Spanish Chickpea Soup

A thick, velvety broth colored by the bright red of chorizo. The chickpeas are tender, almost creamy, infused with the woody scent of smoked paprika.

• Prep time: 15 min
• Cook time: 45 min
• Difficulty: Easy
• Calories: 735
• Protein: 40 g
• Carbs: 65 g
• Fat: 32 g

Ingredients

• 500 g Chickpea ( cooked and drained )
• 100 g Chorizo ( sliced )
• 100 g Smoked cured pork belly ( small dice )
• 1 piece Onion ( finely chopped )
• 2 piece Garlic ( minced )
• 1 tsp Smoked paprika
• 2 piece Bay leaf
• 2 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 L Mineral water
• 1 pinch Gray sea salt
• 1 L Chicken broth ( hot )

Instructions

1. Aromatic base

   In a pot, heat olive oil. Sweat the chopped onion and garlic until they become translucent and soft, without browning.

2. Sear the meats

   Add the sliced chorizo and diced pork belly. Let the fat melt and color the bottom of the pot with an intense orange-red hue.

3. Spice and deglaze

   Sprinkle the smoked paprika. Stir for 30 seconds to release aromas without burning the spice. Pour in water (or broth) and add the bay leaf.

4. Simmering

   Stir in the chickpeas. Bring to a boil then lower the heat. Let simmer until the chickpeas are tender and the broth is fragrant.

5. Thicken the soup

   Take a ladle of chickpeas, mash them with a fork, and return them to the pot. The broth should coat the back of a spoon.

Chef's tips

• Mash some of the chickpeas at the end of cooking to get a thickened texture without adding flour.
• Only salt at the very end: the chorizo and pork belly already provide plenty of salt.

Storage

Keeps for 3 days in the fridge. The soup thickens as it sits; feel free to loosen it with a bit of water when reheating.