Chorizo Potato Soup
This chorizo potato soup is cozy, comforting, and delicious. It’s also budget-friendly and can be easily doubled to feed a crowd.
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Did you know?
Spanish chorizo is a cured sausage, unlike Mexican chorizo, which is raw and requires cooking before serving.
If there’s one food that could be considered therapeutic, it’s soup. It’s often the top choice to help beat a cold or settle a stomach, and it’s a good option to help shed pounds. It also warms the body when the weather cools and even has the power to warm the soul, much like this Italian zucchini soup.
Although I wouldn’t recommend this chorizo potato soup to soothe a tumultuous tummy–it may be a tad too spicy for that!–it certainly does check the boxes for the many other ailments–physical and emotional–that soup can cure.
I began making a variation of this soup around 2006 from an online recipe I found that I have been unable to locate since. It called for russet potatoes that you mostly mash to create a thicker soup, and it included Swiss chard as the green of choice.
This soup also called for only water as the base, making it one of the most economical soups I whipped up in my modest Brooklyn apartment.
Although this recipe is derived mainly from memory, I have intentionally altered a couple of things: I’ve replaced the water with mostly chicken stock, and the yellow onion with shallots. I love Swiss chard, but the market was out of it when I was ingredient shopping, so I opted for spinach.
This chorizo potato soup is highly versatile, so don’t be afraid to change things to your liking. For example, you don’t have to mash the potatoes. You can also use waxy potatoes if you prefer chunks of them in your soup (Waxy ones hold up better than Russets.)
And use any greens you like: Swiss chard and kale are excellent alternatives. The chorizo is so flavorful that it’s undoubtedly the star of this recipe, so you can tweak the supporting players without much fuss.
Why You’ll Love This Chorizo Potato Soup
- Simple ingredients: It doesn’t require much to whip up this comforting and flavorful soup.
- Reheats well: This soup tastes even better leftover because the chorizo really infuses the stock.
- Economical: Chorizo could be a little pricey, but the remaining ingredients are relatively affordable.
Key Ingredients
- Shallots: These add a more unique flavor than onions.
- Spanish Chorizo: This is where the flavor is at in this hearty soup.
- Russet Potatoes: This starchy potato lends good body to the soup.
See the recipe card below for more information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make This Chorizo Potato Soup
- Cook the aromatics: Heat the olive oil in a large pot and cook the shallots and garlic for 5 to 7 minutes.
- Cook the chorizo: Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until golden, and transfer to a plate.
- Cook the potatoes: Add the diced potatoes with some salt and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often.
- Add the liquid: Pour in the chicken stock and water along with more salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and cook the potatoes for 10 to 15 minutes until fork tender.
- Mash the potatoes: Reduce to a simmer and lightly mash the potatoes with a potato masher to thicken the soup. Add back in the chorizo along with the spinach. Cook the spinach for 1 to 2 minutes until it fully wilts. Taste and adjust for seasoning.
Pro Tips
- Salt in layers: This recipe calls for at least 3/4 teaspoons of kosher salt, but add it in at least 2 layers (per the recipe) instead of all at once. This helps directly season individual ingredients, which is especially beneficial with soups.
- Prep ingredients beforehand: You can prep nearly all the ingredients beforehand and store them in the refrigerator. However, I don’t recommend prepping the potatoes unless they’re only going to sit for a short time. If you do prep them in advance, soak them in water to prevent Browning.
Did you know?
Linguiça is similar to Spanish chorizo, but it’s typically smaller in size and milder in flavor.
Variations & Substitutions
-Use any potatoes you have on hand. Waxy potatoes, like yellow, hold up better when boiling, so these are a good option if you want your potatoes more intact.
-Replace the spinach with kale, Swiss chard, or another leafy green. A tougher green, like kale, may need to cook a little longer.
-For extra spice, use Mexican chorizo (Just cook it through first.) You can also add more heat with red pepper flakes.
-Use a yellow onion or any onion you have on hand instead of shallots.
-For a thicker soup, use more potatoes. You can also use 1 cup less water or omit the water altogether.
Recipe FAQs
I think Dutch ovens are ideal because they’re made of cast iron, which retains heat very well and seems to make soups taste better than when cooked in, say, an aluminum pot.
Absolutely! This soup reheats beautifully, and making it in advance allows the flavors to come together even more.
Storage
Refrigerator: Store this chorizo potato soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Freezer: Freeze for up to 1 month.
Reheat: Defrost in the refrigerator and heat slowly in a pot on the stove. You can also microwave it.
More Soup Recipes
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Chorizo Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves peeled and minced
- 2 large shallots peeled and minced
- 9 ounces Spanish chorizo casings removed and sliced into ¼" pieces (Note 1)
- 2 cups russet potatoes peeled and diced
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt divided (¼ teaspoon + ½ teaspoon)
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken stock (Note 2)
- 2 cups water
- Black pepper freshly ground
- 2 cups baby spinach roughly chopped
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-low to medium heat. Add the garlic and shallots and sautée until soft and translucent, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add the chorizo and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 to 3 minutes so it develops some color. Transfer the chorizo to a plate. It's OK if you scoop some of the garlic and shallots along with it, but use a slotted spoon or spatula so the oil from the chorizo stays behind in the pot.
- Add the potatoes and ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring often, so they can absorb the flavor from the chorizo.
- Pour in the chicken stock and water along with the remaining ½ teaspoon salt and some freshly ground black pepper. Bring the liquid to a boil and cook the potatoes until fork tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to a simmer. Lightly mash the potatoes with a potato masher to thicken the soup. Add the chorizo back into the pot along with the spinach; cook the spinach for 1 to 2 minutes until wilted. Taste and adjust for seasoning. Ladle into bowls and enjoy!