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Castilian garlic soup with bread and serrano ham

Name: Castilian garlic soup with bread and serrano ham
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Spanish
Ingredients: 180 g day-old bread, thinly sliced; 100 g serrano ham, in small cubes; 6 garlic cloves, sliced; 4 eggs; 1 tsp sweet paprika; 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; 1.2 litres low-salt chicken or vegetable stock

Day-old bread, garlic, paprika and ham in a simple broth, finished with a fully cooked egg.

Servings4

Preparation10 min

Cooking25 min

Total time35 min

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AI-generated illustrative image.

Method

Build the garlic aroma

Heat the oil in a wide saucepan. Cook the garlic over medium-low heat for 2–3 minutes until lightly golden; do not let it burn.

Bread and paprika

Add bread and stir for 2 minutes to coat it with oil. Briefly remove from the heat, add paprika and stir to prevent burning.

Simmer the soup

Add stock and half the ham. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 12–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until bread softens and the broth gains body.

Set the eggs

Crack each egg into a cup and slide it into the soup. Cover and cook gently for 5–7 minutes, or until whites and yolks are set. Avoid vigorous boiling that would break them.

Finish and serve

Remove from the heat, add the remaining ham and serve one egg per portion. Taste before salting: stock and ham may provide enough salt.

Suggested wine pairing

Amontillado · 12–14 °C

As an editorial starting point, dry amontillado accompanies bread, golden garlic and paprika with nutty notes. Adjust the paprika so it does not mask the wine.

Choose a wine for Spanish ham →

Kitchen tip: Use a wide pan to keep the eggs apart. Choose firm day-old bread; very soft bread can break down too much.

Editorial recipe. Not yet validated through a documented kitchen test. Editorial standards →