Lentejas con Chorizo Recipe (Simple Spanish Lentil Soup)
Lentejas con chorizo, or Spanish lentil stew with chorizo, is the perfect cozy soup for a cold winter night.
- 2 cups dried brown or green lentils
- 12 cups chicken stock or water
- 1 ham bone
- 1 stalk celery (cut into 1-inch pieces)
- aromatics (such as rosemary, thyme, bay leaf, black peppercorns)
- 1 large link chorizo (preferably semi-cured)
- 1/4 cup olive oil (for frying)
- 4 medium onions (finely diced)
- 3 large carrots (small dice)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 teaspoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons ñora pasta (or a mashed roasted red pepper)
- 3 cups crushed tomatoes (drained)
- Rinse the lentils, discarding any pebbles or debris. Cover them with the chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Add the ham bone, celery, and aromatics and simmer until tender, about 40 minutes.
- Slice three-quarters of the chorizo into rounds, then mince the remaining chorizo for later. Brown the sliced chorizo on both sides in a skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add 1/4 cup of olive oil to the rendered fat and turn the heat to medium. Add the onions and cook slowly until starting to brown, about 7 minutes.
- Add the carrots and cook another 5 minutes or so, until everything is cooked through and golden.
- Add the garlic and cook for another couple of minutes, then add the tomatoes, minced chorizo, tomato paste, and roasted pepper paste. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has reduced to a thick paste (sofrito).
- Add the sofrito to the lentils, and simmer until the flavors are well combined. Taste the lentils often to make sure you don't overcook them.
- Once the lentils are cooked through, remove the aromatics and the celery and let the soup sit uncovered. The longer you wait, the better the flavors will be! You can even refrigerate it overnight at this stage if you like.
- Serve hot and top with the seared chorizo and some pickled peppers if you can get them! Enjoy!
This authentic recipe has even turned lentil haters into lentil lovers! If you're a fan of Spanish soups, be sure to try these tempting recipes for ajo blanco and vegetarian caldo Gallego soup.
Introduction
My first time trying Spanish lentils was when my host mom, Josefina, served me a hearty bowl of lentejas con chorizo.
Years later, I still remember how amazing those lentils tasted! My own recipe uses two pots instead of one, but is worth the extra trouble.
Now you can taste why my Spanish husband claims that this is the best lentil soup he's ever had!
Ingredients
Wondering what ingredients you need to make a hearty batch of lentejas con chorizo?
Grab these key ingredients, and you'll be ready to start cooking!
- Lentils: Use brown lentils here. Green or red lentils will cook too quickly and become mushy.
- Chorizo: I use semi-cured chorizo. You can use completely raw chorizo, but it will have a different flavor.
- Ham Bone: A good ham bone adds a wonderful flavor to any soup! The collagen from the bone will thicken it on the following day.
- Ñora pasta: This Spanish roasted red pepper paste can easily be substituted with a mashed roasted red pepper.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Lentejas con Chorizo
If you’d like to see the full ingredients and instructions, scroll to the bottom of the post for the printable recipe card.
- Rinse the lentils, removing any pebbles or debris. (image 1)
- Cover them with water or stock and bring to a simmer. (image 2)
- Add the ham bone, celery, and aromatics and simmer for about 40 minutes, or until the lentils are tender and not mushy. (image 3)
- Meanwhile, brown the chorizo in a pan. Mince one-quarter of it, then set aside. (image 4)
- Add ¼ cup of olive oil to the fat rendered from the chorizo, then add the onion and sautée until browned, about 7 minutes. (image 5)
- Add the carrots and cook for another 5 minutes. (image 6)
- Add the garlic and cook for another couple of minutes. (image 7)
- Add the tomatoes, minced chorizo, tomato paste, and roasted pepper paste. (image 8)
- Cook the vegetable mixture over medium heat until thickened and soft to create a sofrito, then add to the lentil mixture. (image 9)
- Simmer until the lentils are well flavored and tender, then serve hot topped with the remaining seared chorizo and enjoy! (image 10)
Recipe FAQs
Do I need to soak the lentils? Fortunately, there's no need to soak the lentils before cooking them in this recipe!
However, if you do want to soak them, you can shave about 20 minutes off of the cooking time. What kind of chorizo do you use for lentejas con chorizo? I recommend using semi-cured chorizo, which has been aged and has a firmer texture than fresh.
You can definitely use fresh chorizo if that's all you can find, though. How long does lentejas con chorizo keep?
It will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days, or you can freeze it in an airtight container or zip-top bag for up to 3 months.
Serve
Enjoy this Spanish lentil stew while it's hot!
I recommend pairing it with pickled peppers and hearty bread to make a wonderful dinner. Since it contains tomatoes, the stew will taste even better the next day--if it lasts that long!
Round out your Spanish meal with ensalada mixta, a glass of hot wine, and a slice of lemon olive oil cake for dessert.
Expert Tips
- Use semi-cured chorizo and ñora pasta (roasted red pepper paste) if you can find it. Be sure to use good quality olive oil for the best flavor!
- Want a thicker soup? Purée a couple of scoops of lentils before adding the sofrito and add it back to the soup.
Notes
- Use semi-cured chorizo and ñora pasta (roasted red pepper paste) if you can find it. Be sure to use good quality olive oil for the best flavor!
- Want a thicker soup? Purée a couple of scoops of lentils before adding the sofrito and add it back to the soup.