Recipe: Chickpea and Chorizo Soup

This rich, spicy stew really hits the spot on cold winter nights. Chorizo, the Spanish pork sausage flavored with smoked paprika and chilies, has a spicy, robust flavor that just permeates this soup. Onions, garlic, thyme, and a little wine round out a broth that gets soaked up by the beans as they simmer. It was easy, quick, and incredibly satisfying on a cold night.

Chickpea and Chorizo Soup
makes about 2 quarts

12 ounces chorizo sausage
1 large white onion, chopped and thinly sliced
4 stalks of celery, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespons fresh thyme, minced
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 can Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
4 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup white wine
1/4 cup Italian parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper

Chop or crumble the chorizo into bite-size pieces. Film a heavy pan lightly with olive oil and put over medium-high heat. Cook the chorizo for about five minutes or until it starts browning and and smoking. Lift out and drain on a plate lined with paper towels.

Pour a little more olive oil into the pan and turn the heat to medium. Add the onions and celery and cook for about ten minutes, or until soft. Add the garlic and thyme and cook for another couple minutes, or until golden and fragrant. Add the chorizo back in, along with the chickpeas and beans. Cook all together for a minute, stirring, until the beans are well coated with the onions and oil.

Add the broth and white wine and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer and add the parsley and olive oil. Simmer for about half an hour, or until slightly reduced. Season to taste with salt and pepper before serving.

(Image: Faith Durand)

Re-edited from post originally published on March 6, 2007