Despite the myth, it does get cold in Spain during winter, and if you ask any local grandma, they will tell you there is no better way to keep warm than by eating soup but… what are the most authentic Spanish soups for winter?
Generally, all of the Spanish seasonal specials have some things in common: They include legumes, fatty and flavory meats.
Despite not requiring much preparation, they are normally slow cooked for hours.
You will find different special dishes in each region of Spain, although there are some that are so popular that you can find them all over the country.
Considering they are quite unknown amongst tourists, finding them in a restaurant will guarantee that the place cooks for the locals and you are getting the real deal.
The 3 most authentic Spanish soups
1. Lentil soup (Lentejas)
Lentil soup is indeed a basic of the mediterranean diet for winter and one of the most popular dishes in Spain.
While every Spanish family has a recipe that is passed down from generation to generation, no one could even dream of beating grandma’s version.
Generally, the recipes are all very similar, and the main ingredients are lentils, vegetables, chorizo, serrano ham bones and sweet paprika.
2. Cocido Madrileño
While originally from Madrid, you can find cocido madrileño everywhere these days. We also consider it is safe to say that it will be about the tastiest broth you can try.
Normally it takes around 5 hours to slow cook this soup. The main ingredients are chickpeas, carrots, potatoes, chorizo, blood pudding, pork belly and chicken.
With those ingredients, we are sure you can imagine the tastiness of the broth that it creates.
This dish is normally served as a soup with all the solid ingredients on the side for you to help yourself and add whichever you fancy.
3. Fabada Asturiana
This winter dish comes from Asturias, in the north of Spain, and it features a local bean from the area, Fabes de la Granja.
The main ingredients are beans, onion, chorizo, blood pudding and pork belly along with several spices. It all gets slow cooked for around 3 hours, resulting in a rich bean-based stew ready to warm you up.
As you can see, Spaniards are big on using fatty meats to add some flavor to their recipes.
While we can guarantee that they do taste like heaven we might also warn you that indulging in these winter soups too often might result in your cholesterol going off the charts, so, enjoy with caution, and please do take a walk afterwards!
¡Que aproveche!
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