Tampa-Style Spanish Bean Soup
This hearty soup combines garbanzo beans, potatoes, ham, and smoky Spanish-style chorizo in a broth tinted with saffron and paprika. It is filling enough for dinner with crusty bread. Scale the people count in the app to 2, 4, 6, or 8 — ingredients adjust from this base of 4 servings.
Open interactive cooker (change people count)
Food safety
Scrub the potatoes and wash the bell pepper under running water before cutting. Use cured or fully cooked chorizo; if you can only find fresh (raw) chorizo, brown it until it reaches 160°F before adding the vegetables. Chill leftovers within 2 hours (1 hour if above 90°F) and reheat to 165°F.
Allergens: None listed
Equipment
- large pot or Dutch oven
- wooden spoon
- vegetable peeler
- knife
- cutting board
- ladle
Ingredients (for 4 servings)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 6 ounces cured Spanish-style chorizo, sliced 1/4 inch thick
- 4 ounces fully cooked ham, diced
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon saffron threads, crumbled
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed (15-ounce cans)
- 1 pound russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions
1. Scrub the potatoes and wash the bell pepper under running water, then peel and cube the potatoes and dice the pepper.
2. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chorizo and ham and cook 3 to 4 minutes, until the chorizo releases its red oil.
3. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook 6 minutes, until softened.
4. Stir in the garlic, smoked paprika, and crumbled saffron and cook 1 minute.
5. Add the broth, potatoes, chickpeas, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook partly covered 25 to 30 minutes, until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.
6. Mash a few potato cubes against the side of the pot to thicken the broth. Remove the bay leaf and season with the salt.
7. Ladle into bowls and serve steaming hot.
8. Cool leftovers in shallow containers and chill within 2 hours (1 hour if the room is above 90°F).
Skill taught
Building a soup on a sofrito base and simmering potatoes until tender.
Affordable substitution
Skip the saffron and add 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric with the paprika, and use smoked sausage in place of chorizo.
Optional variation
Add a ham bone with the broth for a richer soup, and remove it before serving.
Leftovers & storage
Cool and refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours (within 1 hour if above 90°F). Store at 40°F or below. Reheat to 165°F until steaming hot.
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