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Some of my favorite trips ever have been when I visited Spain and this Spanish-Style Lentil Soup with Chorizo really takes me back. I’m so excited for it to be a part of #DDSoupWeek 2026!
This is a really hearty, feel good soup that’s packed with fiber and nutrient-dense veggies. Because of the addition of the lentils, it’s a little creamy rather than super brothy but there’s no cream added. The vibrant red hue and smoky flavor is all thanks to dry-cured chorizo, which is the first ingredient added to the soup. You’ll start by sautéeing it in the soup pot until it’s crispy, then remove it and save it for the end (that way it doesn’t overcook). What’s left is a super flavorful oil for sautéing your veggies and flavoring the rest of the soup. The addition of fresh parsley and sherry vinegar offer some brightness and acidity to help cut through the richness from the chorizo.
Ingredients:
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
- Dry-Cured Spanish-Style Chorizo
- Yellow Onion
- Celery
- Carrots
- Garlic Cloves
- Tomato Paste
- Smoked Paprika
- Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
- Dry White Wine
- Low-Sodium Chicken Broth
- Uncooked Brown Lentils
- Bay Leaf
- Kosher Salt
- Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- Jarred Roasted Red Bell Peppers
- Sherry Vinegar
- Fresh Parsley
Step-by-Step:
step one: cook the chorizo
Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven set over medium heat. Add the chorizo and cook, stirring occasionally, until it has rendered some of its fat and is lightly crisp around the edges, 4 to 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chorizo to a plate, leaving the rendered fat in the pot.
step two: sauté the veggies
Add the onion, celery, and carrot and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
step three: build the flavor
Add the tomato paste, smoked paprika, and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring, until the tomato paste darkens slightly and begins to caramelize, about 2 minutes.
step four: add the wine
Pour in the wine and cook, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pot, until the wine has reduced by about half, 1 to 2 minutes.
step five: make the broth and cook the lentils
Add the chicken broth, lentils, bay leaf, salt, and black pepper. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil, 5 to 7 minutes, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer. Partially cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender, 35 to 40 minutes. Add additional broth or water as needed if the soup becomes thicker than desired.
step six: simmer the soup
Return the chorizo to the pot along with the roasted red peppers. Simmer until warmed through and the flavors have melded, about 10 minutes.
step seven: taste and season
Remove and discard the bay leaf. Stir in the sherry vinegar and parsley. Taste and season with additional salt, pepper, or sherry vinegar as desired.
Recipe FAQS:
They’re the most popular variety of lentils and are known for having a milder, slightly earthy flavor. They also tend to be the quickest cooking type of lentil compared to green and red varieties.
You can get this at most grocery stores. Be sure it’s the right variety (like a dry salami) and not uncooked chorizo which more closely resembles sausage links or bulk sausage.
You can add champagne vinegar, rice wine vinegar, or even a squeeze of lemon for a similar brightness and acidity!
Let the soup cool to room temperature, then store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days. Add a splash of broth if needed!
This Spanish-Style Lentil Soup with Chorizo will warm you from the inside out. Leave a comment below once you’ve tried this recipe to let me know what you think!
craving more soup recipes? try these!
Immune Boosting Coconut-Ginger Lentil Soup
Spanish-Style Lentil Soup with Chorizo
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 8 ounces dry-cured Spanish-style chorizo, sliced into thin half-moons
- 1½ cups finely diced yellow onion (from about 1 medium onion)
- 3/4 cup finely diced celery (from about 2 stalks)
- 1/2 cup peeled and finely diced carrot (from about 1 small carrot)
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth, plus more as needed
- 1¼ cups uncooked brown lentils, rinsed and drained
- 1 bay leaf
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 (12-ounce jar) roasted red bell peppers, drained and finely diced
- 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar, plus more to taste
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven set over medium heat. Add the chorizo and cook, stirring occasionally, until it has rendered some of its fat and is lightly crisp around the edges, 4 to 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chorizo to a plate, leaving the rendered fat in the pot.
- Add the onion, celery, and carrot and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add the tomato paste, smoked paprika, and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring, until the tomato paste darkens slightly and begins to caramelize, about 2 minutes.
- Pour in the wine and cook, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pot, until the wine has reduced by about half, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the chicken broth, lentils, bay leaf, salt, and black pepper. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil, 5 to 7 minutes, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer. Partially cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender, 35 to 40 minutes. Add additional broth or water as needed if the soup becomes thicker than desired.
- Return the chorizo to the pot along with the roasted red peppers. Simmer until warmed through and the flavors have melded, about 10 minutes.
- Remove and discard the bay leaf. Stir in the sherry vinegar and parsley. Taste and season with additional salt, pepper, or sherry vinegar as desired.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Photography and styling by Eat Love Eats.
