A Deliciously Tasty Salchichon Soup Recipe
Salchichon is a type of cured Spanish summer sausage that is similar to Genoa salami – the primary difference is that the Italian version is not smoked, whereas the Spanish version is. It has a firm but soft texture with a smoky sweetness.
Salchichon is a popular food delicacy because it offers intense color and taste. It is typically available precooked and ready to eat or use in your favorite recipe. It is quite versatile as it can be eaten for breakfast, as an appetizer, as a snack in the afternoon, or as part of a delicious recipe.
This unique type of sausage is typically made through a drying and smoking cooking process. While most often made of pork, it can be made with other meats (like veal or ox), depending on the regional variation. This delicious Spanish sausage is made with chopped meat (and fat) and then seasoned with garlic, salt, pepper, oregano, and even nutmeg.
Puerto Rico’s version of Salchichon is made of beef and pork and seasoned with vinegar, whole black peppercorns, salt, and smoked paprika.
Getting Ready to Make A Deliciously Tasty Salchichon Soup Recipe
The Puerto Rican Salchichon soup recipe (a.k.a. sopa de salchichon or salami soup) offers a bowl of bold and flavorful soup that includes salchichon/salami, noodles, and diced potatoes cooked in a robust tomato/garlic broth.
It is an especially popular dish that is served during winter or the colder months of the year. This amazing soup also makes great leftovers as well.
- Preparation Time – 10 Minutes
- Cooking Time – 30 Minutes
- Total time – 40 Minutes
- Serving – 4
The Ingredients Used to Make this Scrumptious Salchichon Soup Recipe
The best part of the delicious soup is that it is made with cost-effective, budget-friendly pantry ingredients. If you do not have one or more ingredients, note that they can be found in your local supermarket’s international section.
- 1 ½ Tablespoons of Olive or Vegetable Oil.
- 1 Cup of Sliced Salchichon.
- 1 Potato that is Peeled and Cubed.
Pro-tip – Make sure the diced potatoes are cut into equal-sized pieces. Different sizes of potato chunks will cook at different rates and not be ready at the same time. The potato adds texture to the soup and also thickens the broth. - 5 Cups of Water.
- 2 Cloves of Garlic – Minced.
- 1 Small Onion -Diced.
- 2 Tablespoons of Sofrito.
Sofrito (which is more commonly known in Puerto Rico as recaito) is a pureed blend of many a variety of vegetables. This blend develops into a delicious, spicy paste that is often used to enhance the flavors in many recipes. Sofrito includes onions, garlic, peppers, and culantro (not cilantro).
Wait, There’s More
- 3 Tablespoons of Tomato Sauce, which adds a bit of acidity to the dish.
- 3.5 oz. of Noodles or Broken Spaghetti.
- 1 ½ Teaspoon of Sazon Seasoning.
Sazon is a bit of a magical spice blend that is popular in Puerto Rican and Latin America. A traditional Sazon is crafted from a blend of cumin, garlic powder, achiote, oregano, coriander, salt, and pepper. It is quite fragrant and adds spectacular flavor to this tasty Salchichon soup recipe. - 1 ½ Teaspoon of Adobo Seasoning.
Adobo is a seasoning blend considered a staple of Latin America and Caribbean cuisines. Adobo is a blend that includes garlic, onion powder, oregano, pepper, and sometimes dried citrus. Adobo may also include paprika or chili powder. - 2 Ears of Corn – Cut Into Pieces.
Pro-tip – you can use fresh or frozen corn to make this soup. - ¼ Cup of Olives, which add a bit of texture and a salty bite to the soup
Pro-tip – olive lovers rejoice and use your favorite type of olive for this salchichon soup. - Salt and Pepper, if Needed to Taste.
Optional Garnishment & Variations for Salchichon Soup
Add cilantro, parsley, or lime wedges to garnish this soup. If you add parsley or cilantro, make it the last step before serving so that these more delicate herbs will not fall apart and lose the flavor you hope to add to the dish.
For those home cooks who want to add a bit of heat to the dish, add a bit of cayenne pepper or diced jalapeño. If you prefer rice to pasta, simply substitute the noodles/spaghetti for white or brown rice.
Cooking Instructions for this Tasty Salchichon Soup Recipe
Give yourself about a half-hour to finish cooking this recipe
- Over medium-high heat, heat the olive or vegetable oil in a large soup pot.
- Add a cup of sliced Salchichon and the onions.
- Continue to stir constantly while these ingredients cook for about five minutes.
- Add the minced garlic and cook this until it becomes fragrant – about 10 – 15 seconds.
- Stir in the spices and tomato sauce – sofrito, adobo seasoning, and sazon seasoning.
- Continue to cook these spices while stirring for 1 minute.
- Add the five cups of water, corn pieces, and potato chunks to the soup. Leave out the noodles or spaghetti until step 10.
- Bring this tomato, garlic, and salchichon soup base to a boil. Reaching the boiling point and then simmering marries the flavors.
- Reduce the heat under the soup and simmer the soup for a few minutes until the potatoes are almost fully cooked (i.e., fork-tender).
- Add noodles or spaghetti to the soup and stir.
- Cook the soup further until the noodles are fully cooked.
- Ladle the salchichon soup into bowls and serve hot/warm.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro or parsley, and serve the comforting soup with lime wedges.
FAQs
Can You Add More Noodles to this Salchichon Soup?
For those who want to add some extra noodles or pasta to this delicious and satisfying soup, just remember to add some extra water (and a dash of salt) when cooking.
How Does this Salchichon Soup Recipe Stack Up Nutritionally?
Each serving of this salchichon soup has 207 calories. This includes 4 grams of fiber, 4 grams of sugar, and no cholesterol. In addition, this soup’s sodium content (79 mg.) is within a healthy range.
What is the Best Way to Store Salchichon Soup?
When cooled, this soup can be stored for 5 to 7 days if placed in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It can be reheated on the stove or in the microwave.
