Caldo Gallego is a hearty Galician white bean soup made with cannellini beans, smoked ham, chorizo, bacon, potatoes, and collard greens in a chicken broth. There are 2 ways to bring this dish to life — on the stovetop after soaking the beans for 6 hours overnight or after quick soaking or using canned white kidney beans. A classic soup dinner on its own with crusty bread, or the perfect appetizer for any day of the week.
1lbdried cannellini beansor navy beans / white kidney beans
1largesmoked ham hockor 2 small ham hocks/meaty ham bones approx 1-2 lbs
1tablespoonextra virgin olive oil
4ouncesthick sliced bacondiced
1/2cupdiced yellow onion
1/2cupdiced green bell pepper
4clovesgarlicminced
1teaspoonsmoked paprika
1teaspoondried oregano
2bay leaves
4cupschicken broth
2-3largeSpanish chorizo linkssliced
2mediumRusset potatoespeeled and cubed
2cupschopped collard greensrinsed, stems removed (sub for Swiss chard or kale)
Salt to taste
Instructions
Lay the beans on a clean work surface and remove any stones, etc. Rinse the beans under cold water. In a large saucepan, place the beans with enough water to cover the beans. Soak in the water for 6 hours or up to overnight. Do not drain.
After 6 hours or the following day, place the ham hock in the saucepan. If needed, add more water up to 2 inches above beans and ham hock. Bring to a boil then reduce to a low heat. Cover; Simmer for 1 hour. Remove the ham hock and cut the meat off the bone. Set aside.
While the beans are simmering, heat the olive oil at medium-high heat in a Dutch oven. Add the bacon and pan fry for 5 minutes. Add onions and green bell peppers. Saute for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the garlic, smoked paprika, oregano, and bay leaves.
Drain the beans. Stir in the beans and chicken broth into the Dutch oven. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour or until the beans have softened. If needed, add more broth or water to prevent the soup from drying out.
Once the beans have softened, stir in the chorizo, potatoes, and collard greens into the Dutch oven. Cover and cook for another 20-25 minutes until the potatoes are fork tender. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Remove bay leaves. Serve the soup with crusty/toasty bread and enjoy!