Quick Black Bean Soup with Spanish Chorizo

Spanish chorizo is as pretty as it is flavorful. Loaded with smoked paprika—whether mild or hot—this pork sausage’s deep red color makes it an attractive component in countless dishes, or simply served sliced as part of a tapas spread.

Spanish Chorizo

Garlic and salt are the only other ingredients in authentic Spanish chorizo, which is generally sold as a cured, or hard, sausage link. Unlike Mexican chorizo—made from raw, ground pork—the Spanish version is made with chopped pork stuffed into casings and then cured. Mexican chorizo must be cooked before eating, but Spanish may be eaten as is.

Sliced Chorizo

That said, it’s also delicious cooked, especially in soups or stews. As it cooks, the sausage releases some of its vibrant reddish-orange oils, adding wonderful smoky flavor—and color—to the other ingredients.

In this recipe, the chorizo turns common black bean soup into something special. (And using canned beans makes it fast enough for any night of the week.)

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 7-8 oz Spanish chorizo, halved lengthwise, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 3/4 cup chopped, peeled carrot
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp adobo sauce
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 15-oz cans black beans, rinsed well and drained
• chopped cilantro, for serving

Chorizo Ready to Cook 

Soup Ingredients 

Rinsed, Drained Black Beans

Preparation

1. Heat a soup pot or large saucepan over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the chorizo and cook, stirring several times, 5 minutes. Transfer the chorizo to a bowl, leaving oil in the pan.

Chorizo Beginning to Cook

Cooked Chorizo

1. Add the onion, carrot, and garlic to the pan and cook, stirring several times, 5 minutes.
2. Add the chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, and cumin and season with salt and pepper. Stir 1 minute.
3. Add the broth and beans and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and cook slowly until the carrots have softened, 5 minutes.
4. Return the chorizo to the pan and cook 2 minutes.

Onion, Carrot, and Garlic

Chipotle Mixture Added

Broth and Beans Added

Cooked Soup

To serve, divide the soup among 4 bowls and garnish with chopped cilantro.

Quick Black Bean Soup with Spanish Chorizo