Description
Papas a la Riojana brings hearty Spanish comfort straight from La Rioja’s rustic kitchens. Spicy chorizo sings through creamy potatoes, creating a rich melody of robust flavors that warmly embrace Mediterranean culinary traditions you’ll savor to the last spoonful.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Protein and Sausage:
- 9 ounces (255 grams) Spanish chorizo, spicy or mild, sliced
Vegetables and Aromatics:
- 1 green bell pepper, deseeded and chopped
- 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
- 1.7 pounds (770 grams) waxy potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
Spices, Herbs, and Other Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons double concentrated tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 6 cups chicken broth
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Meticulously prepare all ingredients: peel potatoes into uniform bite-sized cubes, dice bell pepper and carrot into small pieces, mince onion and garlic cloves, and finely chop fresh parsley. Remove chorizo casing and slice sausage into thin half-moons.
- Warm olive oil (30 milliliters / ) in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high temperature. Sauté chorizo slices until edges turn golden and crisp, approximately 3 minutes.
- Introduce bell pepper to the pot and cook for 2 minutes, then add onion and garlic. Sauté until vegetables become translucent and fragrant, stirring continuously.
- Incorporate diced carrots and seasonings: salt, freshly ground black pepper, ground cumin, dried oregano, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper. Allow spices to bloom and release their aromatic oils for 2 minutes.
- Stir in tomato paste until completely integrated, then sprinkle all-purpose flour and mix thoroughly to create a smooth base.
- Add potato cubes and pour in chicken broth (480 milliliters / ). Increase heat to bring liquid to a robust boil, then reduce temperature, cover, and simmer for 15-18 minutes until potatoes become perfectly tender.
- Once potatoes reach desired softness, gently stir in heavy cream (120 milliliters / ) and freshly chopped parsley. Simmer an additional 3 minutes to meld flavors.
- Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Ladle into warm bowls and serve immediately alongside crusty artisan bread for a complete Spanish-inspired meal.
Notes
- Chorizo adds a smoky, spicy kick that transforms this simple potato soup into a flavor-packed Spanish-inspired dish.
- Toasting spices before adding liquid helps release their essential oils, creating a deeper, more complex flavor profile.
- Cutting vegetables into uniform sizes ensures even cooking and consistent texture throughout the soup.
- The combination of paprika, cumin, and cayenne delivers an authentic Spanish taste that warms you from the inside out.
- Heavy cream creates a luxurious, velvety texture that balances the bold, spicy notes of the chorizo and seasonings.
- Letting the soup simmer allows the potatoes to absorb all the rich, layered flavors of the ingredients.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch, Appetizer
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Spanish
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 405 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 980 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg