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An overhead view of a bowl of white bean and chorizo soup with spinach

White Bean and Chorizo Soup with Spinach

Last Modified: January 17, 2021 // by Tracy Ariza, DDS // January 17, 2021 I may receive a commission if you purchase through links in this post. Learn more here.

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The perfect, hearty soup for a cold, rainy day, this white bean and chorizo soup with spinach is a flavorful comfort food that you'll want to make again and again.
The perfect, hearty soup for a cold, rainy day, this white bean and chorizo soup with spinach is a flavorful comfort food that you'll want to make again and again. #thethingswellmake #miy #chorizo #beansoup #fromscratch #whitebeansoup #heartysoups #soups #healthysoups #fallrecipes #spinach #healthyrecipes #healthyeating #souprecipes
The perfect, hearty soup for a cold, rainy day, this white bean and chorizo soup with spinach is a flavorful comfort food that you'll want to make again and again. #chorizo #beansoup #fromscratch #whitebeansoup #heartysoups #soups #healthysoups #fallrecipes #spinach

The perfect, hearty soup for a cold, rainy day, this white bean and chorizo soup with spinach is a flavorful comfort food that you’ll want to make again and again.

Two bowls of white bean and chorizo soup with spinach
Pin this recipe for later!

Now that the cooler weather has arrived, I’m craving more soups and stews and have been making lots of homemade stocks and homemade bone broth. Eating broths plain, though, can get boring.

The other day I decided to throw together a soup with what I had sitting in my fridge at home. I live in Spain, of course, so what I have in my fridge might be a little different than what you normally have in yours. I just happened to have some chorizo sausages, and love the way they add flavor to soup.

Ingredients

This soup is simple to make, with just a handful of ingredients. It’s mainly a white bean soup made from small white beans like the navy bean and some broth. (I usually use homemade chicken broth made from the leftover bones and bits from roasted chickens and turkeys.)

Ingredients for a white bean and chorizo soup with spinach

To add some flavor and a touch of color, I added chorizo to the soup. Here in Spain, it isn’t uncommon to add chorizo to dishes made with legumes like lentils and beans. (Fabada Asturiana, a typical dish of the North, is an example.)

I wanted to make something lighter, though. So, rather than add in more fatty meats and sausages, I used spinach. The Spinach adds color, and some healthy vitamins and minerals.

Which chorizo should you use?

To give this soup a Spanish flair, I think Spanish chorizo is the best option for this soup. There are two type of chorizo here in Spain, fresh chorizo, which needs refrigeration, and dry-cured (that doesn’t). Either works well in this dish.

Spanish chorizo is normally made with a few simple ingredients: pork, garlic, salt, and smoked paprika. The smoked paprika, or pimentón de la Vera, can be spicy or mild. Using smoked paprika is probably the main difference between Spanish and Mexican chorizo. Mexican chorizo not only lacks the smoky flavor, but it can also be beef-based or combine the two types of meat.

If you can’t find Spanish chorizo where you live, it’s actually quite simple to make your own Spanish chorizo! (Yes, even though I can easily find it here, I like to occasionally make my own.)

Adding in the greens (Spinach or Kale?)

When it’s cold in the winter, I don’t eat as many green salads. My veggies tend to be roasted veggies, homemade kale chips, or vegetable soups like my roasted pumpkin soup. 

Adding spinach to a soup like this one is a great way to get in some healthy greens in the winter. The Spinach wilts in the soup and gets smaller so you can add quite a bit of it. It also adds vitamins and great color too!

If you prefer, you can add kale instead. It’s a superfood that also packs in a nutritious punch!

What about the white beans?

This soup can be made with a variety of white beans. I like using smaller white beans like navy beans. I also prefer using dry beans rather than cans.

If using dry beans, though, you’ll need to plan ahead to have time for pre-soaking the beans. The soup itself will also take longer to cook.

If you’re crunched on time, you can definitely use store-bought, pre-cooked beans. That said, I really prefer to plan ahead and make everything from scratch. Not only is it cheaper, but you can avoid the possible endocrine disruptors found in canned foods. If you are buying pre-cooked, I suggest choosing jars over cans!

Procedure

Making the soup is simple, but you’ll have to plan ahead if you want to make it from scratch.

Pre-soaking the beans

The night before you want to serve the soup, soak the white beans in plenty of filtered water. The beans will absorb the water and increase in size by quite a bit. So, use a large container and add lots of excess water.

Choosing the soaking container

I used to use a large water jug, but I now use large bowls instead. If you use a narrow container, the beans can get wedged into place when they expand in size, making them harder to remove. Using a wide container like a bowl simplifies things.

  • Pouring water into a bowl with white beans
  • Two bowls with white beans. On the left, the beans are dried. On the right, the beans have been soaked overnight.

Preparing the soup

This soup can be made in either a pressure cooker like the Instant Pot, or over the stovetop.

The next day, after soaking the beans overnight, strain the excess water off the beans and give them a good rinse.

I used to cook the chorizo separately, towards the end of the beans’ cook time. I then added the chorizo to simmer with the beans for a few minutes before serving. Now, though, I’ve found that it’s easier to pan-fry the chorizo before adding the beans and broth and cook them together. (You can even skip the pan-frying if you really want.)

The real advantage of pan-frying the chorizo is that you can drain off some of the excess fat which can tend to form a layer of grease on the soup without really adding more flavor.

  • Sliced chorizo on a cutting board
  • the sliiced chorizo in a pressure cooker
  • The cooked chorizo in the pressure cooker
    Saute the chorizo.
  • Pouring the soaked beans into the pressure cooker
    Add the beans.
  • Pouring broth into the pressure cooker with the beans
    Add broth.
  • Pouring water over the beans in the pressure cooker
    Add water to cover the beans.

To save time and having to clean extra pots and pans, I directly pan-fry the chorizo in either the soup pot or the pressure cooker. Most pressure cookers will have a setting for sautee-ing. Once cooked, you can drain off some of the excess fat and add in the beans and liquid.

If using a pressure cooker, add around 4 cups of a stock or broth. You can use bone broth, vegetable broth, or chicken broth made from the bones after roasting a chicken. The liquid should fully cover the beans. If not, add a little water to your pot.

If you will be making this on the stove, a lot of the water will evaporate during the cooking process. To compensate for that, I suggest having around 7 cups of liquid (stock plus water) ready. Just make sure you have enough liquid to cover the beans. During the cooking process, add water, as needed, to keep them covered.

Cooking the soup

If using the pressure cooker, try using the legume setting. The legume setting of my pressure cooker lasts around 35 minutes once the heat level has been reached. I have found that this keeps the beans with a more solid consistency. If you want them to be on the softer side, I’d suggest increasing the cook time slightly.

If using a pot on the stovetop, simmer for around an hour and a half and check the beans for tenderness. Add in extra water as needed to maintain the desired consistency.

Shortly before serving, add a few handfuls of spinach to the soup. Let the spinach wilt, adding more as it wilts and creates space, if desired.

  • Pressing the steam release valve of a slow cooker
    Release the excess steam.
  • A bowl of spinach by the cooked soup.
  • Placing spinach in the cooked soup
    Add spinach.
  • Overhead view of the cooked soup with the wilted spinach
  • Adding salt to the soup
    Add salt.
  • Serving the soup with a ladle
    Ready to serve!

Taste the soup and add seasonings like salt, freshly ground pepper, and possibly some smoked paprika to taste. It’s now ready to serve!

Customizing the dish

In my region of Spain, one of the typical rice dishes is called arroz con habichuelas. It is a rice dish which includes white beans and chorizo and isn’t served “dry” like a paella, but rather retains some of the broth like a soup.

This soup could be made in a similar way, adding in some rice. If you want to make this soup with rice, you should add in the rice towards the end, when you have 20-40 minutes left in the cooking time (depending on the type of rice you are using). You’ll also have to add more broth or water.

closeup of a bowl of white bean and chorizo soup with spinach, highlighting the ingredients.

Video

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An overhead view of a bowl of white bean and chorizo soup with spinach

White Bean, Chorizo and Spinach Soup

The perfect, hearty soup for a cold, rainy day, this white bean and chorizo soup with spinach is a flavorful comfort food that you’ll want to make again and again.
4.50 from 6 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 8 bowls
Calories: 279kcal
Author: Tracy Ariza, DDS

Ingredients

  • 2 cups dry white beans
  • 3 links Spanish chorizo sliced, about 250g/9 ounces
  • 4 cups stock or bone broth I usually use chicken stock
  • 3 handfuls baby spinach or kale
  • 1 teaspoon salt more or less, to taste
  • freshly ground black pepper to taste, optional

Instructions

The day before, if using dried beans

  • Put the white beans in a bowl or other large container. Cover with them with water, adding enough water to cover them by several inches. They will double in size, So choose the container accordingly. (You should end up with around 4 cups of soaked beans.)

Preparing the soup, the day of serving

  • Strain the excess water off the beans and rinse them.
  • Slice the chorizo into ½ inch (1.5cm) slices. Pan fry the chorizo in the pot you will be using to cook the soup. If you will be using a pressure cooker or Instant Pot, choose the sautee setting. If desired, drain off the excess oil.

If using a pressure cooker/ Instant Pot

  • Add the beans to the pressure cooker with the pan-fried chorizo and around 4 cups of broth. The broth should fully cover the beans. If not, add some water until they are covered with liquid.
  • For cooked beans that hold their shape, use the legume setting of the pressure cooker. The legume setting of my pressure cooker lasts around 35 minutes once the heat level has been reached. If you want them to be on the softer side, I'd suggest increasing the cook time slightly. 
  • Once you've released the excess pressure and opened up the pressure cooker, if you find that the beans aren't cooked to your liking, you can continue to cook them a bit longer. (Try either the slow cook setting, a sautee setting, or another similar setting that allows for cooking without closing and building pressure again. This will depend on your pressure cooker.)

On the stovetop

  • If you will be making this on the stove, a lot of the water will evaporate. I suggest having around 7 cups of liquid ready to compensate for the evaporation. During the cooking process, you can add water, as needed to keep the beans covered.
  • Simmer for around an hour and a half and check the beans for tenderness. Add in extra water as needed to maintain the desired consistency.

Finishing up

  • Shortly before serving, add a few handfuls of spinach to the soup. Let the spinach wilt and stir it into the soup. Once it has decreased in size, you can add some more, if you like.
  • Taste the soup and add seasonings like salt, freshly ground pepper, and possibly some smoked paprika to taste. It's now ready to serve!

Notes

I usually make this soup with small white beans like navy beans. You can use other legumes too. Just be sure to adjust the cook times accordingly.
Kale, or even nettles, can be used in place of the spinach.

Which chorizo?

I use Spanish chorizo in this recipe because it adds a smoky flavor which comes from the smoked paprika, or pimentón de la Vera, used in Spanish chorizo. Either fresh chorizo or dried-cured chorizo can be used.

Can’t find Spanish chorizo?

If you don’t have access to Spanish chorizo, you can make your own chorizo. If you don’t want to make the sausages, you can make simple chorizo-flavored meatballs instead. Follow the chorizo recipe and mix together the ground pork, salt, garlic, and smoked paprika. Rather than pressing the mixture into sausage casings, it can be rolled into meatballs.
If you are using Mexican chorizo, consider adding some smoked paprika to the recipe, for flavor.

Don’t have time to pre-soak and cook the beans?

Yes, you can use jarred/canned beans instead. The soup can be made in under 20 minutes if using pre-cooked beans. Just pan-fry the chorizo, add the beans with some broth, and cook until the chorizo is fully cooked and the beans are fully heated through. Add the spinach at the last minute.

Other variations

This can be made into a brothy rice dish over the stove by adding short-grained rice to the beans when there are around 20 minutes of cook time remaining. Add enough liquid to cover the rice and end up with a thick, brothy mixture. (It shouldn’t be liquidy like a soup, but shouldn’t be dry like a paella either.)
Course Appetizers, Soups
Cuisine Mediterranean, Spanish
Special Diets Gluten Free, Low Lactose
Keyword chorizo, soups
Other Diets Dairy free, Gluten free
Tried this recipe? Tag me today!Mention @thethingswellmake or tag #thethingswellmake!
Serving: 1bowl | Calories: 279kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 19mg | Sodium: 963mg | Potassium: 1152mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1055IU | Vitamin C: 11.4mg | Calcium: 141mg | Iron: 6.2mg

Looking for more great soup recipes?

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This soup has been featured in the community e-cookbook, Winter Soups, along with more than 50 soup recipes from real food bloggers.

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Update Information

This post was originally published on December 6, 2013. It was rewritten and published again in January of 2021, adding new photos, clearer instructions, and video.

Category: Soups & Salads, Spanish Food & Recipes

About Tracy Ariza, DDS

Tracy Ariza, B.A., D.D.S., left dentistry and the United States to found Oh, The Things We’ll Make!, writing to you from the Spanish Riviera. She loves making things herself in order to keep control of what goes in them. While far from perfect, she strives each day to live a healthier, more sustainable lifestyle.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Lindsay

    December 8, 2014 at 5:03 PM

    How many servings does this make? Sounds like 8 cups?

    Reply
    • Tracy Ariza

      December 8, 2014 at 8:47 PM

      Good question– I wish I had a better answer for you, but I’ll do my best. I make this in my medium sized pot, and it makes enough to last me a couple of days if I’m the only one eating it for lunch. My husband isn’t a fan of any sort of legumes, chilis or soups, so I usually make soups and stews for my lunches when he isn’t around.
      As for the actual amount…It really depends upon the amount of liquid you end up adding, and how much evaporates away. The beans themselves usually double in size (perhaps a bit more even). So, at the very least, you’d have the 4-5 cups of cooked beans plus chorizo plus spinach. If you let a lot of the liquid evaporate, and don’t add more in, your soup will be thicker, and you’ll end up with less volume of the soup.
      Depending on the amount of liquid you add in throughout the process, which depends on the mount that evaporates, your preference, etc., you’ll end up with more or less soup.
      I hope that helps!

      Reply
  2. Jenny

    December 6, 2013 at 9:55 PM

    This sounds good! It’s about 12 here today so this would definitely warm you up! This week my local grocer has chorizo on sale, 10 0z roll for $1. I think I ‘ll have to buy some & try this over the weekend. Thanks for the recipe. 🙂

    Reply
    • Tracy@TheThingsWellMake

      December 6, 2013 at 11:40 PM

      You’re very welcome!! Let me know how you like it. 🙂
      Wow, 12 degrees… and I’ve been complaining. I don’t know what temperature it is here, but I’m sure it’s not that low, and I’m still whining!

      Reply

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Hello, I’m Tracy!

I love making my own natural products like soaps and lotions and my own pantry items like yogurt and salad dressings.
Why do I do it? Sometimes to save money, sometimes because it's healthier, but I always love having control of the ingredients!​
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