Rustic Portuguese Bean Soup with Chorizo, Cabbage & Potatoes

Name: Rustic Portuguese Bean Soup with Chorizo, Cabbage & Potatoes
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Portuguese Australian
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil; 200g Spanish chorizo or Portuguese chouriço, sliced; 1 brown onion, diced; 2 carrots, diced; 1 capsicum, diced; 3 garlic cloves, minced; 1 teaspoon sweet paprika; ½ teaspoon smoked paprika; ½ cup passata or diced/crushed tomatoes; 4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced; 2 cups purple cabbage, roughly chopped; 2 x 400g tins cannellini beans, drained and rinsed; 1.2 litres chicken or vegetable stock; 1 bay leaf, optional; 2 generous handfuls baby spinach; Salt and black pepper, to taste; Olive oil, to finish; Small squeeze of lemon juice or splash of vinegar, optional

A hearty Portuguese-inspired bean soup with chorizo, potatoes, purple cabbage, baby spinach and a rich paprika broth. Rustic, generous and deeply comforting.

Rustic Portuguese bean soup with chorizo, potato, purple cabbage and spinach in a paprika broth.

Portuguese bean soups are one of the great quietly beautiful things in home cooking. They are built on simple, honest ingredients: olive oil, garlic, onion, paprika, beans, potatoes and greens. Then chouriço goes in, releasing its paprika-rich oil into the pot and giving the whole broth a depth and warmth that is impossible to fake. It is the kind of soup that has been made in Portuguese kitchens for generations, and one that has found a quietly devoted following in Australian homes too. In this version, Spanish chorizo steps in beautifully when chouriço is harder to find. The purple cabbage gives the soup its deep, jewelled colour. The potatoes make it hearty. The cannellini beans make it filling and generous. And the spinach stirred through at the very end brings everything back to life. Rustic and practical, yes. But also genuinely beautiful, and absolutely worth bringing to the table with pride.

Prep: 15 min · Cook: 40 min · Serves: 6 · Cuisine: Portuguese Australian · Category: Soup

Ingredients

Rustic Portuguese Bean Soup with Chorizo, Cabbage & Potatoes

2 tablespoons olive oil
200g Spanish chorizo or Portuguese chouriço, sliced
1 brown onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
1 capsicum, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
½ cup passata or diced/crushed tomatoes
4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
2 cups purple cabbage, roughly chopped
2 x 400g tins cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1.2 litres chicken or vegetable stock
1 bay leaf, optional
2 generous handfuls baby spinach
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Olive oil, to finish
Small squeeze of lemon juice or splash of vinegar, optional

Method

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the sliced chorizo and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until it begins to caramelise and releases its red paprika oil into the pot.
Add the onion, carrot and capsicum. Season lightly with salt and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring often, until softened and fragrant.
Stir through the garlic, sweet paprika and smoked paprika if using. Cook for 1 minute, just until fragrant.
Pour in the passata and let it bubble for 3 to 5 minutes, until it reduces slightly and deepens in colour.
Add the potatoes, purple cabbage, cannellini beans, stock and bay leaf. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and the cabbage has softened.
If you prefer a heartier broth, lightly mash a few potatoes and beans against the side of the pot and stir them back through.
Stir through the baby spinach and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, just until wilted.
Taste and adjust the seasoning. Add a small squeeze of lemon juice or splash of vinegar if the soup needs a little brightness. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and crusty bread alongside.

Notes

Spanish chorizo works beautifully here when Portuguese chouriço is harder to find. Look for a cured, paprika-rich variety for the best flavour and colour in the broth.

Purple cabbage gives the soup its deep, jewelled colour. Regular green cabbage works too, though the colour of the broth will be lighter.

For a thicker, heartier soup, mash a small handful of the beans and potatoes before stirring them back through. It makes the broth feel more substantial without losing the rustic texture.

Add the spinach only at the very end so it keeps its colour and freshness.

This soup keeps beautifully. It tastes even better the next day once the flavours have had time to settle.

Serving Suggestion

Serve with crusty bread, our Portuguese Bread Rolls (Papo Secos), or a simple green salad on the side. A final drizzle of good olive oil over each bowl makes the soup feel rich and complete.

Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop, adding a splash of water or stock if the soup has thickened.

This soup also freezes well for up to 3 months.

The Grace Table Tip

Let the chorizo go in first and build the entire soup in that paprika oil. It becomes the flavour base for the whole pot and makes every other ingredient taste better.