Spanish Chorizo and Chickpea Noodle Soup
A deeply flavored Spanish noodle soup built on sautéed chorizo and aromatic vegetables, simmered with chickpeas in a tomato-enriched broth, and finished with toasted fideos. The chorizo releases its smoky fat to enrich the entire pot, while a brief toast of the noodles adds toasted depth. Ready in under 45 minutes with minimal hands-on time.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Wait
- 16 min
- Total
- 41 min
- Makes
- About 7–8 cups (serves 4–6)
Steps
Before you start
- Read through the recipe so you understand the timing
- Measure out the chicken broth and open the cans before you start
- Use a 4–5 quart (4–5 liter) pot so you have room for all ingredients
- Have a small skillet ready for toasting the fideos
Prepare ingredients
- Remove the casing from the chorizo if needed and dice it into ½-inch (1 cm) pieces.
- Finely dice the onion, mince the garlic, and cut the red bell pepper into ½-inch (1 cm) pieces.
- This takes about 10 minutes.
- Have all ingredients ready before you start cooking.
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Ready when: All ingredients are diced and minced, ready to cook
Render chorizo fat
- Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large 4–5 quart (4–5 liter) pot over medium heat.
- Add the diced chorizo and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3–4 minutes.
- The chorizo will soften, break apart slightly, and release its orange-red fat into the pot, which will pool at the bottom and coat the sides.
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Ready when: Chorizo is softened and translucent, with a layer of red-orange fat pooled in the bottom of the pot
Cook aromatics and bloom spices
- Add the diced onion, garlic, and bell pepper to the pot with the chorizo fat.
- Stir well to coat everything evenly.
- Cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion becomes translucent and the garlic is very fragrant.
- Sprinkle in the smoked paprika and stir constantly for 15–20 seconds to toast it lightly in the hot fat.
- The paprika will deepen in color and become very aromatic.
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Ready when: Onions are translucent, garlic is fragrant, and paprika has darkened and become aromatic
Tip: Blooming the paprika in the hot chorizo fat unlocks its smoky depth; this step is key to the soup's flavor
Add broth, tomatoes, and chickpeas
- Pour in the 6 cups (1.4 liters) of chicken broth and add the canned diced tomatoes with all their juice.
- Stir in the drained and rinsed chickpeas.
- Stir everything together until well combined.
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Ready when: All ingredients are combined and the liquid is beginning to bubble at the edges
Simmer to meld flavors
- Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the soup to a gentle simmer (you should see small bubbles breaking the surface regularly, but not a rolling boil).
- Once it reaches a simmer, reduce the heat to medium-low and let it simmer uncovered for 5–8 minutes.
- This allows the flavors to meld and deepens the broth's taste.
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Ready when: Soup maintains a gentle, steady simmer
Toast fideos
- While the soup simmers, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a small 8–10 inch (20–25 cm) skillet over medium heat.
- Once the oil is hot, add the fideos and stir constantly for 1–2 minutes until they turn golden-brown and smell deeply nutty.
- Watch them closely—they can go from golden to burnt quickly.
- Once toasted, transfer them to a plate.
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Ready when: Fideos are golden-brown with a deep nutty aroma
Tip: Toast the fideos only to a deep golden color; burnt noodles will taste bitter
Add toasted fideos to soup
- Stir the toasted fideos into the simmering soup, distributing them evenly throughout the pot.
- The pot should still be on medium-low heat.
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Ready when: Fideos are distributed throughout the soup
Cook fideos until tender
- Maintain a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 6–8 minutes until the fideos are tender but not mushy.
- Stir occasionally to prevent clumping and to ensure even cooking.
- The soup should still be brothy; if it seems to be getting too thick, you can add a splash of water or extra broth.
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Ready when: Fideos are tender and have absorbed some liquid, but the soup is still clearly brothy
Season and serve
- Remove the pot from heat.
- Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning with salt and black pepper as needed.
- Remember that the chorizo and broth already contribute saltiness, so add conservatively.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish each serving with a pinch of fresh chopped parsley if you like.
- Serve hot.
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Ready when: Soup tastes cohesive and well-balanced
Tip: Spanish chorizo is already quite salty, so taste before adding more salt
Good to know
Tips
- Don't skip toasting the fideos—the toasted, nutty flavor is what elevates this soup from ordinary to exceptional
- Spanish chorizo is fully cooked and smoked; it's different from fresh Mexican chorizo, which is raw. Make sure you're using the right kind
- If the soup thickens as it sits or during storage, thin it with a splash of broth or water when reheating; it should be clearly brothy, not stew-like
- For a heartier soup, dice and add a medium potato or a handful of diced kale in step 4, and simmer for 12–15 minutes before adding the fideos
Make ahead
The soup can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated. However, do not add the fideos until just before serving, as they will absorb liquid and become mushy. Reheat the soup gently on the stovetop, then add the fideos and cook for 6–8 minutes as directed. Alternatively, you can toast fresh fideos and add them when reheating.
Storage & reheating
Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Refrigerator: up to 3 days in an airtight container; reheat gently on the stovetop and add fresh fideos, or add a splash of broth if the soup has thickened. Freezer: up to 3 months (freeze without the fideos for best results; add fresh fideos when reheating).
Substitutions
- fideos (thin Spanish pasta) → orzo, vermicelli, or thin spaghetti broken into 2-inch (5 cm) pieces. Use the same weight and adjust cooking time slightly if needed, as different pastas cook at different rates
- Spanish chorizo sausage → Portuguese linguica or other Spanish cured sausage, or a combination of chorizo and diced smoked ham. Use the same weight; different varieties may have slightly different salt levels, so taste before adding extra salt
- canned chickpeas → white beans, cannellini beans, or cooked fresh chickpeas. Use 1½ cups (360 ml) cooked; the flavor and texture will be slightly different but equally good
- low-sodium chicken broth → vegetable broth for a vegetarian version; omit the chorizo or use a plant-based cured sausage. The soup will taste less rich but still be flavorful
