Caldo Gallego (Galician White Bean and Greens Soup)
A hearty Galician pot of white beans, potatoes, chorizo and winter greens, cooked in a golden broth.
Made with Homemade chicken stock. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time50 min
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £1.52 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over a medium heat. Fry the chorizo for 4 minutes until it has released its red oil and the edges are crisp. Lift it out and set aside.
4 min - 2
Add the onion to the chorizo oil and cook for 5 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and paprika and stir for 30 seconds.
5 min - 3
Pour in your ready made homemade chicken stock (see the base recipe), add the bay leaf and potatoes, and bring to a simmer. Cook for 12 minutes, until the potatoes are nearly tender.
12 min - 4
Add the beans and the cavolo nero. Simmer for 10 minutes more, until the greens are soft and the broth has thickened a little from the potato.
10 min - 5
Mash a few potato pieces against the side of the pot to thicken the broth. Return the chorizo, season with salt and heat through for 2 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and serve in deep bowls.
Tips
- Greens in Galicia are grelos, the leafy tops of turnips. Cavolo nero, spring greens or kale are good UK stand-ins.
- Mash a few chunks of potato into the pot at the end. This thickens the broth naturally without any flour.
- Dried beans, soaked overnight and simmered until tender, give a creamier broth. Use about 200 g dry in place of the tinned.
- Check the chorizo label for gluten if you are cooking for coeliacs. Most are free from it, but not all.
Storing and freezing
Keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days and tastes better the next day. Freeze in portions for up to 3 months, then reheat until steaming hot all the way through.
Questions
Is caldo gallego gluten free?
It is when made as here, with gluten free chorizo and stock. The soup contains no flour or pasta, but always check the chorizo label, as a few brands add wheat.
Can I make caldo gallego without chorizo?
Yes. Use a little smoked ham, bacon or smoked paprika alone. Add an extra 0.5 teaspoon of smoked paprika to keep the smoky flavour.
Which greens work best?
Cavolo nero, kale, spring greens and turnip tops all work. Cabbage is milder and cooks faster, so add it for the last 5 minutes only.
More made with homemade chicken stock
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.