Cozy Swiss Chard Soup with Chorizo
This cozy Swiss chard soup with chorizo is hearty, comforting, and delicious. It’s also budget-friendly and can be easily doubled to feed a crowd.
Recipe Mood: Cozy Soup
Indulgence Level: Medium
Effort Level: Easy
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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 an upset 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 cozy Swiss chard soup with chorizo to soothe a tumultuous tummy—it may be a tad too spicy for that!—it can certainly cure many other ailments, both physical and emotional.
I began making a variation of this soup around 2006 from an online recipe I found that I’ve 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 Swiss chard 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: Spinach 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.
Did you know?
Spanish chorizo is a cured sausage, unlike Mexican chorizo, which is raw and requires cooking before serving.
Why You’ll Love This Cozy Swiss Chard Soup with Chorizo
Simple ingredients: It doesn’t require much to whip up this comforting and flavorful soup.
Reheats well: This soup tastes even better the next day because the chorizo really infuses the broth.
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.
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See the recipe card below for more information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make This Recipe
- Cook the aromatics: Heat the olive oil in a large pot and cook the garlic and shallots for 5 minutes.
- Cook the chorizo: Cook for 2-3 minutes, until golden, and transfer to a plate.
- Cook the potatoes: Add the diced potatoes, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often.
- Add the liquid: Pour in the chicken broth along with more salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and cook the potatoes for 10 minutes so they’re fork-tender.
- Mash the potatoes: Reduce to a simmer and lightly mash the potatoes with a potato masher to thicken the soup. Add the chorizo back in, along with the Swiss chard. Cook the chard for 1-2 minutes until it fully wilts. Taste and adjust for seasoning.
Pro Tips
Salt in layers: This recipe calls for at least 3/4 teaspoon of kosher salt, but add it in at least 2 layers (per the recipe) instead of all at once. This helps season individual ingredients directly, which is especially beneficial for soups.
Prep ingredients beforehand: You can prepare nearly all the ingredients ahead of time and store them in the refrigerator. However, I don’t recommend prepping the potatoes unless they will only sit for a short time. If you do prep them in advance, soak them in water to prevent browning.
Variations & Substitutions
-Use any potatoes you have on hand. Waxy potatoes, like yellow, hold up better when boiled, 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, such as kale, may need to cook for a little longer.
-Use linguiça instead of chorizo. For extra spice, use Mexican chorizo (just cook it through first). –Add more heat with red pepper flakes.
-Chicken stock and vegetable stock/broth are all fine to use instead of chicken broth.
-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 Swiss chard soup in an airtight container in the fridge 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
- Lentil soup
- Pasta e fagioli with sweet sausage
- Roasted cauliflower and chickpea stew
- Comforting Italian lentil soup with pasta
- Turkey orzo soup with gremolata
If you’ve enjoyed this recipe, please take a moment to leave a five-star review below. You could also tag me on Instagram (@forcarbssake) with a picture of your finished dish!
Cozy Swiss Chard Soup with Chorizo
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, sliced down the middle and cut into ¼" pieces
- 4 cups russet potatoes peeled and cut into 1" to 1½" pieces
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt divided (½ teaspoon + ½ teaspoon) (Note 1)
- Ground black pepper
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 4 cups Swiss chard 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, stirring often, about 5 minutes.
- Add the chorizo and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 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 most of the oil from the chorizo remains behind.
- Add the potatoes, garlic powder, smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon salt, and some black pepper. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring often, so they can absorb the flavor of the grease from the chorizo.
- Pour in the chicken broth along with the remaining ½ teaspoon salt and more black pepper. Bring the liquid to a boil and cook the potatoes until fork tender, about 10 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 Swiss chard; cook the chard for 1-2 minutes until wilted. Taste and adjust for seasoning. Ladle into bowls and enjoy!
