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Loading...Castilian Garlic Soup is a humble yet deeply satisfying dish born from Spanish peasant kitchens, where stale bread, golden garlic, and smoky paprika transform into a rustic, comforting bowl. The poached eggs and ribbons of olive oil turn it into a complete meal that has warmed homes across central Spain for centuries.
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time25 mins
Total Time40 mins
Servings4
Yield4 servings
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (estimated)
- 485 kcalCalories
- 28 gFat
- 5 gSaturated Fat
- 38 gCarbs
- 3 gFiber
- 4 gSugar
- 22 gProtein
- 1180 mgSodium
- 380 mgPotassium
- 150 mgCalcium
- 4 mgIron
- 6 mgVitamin C
- 120 mcgVitamin A
Ingredients
For the soup
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 12 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons smoked Spanish paprika
- 6 cups (1.4 L) chicken broth, warmed
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
- 1 pound (450 g) day-old rustic country bread, torn into 1-inch pieces
- 4 large eggs
- 4 ounces (115 g) jamón serrano or dry-cured ham, finely diced (optional)
Directions
- Heat the olive oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add the sliced garlic and cook gently for 4 to 5 minutes until softened and just turning pale golden, stirring often to prevent burning.
- Remove the pot from the heat and sprinkle in the smoked paprika, stirring quickly so the residual heat blooms the spice without scorching it.
- Pour in the warm chicken broth and add the salt, then return the pot to medium heat and bring to a gentle simmer, skimming any foam that rises.
- Add the torn bread to the pot, pressing it down so it absorbs the broth. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the bread has softened and the soup has thickened to a stewy consistency.
- Taste the broth and adjust the salt. Use the back of a spoon to make 4 shallow wells in the bubbling soup, then crack one egg into each well.
- Cover the pot and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the egg whites are set but the yolks remain runny and glossy.
- Ladle the soup into 4 warm bowls, distributing the bread, broth, and a poached egg into each. Sprinkle the diced jamón over the top, finish with a generous drizzle of raw olive oil, and serve immediately.
Cook’s Notes
- Use truly stale, dense country bread; fresh bread will dissolve into mush instead of giving the soup its signature chewy texture.
- Keep the heat low when cooking the garlic; burnt garlic turns the whole pot bitter in seconds.
- Always bloom the pimentón off the heat to keep its smoky flavor bright rather than acrid.
- For a deeper flavor, swirl a small splash of dry sherry into the broth just before serving.
- Cover the pot while the eggs poach so the whites set on top without overcooking the yolks.
