Sopa de ajo – Castilian garlic soup with bread, ham and egg
Castile's humble soup for winter nights: day-old bread, garlic, serrano ham and smoked paprika simmered in stock, with a poached egg in each bowl. It is also made with plain water instead of stock, or with beaten egg stirred in.
- 40 minTime
- 21 minHands-on
- 4Portions
- ≈ €1.15per portion
- 450kcal per portion
Ingredients for 4 portions
- 200 gBread, a day old, thinly sliced
- 6 clovesGarlic, thinly sliced
- 5 tbspOlive oil
- 100 gProsciutto, diced
- 2 tspSmoked paprika
- 1.3 lChicken stock
- to tasteSalt
- 4Eggs
Method
- Peel the garlic and slice it thinly. Cut the bread into thin slices.
- Heat the oil in a casserole, earthenware if you have one, over a medium-low heat and fry the garlic for 2–3 minutes until golden; don't let it burn.
- Add the ham and fry for 1 minute. Add the bread and turn it for 3–4 minutes, until it has soaked up the oil and toasted a little.
- Take the casserole off the heat, sprinkle in the paprika and stir quickly so it doesn't burn. Pour in the stock straight away.
- Bring to the boil and simmer gently for 15 minutes, until the bread starts to break up and the soup thickens a little. Season with salt.
- Carefully crack the eggs into the soup, cover and leave over a low heat for 3–4 minutes, until the whites are set but the yolks still runny.
- Serve straight away, with an egg in each bowl.
The cost is estimated from average prices in Spain (MAPA – Panel de Consumo Alimentario en Hogares (Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación), 2026-07).
