Judiones con Chorizo y Costilla (Spanish Butter Beans with Chorizo and Pork Ribs)
Giant butter beans simmered in a smoky tomato sauce with chorizo and sticky pork ribs, a hearty Spanish pot.
Made with Basic tomato sauce and Spanish sofrito. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time1 hr 30
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £2.83 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
Pat the ribs dry and season with the salt. Heat the oil in a large casserole over a medium high heat and brown the ribs for 8 minutes, turning, until deep golden. Lift out.
8 min - 2
Add the chorizo to the pan and fry for 3 minutes until it releases its red oil.
3 min - 3
Stir in your ready made Spanish sofrito (see the base recipe) and the smoked paprika and cook for 2 minutes.
- 4
Add the basic tomato sauce (see the base recipe), water, bay leaves and the ribs. Bring to a simmer, cover with a lid ajar and cook for 45 minutes until the ribs are tender.
45 min - 5
Tip in the butter beans and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, until the sauce is thick and clings to the beans.
15 min - 6
Remove the bay leaves, scatter over the parsley and serve in deep bowls with a green salad.
Tips
- Check the chorizo label for gluten free. Most cooking chorizo is, but always read the pack.
- If the sauce becomes too thick, add a splash of water. If too thin, simmer the last stage uncovered for a few minutes longer.
- For a quicker version, swap ribs for diced pork belly and cut the first simmer to 30 minutes.
Storing and freezing
Cool within 90 minutes. Keep in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat until steaming hot all the way through.
Questions
Can I use dried butter beans?
Yes. Soak 300 g overnight, then boil hard for 10 minutes and simmer until tender, about 1 hour, before adding to the pot. Dried beans must be boiled properly to be safe.
Is this gluten free?
Yes, if your chorizo is labelled gluten free. All other ingredients are naturally gluten free, dairy free, egg free and nut free.
Can I use other beans?
Yes. Cannellini or haricot beans work well. Butter beans give the creamiest, most traditional texture.
More made with basic tomato sauce
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.