Chorizo, goat’s cheese and butter bean soup
Soup season is back and better than ever
This is a luscious soup with a meaty kick that is more than capable of becoming a main meal. Plus, if you’ve got a can of butter beans languishing on the shelf, this recipe will put them to good use and then you’ll wonder why you didn’t make more butter-bean-based meals.
The real beauty of this soup, though, is that it ticks all the boxes as you’ve got protein, fibre, veg, and proper flavour. The slow cooker does all the work, leaving you with a silky, slightly punchy broth and tender butter beans that melt in your mouth. Add in a swirl of tangy goat’s cheese and a handful of kale for balance, and you’ve got yourself a proper dinner that’s equal parts indulgent and nourishing. Which is exactly what’s needed during flu season and when you’ve overdone the chicken soup.
What to serve this soup with
I love a couple of hefty sourdough croutons with this soup. Rip up that stale end of sourdough that always just ends up in the bin, drizzle with oil (flavoured oil works really well for this like garlic, chilli, basil, whatever your nan last brought you back from her holidays), season with salt and pepper and roast in a hot oven at about 200/180c fan for 15-20 mins or in the air fryer for 5-10 mins. You want it looking golden and crunchy. You may need to give it an occasional toss!
If you’re skipping the bread, why not chuck a poached egg on top (trust me, it’s delicious).
Why this soup will become a winter staple
It’s easy. Everything goes straight into the slow cooker. Minimal prep, minimal washing up, which is basically the dream.
It’s flavour-packed. Smoky chorizo brings the heat, goat’s cheese adds creamy tang, and the butter beans balance it all out beautifully.
It’s meal-prep heaven. Make a big batch and freeze the leftovers to be the organised king/queen you aspire to be.
It’s kinda healthy. Full of fibre, vitamins, and good fats, but still feels naughty (just how I like it).
This recipe sits somewhere between a soup and a stew. By that I mean that it is hearty enough to fill you up, but with that comforting, brothy feel that makes it perfect for chilly nights. Pop it on in the morning and come home to something that smells absolutely incredible and tastes even better.
More slow cooker goodness please
This recipe is an exclusive from my Sunday Times bestseller, Poppy Cooks: The Actually Delicious Slow Cooker Cookbook, and I can guarantee the recipes are easier to make than it is to read that book title. I also have more slow cooker recipes on my site!
Chorizo, goat’s cheese and butter bean soup
By Poppy Cooks
https://www.poppycooks.com/recipes/chorizo-goats-cheese-and-butter-bean-soup/
Ingredients
For the soup
- 2 leeks (around 500g in total), thinly sliced
- 2 carrots, finely diced
- 2 celery sticks, finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, grated or crushed
- 190g cooked chorizo, diced
- 1 x400g can of chopped tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon tomato puree
- 1 teaspoon caster sugar
- 2 x400g can of butterbeans, drained
- 800ml chicken or veg stock
- 2 rosemary sprigs
- small handful of thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 200g kale, sliced
- salt and black pepper
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Imperial
To serve
- 120g hard goat's cheese, grated
- extra-virgin olive oil
- 100g hazelnuts, toasted and roughly chopped (optional)
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Imperial
Instructions
- Add the leeks, carrots, celery, garlic, chorizo, chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, sugar, butter beans, stock, rosemary, thyme, and bay leaf to the bowl of your slow cooker. If you're feeling fancy, tie the herbs together with some kitchen string, but if not, just wang them straight in there and fish out the stems once the soup is cooked. Seaon with 1 teaspoon of salt and a generous amount of black pepper. Stir everything together, put the lid on and cook on high for 4 hours, until the vegetables are tender. When the timer has 10-15 mins left, stir in the kale, then put the lid back on and patiently wait for the timer to go off.
- Taste to check the seasoning and adjust as needed, then divide the soup between four bowls. Sprinkle over the goat's cheese, followed by a drizzle of extra-virgin oil, a scattering of hazelnuts (if using) and lots more black pepper.