Caldo Gallego: A paprika fueled white bean and chorizo soup

Caldo Gallego is a classic Spanish comfort food soup of white beans and chorizo.  This recipe meets the Soupy Sunday perfect recipe trifecta: 1.) a quickly prepared one pot meal; 2.) full of flavor and spice to be enjoyed by the whole family; and 3.) healthy and satisfying.


The star of this dish is the chorizo, a paprika flavored pork sausage, which originates from the Iberian Peninsula.  As the soup cooks, the paprika renders from the meat infusing the broth with smoky heat which will leave your belly happy on a cold winter's day.


My version has minimal ingredients, but one could certainly amp up the vegetable content through the addition of diced turnips, potatoes, or leafy greens such as collards or kale.


Ingredients
3/4 – 1 pound chorizo, diced
1 onion, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 carrot, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 quart chicken or vegetable broth
3 (14.5oz) cans white beans, drained and rinsed
1 (28oz) or 2 (14.5oz) cans diced fire-roasted tomatoes (don’t drain)
salt and pepper, to taste


Directions


In a Dutch oven, brown chorizo over medium heat until cooked through. Remove chorizo and drain any fat from the pot. Add onion, celery, and carrot to pot and saute over medium heat until tender. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more. 


Return chorizo to pot and add chicken broth, beans, and tomatoes and their juices. Simmer at least 30 minutes, up to 2 hours. Add additional water or chicken broth to pot as necessary.


Enjoy!