This soup from Seasonal Eats was definitely interesting! Kramer is also wary of broth-based soups, but this one had chorizo and bacon in it, so he figured, how bad could it be? And it ended up being delicious! Kramer and I were both nursing colds around the time I made this soup, so I changed it up a bit by using ground chorizo (for some extra spice) and red pepper flakes, because nothing’s better for a cold than some spicy soup. I used spinach in this (yay vitamins), but you can use kale or turnip greens in it, too. I loved the flavors in this; they were rich and bold. I would definitely make this again, but maybe for a crowd, since this recipe makes a LOT of soup. Recipe after the jump, as always.
I used soy chorizo in this because I couldn’t find the chorizo that I was looking for at the grocery store. It tasted good and was nice and spicy, but it had terrible consistency and fell apart when I cooked it. Does anyone else have any experience cooking with soy chorizo? How did you use it?
Chop your bacon and cook it in your soup pot until just crispy.
Cube your potatoes (I always scrub my potatoes and leave the skin on because I like the texture, but you can peel them if you want).
Peel and cube your turnip. This was my first time cooking with a turnip and I actually really liked the taste. They’re a bit sweeter than potatoes, but with the same consistency.
Add the potatoes and turnips to the bacon and add enough water to just cover. Simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the potatoes and turnips are soft.
Wash and coarsely chop your spinach/kale/etc.
Add your spinach, beans, and chorizo to the soup. My soup looks reddish because I cooked my ground chorizo a bit in another pan and added it to the soup, along with some of the juices from the meat. If you’re using sliced sausage chorizo, though, you can add it straight to the soup. You can also add 1/2 a teaspoon of red pepper flakes if you like. Cook until the spinach is tender and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Enjoy with some crusty bread!
Caldo Gallego
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from Seasonal Eats
1/4 pound pancetta or slab bacon, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 15-ounce can white beans, drained and rinsed
1 medium onion, chopped into 1/2 inch cubes
1 large baking potato or 1/2 pound smaller potatoes, cubed into 1/2 inch pieces
1 large turnip, peeled and cubed into 1/2 inch pieces
1/4 pound Spanish chorizo, casings removed, cut lengthwise then into 1/4-inch thick slices (or 1/4 pound ground chorizo)
1/2 pound turnip greens (or other dark leafy green, such as kale or spinach), washed, stemmed and coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
1. In a large soup pot, cook the pancetta or bacon over medium heat for about ten minutes, stirring occasionally, until the fat is rendered and the bacon is just crispy.
2. Add the onion, potato, and turnip to the pot along with enough water to cover, and simmer for about 20 minutes until almost soft but not falling apart.
3. Add the beans, chorizo (if using uncooked ground chorizo, cook in a small separate pan and add to the soup), greens, and red pepper flakes and continue simmering until the greens are tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with crusty bread. Serves 8-10.
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
Its chilly here.. so this looks like good for a night in front of the television.
This looks delicious, except for the soy “chorizo”. That’s just a crime against food nature!
i think most soy-meat products have the tendency to fall apart easily – i remember slicing the morningstar sausages into little pieces, and i had to be really careful or they’d turn into crumbles!
but your soup looks divine
I’ve used soyrizo to make your Beans, Chorizo and Brown Rice recipe twice – it’s fantastic! Since you don’t really have to “cook” the soyrizo you could have just added it straight to the soup. It would have simply heated up along with the spinach. Nothing you can do about the crumbly texture. I think I’ll have to try this recipe next (without the bacon, of course).
If you have a Trader Joe’s in your area I recommend their Soyrizo highly. MUCH cheaper than the Melissa brand and just as tasty. I keep it on hand to toss in eggs at breakfast to make them a little more filling.
I stopped in from Ingrid’s blog to say hi. This soup looks lovely!
Looks wonderful! The only thing I might do is start with dry beans. I’ve gotten used to throwing a cup or two into a bowl to soak in water overnight. The extra fresh taste and texture are worth it.
Oooh, yum! This looks perfect for a cold day- and it looks easy to make, which is always a plus after a long day at work. My husband and I love, love, love a good soup!
(Oh, and congrats on getting engaged! That’s so exciting!)
My daughter directed me to your site, and I love the recipes. They are so practical. But, it’s just my husband and I now, (kids are grown and gone), and I look for recipes just for two. This maybe one of those recipes I can cut all the ingredients in half.