Spanish Garlic Soup with Egg Recipe
Spanish garlic soup, or “sopa de ajo”, is a simple, warming dish made from garlic, bread, and egg. In many regions of Spain it’s served in the evening, especially in winter, as an inexpensive and filling way to use up stale bread. The flavor is a bit similar to Polish garlic soup, but it’s thicker and more bread-forward.
This classic Spanish sopa de ajo turns simple pantry staples—garlic, stale bread, and eggs—into a rich, comforting soup with deep flavor from smoked paprika and olive oil. It’s inexpensive, filling, and perfect for cold evenings.
Chef's tips
Watch the garlic closely at the beginning: it should only turn lightly golden, not dark brown, or the whole soup will taste bitter. Use good-quality olive oil and smoked paprika, as they define the flavor. If your bread is very dry, you can add a little more stock or water to reach your preferred consistency.
How to serve
Serve piping hot in deep bowls with extra crusty bread or homemade croutons. A simple green salad or tomato-cucumber salad on the side adds freshness. You can also sprinkle a little extra smoked paprika or a drizzle of olive oil on top just before serving.
Ingredients
- garlic peeled, sliced into thin slices - 8 cloves
- wheat bread stale, cut into cubes - 150 g
- olive oil - 3 tablespoons
- sweet smoked paprika - 1 teaspoon
- vegetable stock or chicken stock - 1 l
- bay leaf - 1 piece
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- egg one per serving - 4 piece
- serrano ham cut into strips, optional - 40 g
Preparation
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the sliced garlic and fry for 2–3 minutes, stirring often, until it turns lightly golden but not deeply browned (which would make it bitter).
- Add the bread cubes and fry for another 3–4 minutes, stirring, until the bread absorbs the oil and is lightly toasted.
- Sprinkle in the smoked paprika, stir quickly, and after 10–15 seconds pour in the stock so the paprika doesn’t burn.
- Add the bay leaf, bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, until the bread breaks down and the soup thickens slightly. If needed, mash the bread with a spoon.
- Season the soup with salt and pepper. If using serrano ham, add it now and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to low. Crack the eggs into the soup one by one, spacing them out so they don’t merge together. Cook for 3–4 minutes without stirring, until the whites are set and the yolks remain slightly runny.
- Remove the bay leaf. Ladle the soup into bowls, making sure each portion has one egg. Serve immediately.
Storage
Jeśli planujesz przechowywać zupę, ugotuj jajka osobno przy podgrzewaniu, bo po dłuższym czasie w zupie mogą się rozpaść.
