When the weather turns chilly, nothing beats a bowl of Caldo Gallego. This traditional Galician soup from Spain is rich, warming, and deeply comforting, perfect for cozying up with on a cold day. The combination of greens, potatoes, and chorizo creates a hearty meal that’s both satisfying and full of flavor.
The foundation of Caldo Gallego is its simple yet flavorful ingredients. At its core, this soup consists of turnip greens or collard greens, which give it a signature earthy flavor. These greens are simmered in a flavorful broth made from pork (often in the form of chorizo or ham), which infuses the soup with smoky, savory richness.
Potatoes are added to give the soup body and creaminess, absorbing the delicious flavors of the broth as they cook. The chorizo, typically sliced into rounds, adds both spice and heartiness to the dish, making it filling and satisfying. The result is a soup that’s not only comforting but also deeply nourishing, bringing the essence of traditional Spanish home cooking to your table.
While Caldo Gallego is traditionally made with pork, it can easily be adapted to suit other dietary preferences. For a lighter version, you can use vegetable broth and skip the chorizo, while still maintaining the soul-satisfying qualities of the dish.
This soup is often enjoyed as a main course, served alongside crusty bread to soak up every last drop of broth. It’s a dish that brings people together, perfect for family meals or sharing with friends. With its rich flavors and wholesome ingredients, Caldo Gallego embodies the spirit of Galicia – warm, hearty, and deeply satisfying.
Whether you’re craving a comforting meal on a cold evening or want to explore the flavors of Spain, Caldo Gallego offers a taste of tradition that will keep you coming back for more.
Ingredients
- 1 lb dry white beans
- 1 lb smoked ham hock
- 1 lb chorizo
- 1 lb potatoes peeled and diced
- 1 onion large, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 bunches collard greens stems removed and leaves thinly sliced
- salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Rinse the white beans and soak them in water overnight.
- In a large pot, combine the soaked beans, ham hock, chorizo, onion, and garlic.
- Cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour or until the beans are tender.
- Remove the ham hock and chorizo from the pot and set aside. Remove any excess fat from the ham hock and dice the meat.
- Return the diced ham hock to the pot and add the potatoes. Simmer for another 30 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
- Meanwhile, slice the chorizo into bite-sized pieces.
- Add the collard greens and sliced chorizo to the pot. Simmer for an additional 15 minutes until the greens are wilted and tender.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve hot and enjoy!
Yum! Simple. I just buy the ingredients and like, boom, dinner is done!
Totally! I love how quick and easy it is! Makes meal prep a breeze. 😊
This tastes like something my grandma would make. I love the smoky ham + greens combo. Only change I made was adding a splash of vinegar at the end for brightness.
I mean, it’s ok but where’s all the spices? Kinda bland to me. I added some cayenne but still… 🤷♀️
This was amazing! So flavorful and filling. My family loved it!
Excelent! So good I had to make a second batch! My kids loved it too.
This is the best Caldo Gallego recipe I’ve ever tried! So flavorful and hearty, perfect for cold days. Thanks for sharing!
Hmm… I didn’t soak my beans overnight (oops) and they were still crunchy at the end. So yeah, follow the soaking step lol.
Way too much meat for my liking. I’m doing a plant-based diet now, so I’ll have to tweak it a lot. But I guess it looks yummy!
It’s fine, I guess. Just another soup. Not a big deal really.
Not gonna lie, the ingredients list is a lot. I almost forgot to slice the chorizo at the end—thankfully it still worked because I cooked it in too early for like 5 minutes.
Not sure about the chorizo timing—adding it after the ham hock step felt a little odd to me. Also my collards turned kind of stringy because I sliced them too thick. Flavor was still good, just texture issues.
I get what you mean about the timing—chorizo can get kind of weird if it’s in too long. But for me, adding it with the beans works only if it’s mild and I keep the simmer gentle. What kind of chorizo did you use?
This recipe is AMAZING! It tastes just like my grandma used to make. Five stars from me!
I don’t know… I tried it but it didn’t taste right to me. Too much meat maybe? 🤷♂️
I totally get what you mean! It can be a bit heavy with all that meat. Maybe try cutting down on the chorizo next time?
So good! My grandma used to make this and it reminds me of home. Will make it again for sure! ❤️
Looks so delicious! Can you make it in a slow cooker? I’m not a fan of boiling things haha.
I’m just confused by the instructions. Like, do I really need to remove fat from the ham? Seems too much work for a soup.
This is too complicated. Why do I have to soak beans overnight? No time for that.
Pretty good, but my beans took forever to get tender. I might’ve had old beans. Also I accidentally minced way more garlic than needed… it was still tasty though.
Made this last night—so hearty and comforting. The collards get perfectly tender, and the smoked ham hock flavor really comes through. I might add a little smoked paprika next time, but overall 10/10.
I’m glad it worked for you. I tried it once and my beans were still hard at the 1 hour mark—ended up cooking way longer. Also I used smoked paprika and it kinda overpowered the ham hock, but maybe I went too heavy.
Yes!! Caldo Gallego is the coziest. I always end up going back for one more bowl 😂 Smoked paprika sounds perfect—did you add it to the simmer or at the end?
Never tried collard greens before! They were surprisingly good!