned into a simple but nutritious soup. Also in there will be ham, ham bone, bacon, or pork fat from pigs that would traditionally have been fed the turnip roots. Just over the border in Portugal is caldo verde – very similar but usually without beans.

*Caldo-inspired soup of white beans, potato, cabbage and chorizo*

Central Spain is another favourite destination and it’s from there my soup gets its chickpeas, chorizo, and smoked paprika. In her glorious book The Food of Spain, Claudia Roden talks about the potajes of the Castilian interior – hearty vegetable soups with beans, chickpeas, or lentils like potaje de lentejas made more substantial with chorizo. I was interested to read that, like my Chickpea, Chorizo & Kale Soup, her spinach and chickpea soup is spiced with paprika, cumin, and chilli. More complicated is the famous cocido madrileño. Traditionally made with local chickpeas, it’s served as two or three courses – the broth first, followed by the various boiled meats and vegetables that flavoured it.

My Chickpea, Chorizo & Kale Soup falls into the simple camp though. Just fifteen minutes of prep time and thirty-five of cooking and you’ll have a filling meal-in-a-bowl for lunch or dinner. But simple doesn’t mean dull: I love its robust flavour spiked with a little spice plus chilli heat.

INGREDIENTS

The detailed recipe card at the end makes enough soup for 3 – 4 people depending on appetites and whether you want to eat it for lunch or a main meal. But you could double up the amounts if you want (the cooking time won’t change so long as you use a bigger saucepan).

You’ll need approximately 240 grams of cooked chickpeas which is one standard tin, drained.

The chorizo should be the cured, firm type usually sold as a hoop, not those labelled ‘cooking’ chorizo. I use just over half a chorizo which is roughly 160 grams but feel free to use more if you like. Chorizo can be mild or spicy with a bit of chilli heat. I always get a slightly hot one.

The other ingredients you’ll need, besides salt and black pepper are as follows.

Olive oil. To sauté and for flavour.
Onion. 2 medium or 1 large.
Garlic. Cloves from my veg box garlic are very large and I use 4 – 5. If yours are small, then consider using a whole head.
Potatoes. Makes the soup more filling and helps thicken it.
Smoked Paprika. Known in Spanish as pimentón, I prefer the sweet (dulce) version. But use the hot one (picante) if you like.
Aleppo Pepper/chilli flakes. I love mild and slightly fruity Aleppo pepper. If you want it hotter then use regular chilli flakes.
Cumin. A small amount of ground cumin adds complexity of flavour.
Stock. I recommend chicken stock for this soup. If using cubes rather than homemade, you’ll need 2 dissolved in hot water.
Kale. I love the contrast of dark, slightly bitter kale against the warmly spicy broth. It can be replaced with other greens though (e.g. chard, cavolo nero, spinach), but adjust the cooking time accordingly.

EASY CHICKPEA, CHORIZO & KALE SOUP

As you’ll see, this wonderful soup really is quick and easy with very little hands-on time.

Start by putting 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. When it’s hot, add the sliced chorizo. Stir around for a few minutes until it’s turned the oil a beautiful orangey-red colour.

The chopped onions go in next, along with a little salt and a good grind of pepper. We want the onion to colour and start softening which should take 10 – 12 minutes. The garlic, thinly sliced or finely chopped, can go in after the first 5 minutes or so.

Almost all the rest of the ingredients can then go in. The diced potatoes, chickpeas, smoked paprika, Aleppo pepper or chilli flakes, ground cumin, plus another pinch of salt and grind of pepper. Give it a good stir so everything’s coated in the seasonings then add the stock. I think my Chickpea, Chorizo & Kale Soup is best eaten quite thick so recommend you start with 650 ml of stock. You can always add more later if you want it thinner.

Now pop on a lid and bring to the boil. Immediately turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer until the potatoes are just tender. At this point I like to go in with my stick blender and whizz part of the soup just for a few seconds. This thickens the broth while leaving the soup satisfyingly chunky.

Four big handfuls of roughly chopped kale goes in next. Don’t worry if the saucepan looks very full as the kale will soon wilt down. If the soup looks very thick, you can add a splash more stock or water. Now it’s just a case of a final simmer until the kale is done to your liking. Between 3 – 5 minutes should do it. A final taste to check the seasoning and it’s ready.

SERVING & STORING

After sharing between bowls, I like to drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil over mine. A sprinkle of Aleppo pepper, chilli flakes, and/or smoked paprika looks attractive too. A complete meal in a bowl with protein, fibre, and veggies, you don’t have to serve anything else with this satisfying soup. But I can rarely resist a chunky slice of crusty homemade bread to soak up the last of the smoky, lightly spicy broth.

We most often eat Chickpea, Chorizo & Kale Soup as a main meal with a smaller amount for lunch the next day. It reheats perfectly on top of the stove or in a microwave. While you can freeze the soup, I think it’s much better kept in the fridge and eaten within a couple of days. If you want to make it in advance, I recommend adding the kale when you reheat – that way it will be at its freshest and greenest.

If you make this soup, I hope you agree that you get great, complex flavour and a satisfying bowlful for relatively little effort. Please do let me know in the Comments.