Spanish Chorizo and Potato Stew

Locally known as ‘Patatas a la Riojana,’ Spanish Chorizo and Potato Stew is a dish you should regularly make during these colder months.  Easy to prepare, and complex flavor in every bite — even the potatoes taste like chorizo.  Delicious!

Whenever I’m in the mood for a quick Spanish-themed full meal, my go-to plan is — fried padrón peppers for the appetizer, patatas a la Riojana for the main, and magdalenas for dessert.

You can check the other two dishes later, but for now, we focus on the main dish:  Patatas a la Riojana.

So, what is patatas Riojana?

It’s a dish that originated from La Rioja, a province in Northern Spain — hence ’a la Riojana.’

A stew that uses Spanish chorizo as its base and adds more smoked paprika to give it more depth.

Like Spanish beef stew, it’s not a complete dish without potatoes; in this case, the potatoes absorb all the chorizo and paprika flavors as well.  Yum!

Spanish chorizo and potato stew can also be served as the first dish.

Either way, you will always get a delicious, flavor-packed serving on every plate. 🙂

IF YOU WANT MORE CLASSIC SPANISH RECIPES, YOU WILL LIKE THESE POSTS!

Ingredients

• Spanish chorizo – I always use spicy chorizo when I make this chorizo and potatoes recipe.

You can use the semi-cured (semi-dry) or cured ones; both will work because the sauce will keep them softer.

• Olive oil – extra virgin olive oil, if possible.

• Onion – as you can see, I used a red onion for making this Spanish chorizo and potato stew, but you can also use yellow ones.  The critical thing is to chop them finely.

• Garlic – minced or thinly sliced will work.

• Potatoes – although I use the waxy kind of potatoes, starchy ones will also work well.

• Bell pepper – I typically use red bell pepper for preparing this chorizo and potatoes recipe.

• Stock – chicken stock, generally.  But feel free to use other meat stock or even vegetable ones.

• Salt – take it easy when adding salt.  If your stock is already fully seasoned, plus the salt from the chorizo, you would only need to add a tiny bit.

• Smoked paprika – a staple in Spanish cuisine, you need to use sweet smoked paprika for making this chorizo and potatoes dish, or ‘pimentón dulce,’ as it’s locally called.

Preparation

Start preparing your chorizo and potatoes dish by placing a Dutch oven or a medium to large-sized pan over medium-low heat.

Heat the olive oil.

Add the finely chopped onion (photo 1).

Cook until the onions turn soft.

Add garlic and chorizo (photo 2).

Cook for about two minutes, stirring often.

By this time, you’ll see the colors and the flavors from the chorizo coming out (photo 3).

Add the bell pepper and potatoes (photo 4).

Mix and cook for three to four minutes.

Pour the stock, just enough to cover the chorizo and potatoes (photo 5).

Season with salt and smoked paprika.

Mix everything — the liquid should turn into the color of the paprika (photo 6).

Cover with a lid and simmer for thirty to thirty-five minutes or when the potatoes become tender.

Transfer your Spanish chorizo and potato stew into serving plates.

Serve with some parsley as a garnish, if desired — enjoy!

Helpful tips

• Don’t pour all the stock at once.  Instead, start with two cups, then add just enough to cover the chorizo and potatoes. 

Remember that it’s a stew, not a soup.

• In case too much liquid is left, keep it uncovered for at least ten more minutes while simmering.

• Traditionally, the potatoes are just cut halfway with a knife, then snapped apart by twisting — the locals believe this brings out more starch from the potatoes.

As you can see, I skipped that part and decided just to chop the potatoes with a kitchen knife.  Feel free to give it a try, but please be careful. 🙂

• Taste your chorizo and potato stew before adding any seasoning. 

You might need to add less salt or just a tiny amount of smoked paprika because the chorizo has already provided enough smokiness for your taste.

Recipe variation

• Green bell pepper.  If you like them, add them together with the red bell pepper.

• Water.  Some people use water instead of stock because the chorizo and the smoked paprika are already excellent base flavors for the stew.

• Tomatoes.  You can also add a handful of fresh tomatoes or canned crushed tomatoes — start with a third of a cup and adjust the seasoning accordingly.

• Mild or sweet chorizo.  Of course, you can use it! 🙂

• Sherry vinegar.  Do you want a hint of nuttiness?  Then go ahead and add some sherry vinegar — once again, do it slowly, then adjust.

What do I serve with this?

Tons of bread!

Toasted bread, baguette, country bread, sourdough?  Whatever your favorite bread is.  The important thing is that they will sop up a LOT of the sauce — and for cleaning your plate. 😉

Looks absolutely mouth-watering, right?  So try this chorizo and potatoes recipe this weekend, and let me know!