Sopa de Ajo (Spanish Garlic Soup)

If you love garlic, get ready to celebrate it in this comforting classic from Spain: “stinking rose” style garlic soup, known as sopa de ajo. Thickened by bread and eggs, this hearty broth offers a rich, satisfying twist on a simple, time-honored dish.

Ingredients:

  • 1 baguette
  • 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • 12 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
  • 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
  • 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 large eggs, beaten

Preparation:

  1. Slice the baguette in very thin slices.
  2. Heat 4 tablespoons oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add bread pieces and reduce heat to medium. Cook, turning often to allow bread to toast and soak up oil, about 2 minutes. Remove bread and set aside. Wipe pot clean.
  3. Add garlic and 2 remaining tablespoons of oil to pot. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until garlic is golden brown, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Stir in paprika. Add stock, vinegar and salt and bring to a boil.
  4. Add bread to pot. Reduce heat to medium-low and maintain a simmer. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally to break up bread, about 20 minutes. Taste and add more salt, if needed.
  5. When ready to serve, bring soup to a simmer over medium-high heat. Stirring constantly, slowly pour the beaten eggs into hot soup. The eggs will cook after a minute or two of stirring. Serve hot.

Serving Suggestion:

For a heartier soup, add some chopped ham when sautéing the garlic.

Recipe and photography courtesy of grocery.coop