🇪🇸 Spain · Food
Sopa de Ajo (Traditional Spanish Garlic Soup)
By eatmundo · July 7, 2026
Sopa de Ajo is a humble yet intensely flavorful Spanish garlic soup, a testament to rustic ingenuity and deeply comforting. Made with simple ingredients like stale bread, garlic, olive oil, and broth, it's often enriched with a poached egg and a hint of paprika, delivering warmth and robust flavor in every spoonful.
Ingredients
check them off as you prepareHow to Make It
- 1
In a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-low heat. If using, add 50g of thinly sliced serrano ham or bacon and crisp it up for about 3-4 minutes. Remove the ham/bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the rendered fat in the pot.
- 2
Add 6-8 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced, to the pot. Sauté gently for 3-5 minutes until the garlic is fragrant and lightly golden, being careful not to let it brown or burn, as burnt garlic can taste bitter.
- 3
Add 200g of stale rustic bread, sliced into 1 cm thick pieces, to the pot. Toast the bread in the garlic-infused oil, stirring occasionally, until it's golden brown and slightly crisp, absorbing all the flavors. This usually takes about 5-7 minutes.
- 4
Remove the pot from the heat and quickly stir in 1.5 teaspoons of sweet paprika. Stir constantly for about 30 seconds to allow the paprika to bloom and release its color and aroma without burning. Return the pot to low heat.
- 5
Pour in 1.5 liters of chicken broth (or vegetable broth for a vegetarian option). Bring the soup to a gentle simmer, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Return the crispy ham/bacon to the soup if you used it.
- 6
Continue to simmer for about 10-15 minutes, or until the bread has fully softened and started to thicken the soup. The soup should look creamy and rustic, with the bread mostly dissolved or very tender.
- 7
If desired, crack 4 eggs directly into the simmering soup, one for each serving. Gently poach them until the whites are set and the yolks are still runny, about 3-4 minutes. Be careful not to stir vigorously, which could break the eggs.
- 8
Season the Sopa de Ajo generously with salt and black pepper to taste. Ladle the hot soup into bowls, ensuring each serving gets an egg if used. Garnish with a sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley and serve immediately.
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of stale bread should I use for Sopa de Ajo, and how stale should it be?+
A rustic, firm-crumbed bread like a baguette or country loaf is ideal. It should be truly stale, at least a day or two old, so it absorbs the broth without disintegrating too quickly.
How much garlic is typically used in Sopa de Ajo, and how should it be prepared?+
This dish is renowned for its garlic, so don't be shy; 8-10 cloves are common. Slice them thinly rather than mincing to allow them to mellow and infuse the oil without burning.
What's the best way to incorporate the eggs into Sopa de Ajo, and what texture should they have?+
Crack the eggs directly into the hot soup just before serving, poaching them gently for a minute or two. They should have firm whites and runny yolks, which will enrich the broth as you eat.
Should I use sweet or smoked paprika for Sopa de Ajo, and how can I avoid burning it?+
Traditional Sopa de Ajo uses sweet (dulce) Spanish paprika for its mellow flavor, not smoked. Add it off the heat or very briefly over low heat after sautéing the garlic, stirring quickly to prevent it from burning and turning bitter.
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