Spanish Potato Soup with Chorizo – Creamy 50-Minute Comfort

This Spanish potato soup with chorizo, inspired by the rustic patatas con chorizo of Castilla, simmers potatoes in a smoky paprika broth until they half-melt and naturally thicken the pot. The chorizo does double duty: its rendered fat builds the base and its cured paprika spice seasons every spoonful.

The trick is to mash a few potato chunks against the side of the pot at the end. That releases starch so the soup turns velvety without any cream, while the remaining cubes stay intact and hearty. A final shower of fresh parsley and a drizzle of olive oil keeps it bright.

It is a weeknight-friendly one-pot dinner that tastes like it simmered all day, and it gets even better the next day, which makes it a favorite for meal prep.

About the Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil

Use a fruity extra-virgin olive oil for finishing. If you only have light olive oil, add a pinch of smoked paprika at the end to recover the depth.

9 ounces (250g) Spanish cured chorizo, diced into 1/2-inch cubes

Look for dry-cured Spanish chorizo, not soft Mexican chorizo, which will break down. Sliced deli chorizo works in a pinch but renders less fat, so add an extra teaspoon of oil.

1 large yellow onion, finely diced (about 1 1/2 cups)

Yellow onion gives the sweetest base; white onion is a sharper substitute if that is what you have.

3 garlic cloves, minced

Fresh garlic is best, but 1 teaspoon garlic paste can replace it. Add paste with the paprika so it does not burn.

1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika (pimentón)

Use sweet (dulce) smoked paprika for balance; hot (picante) works if you like heat. Buy it in small tins, as it fades after about six months.

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Cumin rounds out the smoke. Ground coriander is a softer substitute if cumin feels too strong.

2 pounds (900g) Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

Yukon Golds turn creamy when mashed but hold shape; russets make a starchier, thicker soup. Do not use waxy red potatoes, which resist mashing.

6 cups (1.4L) low-sodium chicken broth

Vegetable broth makes it vegetarian if you also swap the chorizo for smoked tofu. Taste before adding salt, since broth sodium varies widely.

1 bay leaf

A fresh bay leaf is more aromatic than dried. If you have neither, a pinch of dried thyme is a fine stand-in.

1 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste

Kosher salt can be substituted using 1 1/4 teaspoons. Season in layers, since the chorizo is already salty.

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Parsley adds freshness; chopped cilantro or a spoon of chopped chives also work as a finish.

Tips & Tricks

Do not let the paprika burn

Stir it into the chorizo fat for just 20 to 30 seconds over medium heat before adding liquid, or it turns bitter and gritty.

Cut potatoes evenly

One-inch chunks cook at the same rate, so you avoid a pot of mush with hard centers.

Salt at the end

Chorizo releases salt as it simmers, so taste after 20 minutes and adjust rather than salting the broth upfront.

Mash deliberately

Press only 5 or 6 potato chunks against the pot wall; mashing more turns the soup into paste instead of a brothy, chunky soup.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Crisp the chorizo

Warm the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat (350F / 175C) and add the chorizo. Cook 6 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cubes are golden brown at the edges and the fat runs red-orange. Transfer the chorizo to a plate with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat behind.

2. Soften the aromatics

Add the onion to the chorizo fat and cook over medium heat (350F / 175C) for 6 minutes, until translucent and soft at the edges. Stir in the garlic and cook 1 minute more, until fragrant but not browned.

3. Bloom the spices

Sprinkle in the smoked paprika and cumin and stir constantly for 30 seconds, until the spices smell toasty and darken slightly. Do not walk away, as paprika scorches fast.

4. Simmer the potatoes

Pour in the chicken broth, then add the potatoes, bay leaf, and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil over high heat (400F / 205C), then reduce to a gentle simmer (about 195F / 90C) and cook 20 to 22 minutes, until a knife slides into a potato chunk with no resistance.

5. Thicken the broth

Press 5 or 6 potato chunks against the side of the pot with a wooden spoon until they break down and cloud the broth. Stir well; the soup should look lightly creamy but still chunky.

6. Return the chorizo

Stir the reserved chorizo back into the pot and simmer 3 minutes over medium-low heat (about 200F / 93C) so the flavors marry. Taste and add salt only if needed.

7. Finish and serve

Turn off the heat, discard the bay leaf, and stir in the parsley and a drizzle of olive oil. Ladle into warm bowls and serve with crusty bread for dipping.

Delicious Variations

Smoky Greens Version

Stir 3 cups of chopped kale or spinach into the pot in the last 5 minutes for a greener, lighter soup.

White Wine Boost

Deglaze the pot with 1/2 cup dry white wine after the onions soften, letting it bubble off for 2 minutes before adding broth.

Spicy Chickpea Swap

Replace half the potatoes with a can of drained chickpeas and add a pinch of cayenne for a heartier, higher-protein bowl.

How to Store Spanish Potato Soup with Chorizo

Frequently Asked Questions

Grab your Dutch oven and a link of good cured chorizo, and let this smoky Spanish potato soup fill your kitchen with the smell of paprika and garlic. Make it tonight, then tell me in the comments how you finished your bowl.

Spanish Potato Soup with Chorizo

This Spanish potato soup with chorizo is a creamy, smoky one-pot comfort meal where paprika-spiced broth meets tender potatoes and crisp chorizo.

★★★★½ 4.8 (214 ratings)

15 minPrep time35 minCook time6Servings412 kcalCalories

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🧂 Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 9 ounces (250g) Spanish cured chorizo, diced into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 large yellow onion, finely diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika (pimentón)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 pounds (900g) Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 6 cups (1.4L) low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

📋 Instructions

1. 1Crisp the chorizo — Warm the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat (350F / 175C) and add the chorizo. Cook 6 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cubes are golden brown at the edges and the fat runs red-orange. Transfer the chorizo to a plate with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat behind.
2. 2Soften the aromatics — Add the onion to the chorizo fat and cook over medium heat (350F / 175C) for 6 minutes, until translucent and soft at the edges. Stir in the garlic and cook 1 minute more, until fragrant but not browned.
3. 3Bloom the spices — Sprinkle in the smoked paprika and cumin and stir constantly for 30 seconds, until the spices smell toasty and darken slightly. Do not walk away, as paprika scorches fast.
4. 4Simmer the potatoes — Pour in the chicken broth, then add the potatoes, bay leaf, and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil over high heat (400F / 205C), then reduce to a gentle simmer (about 195F / 90C) and cook 20 to 22 minutes, until a knife slides into a potato chunk with no resistance.
5. 5Thicken the broth — Press 5 or 6 potato chunks against the side of the pot with a wooden spoon until they break down and cloud the broth. Stir well; the soup should look lightly creamy but still chunky.
6. 6Return the chorizo — Stir the reserved chorizo back into the pot and simmer 3 minutes over medium-low heat (about 200F / 93C) so the flavors marry. Taste and add salt only if needed.
7. 7Finish and serve — Turn off the heat, discard the bay leaf, and stir in the parsley and a drizzle of olive oil. Ladle into warm bowls and serve with crusty bread for dipping.

👨‍🍳 Chef's Note: Spanish cured chorizo is firm and sliceable, unlike soft fresh chorizo, so dice it rather than crumbling it. If your chorizo is very dry, add an extra tablespoon of olive oil when you brown it.

Servings: 6

Cuisine: Spanish

Course: Soup

Nutrition (per serving): 412 kcal · 19g protein · 38g carbs · 21g fat