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Sopa de Ajo (Spanish Garlic Soup)

Here’s A Classic Sopa de Ajo Recipe for All That Garlicky Goodness!

Sopa de ajo is Spanish comfort food at its best. It’s a garlic and bread soup that is super comforting and a delicious way to warm you up on a cold day. 

Sopa de ajo – which literally means “garlic soup” – is also known as the plural “Sopas de ajo” and “Sopa castellana” or Castillean soup. 

looking into bowl of spanish garlic soup from above sitting on white tiles with another bowl of soup behind.
This Sopa de ajo is looking pretty good!

This soup was originally created as a way to feed a lot of people with very few ingredients, and also as a way to use stale bread. 

It is a prime example of how knowing how to combine and cook very simple ingredients can lead to super delicious food, no matter how simple the ingredients.

Sopa de ajo is considered an “old school” recipe, it’s the classic soup that our grandmas would make for us when we had a cold or flu. 

There are a few variations, some with chorizo or serrano ham, others with poached eggs. In any case, this is the recipe my mom used to make when I was growing up, and it’s the one we love at home (though any version of this soup would be delicious).

Ingredients

white kitchen tile counter covered in ingredients for spanish garlic soup with labels over top.
The ingredients to make Sopa de ajo!

To make this sopa de ajo recipe, here are the ingredients that you will need. There aren’t very many – so the quality of the individual ingredients is important:

  • Garlic cloves – Be sure to use good quality garlic.
  • Bread – Preferably stale; sourdough or any bread with a soft interior and crusty exterior is perfect. Avoid using sandwich bread or any overly processed bread.
  • Olive oil – A high quality extra virgin olive oil gives this soup a great flavor.
  • Smoked paprika – Use mild smoked paprika. If you’re unable to find smoked paprika, you can also use regular paprika, but the flavor will be less intense.
  • Water – Traditionally made with water, but you can also use chicken or beef broth for extra flavor.
  • Salt – Add more or less to taste.
  • Eggs – To make the soup rich and creamy.

Recipe Tips and Substitutions

Before you make this Spanish garlic soup, read through these recipe tips so that you end up with the best possible result aka delicious soup.

  • Try to use stale crusty bread if possible. You can just let the bread sit out on the counter for a day or two. Stale bread absorbs the flavors better and turns into a creamier consistency. 
  • If your garlic cloves are very small, feel free to add more than four.
  • I like to use two different textures for the garlic – fried in thin slices so you can actually see the slices, and as a paste with the olive oil, salt, and paprika powder so the flavor gets evenly distributed.
  • If you decide to use chicken or beef broth instead of water, you may want to reduce the amount of extra salt you add.
  • As mentioned above, you can add some diced chorizo or serrano ham if you like. Add them when the garlic and garlic paste are frying, so they have a chance to release their delicious flavors.
  • Instead of adding beaten eggs, you can also add them whole and poach them.
  • The final consistency should be creamy but a little runny. If you want it to be less runny, you can add less water or adjust it to your liking.

How to Make Sopa de Ajo – Step by Step Instructions

In this section you can follow along with the recipe process photos to see exactly how to make this Spanish garlic soup recipe.

Of course, the detailed recipe card with all the measurements and cooking times is located at the end of this post.

yellow bread knife cutting stale bread on wooden cutting board on kitchen counter with other ingredients around.
Cut the bread.

Cut the bread into thin slices first, then into cubes.

black mortar on wooden cutting board full of paprika with other ingredients around the counter.
Slice the garlic.

Peel the garlic cloves and cut 2 of them into thin slices. Set aside.

golden spoon with oil held in hand above black mortar and pestle sitting on wooden cutting board with ingredients around.
Add some of the ingredients to a mortar.

Add the other 2 garlic cloves to the mortar with the salt, smoked paprika, and olive oil.

red paste sitting on mortar on wooden cutting board with ingredients like eggs on counter top around.
Make a paste.

Crush everything until you get a fine paste. If you don’t have a mortar, you can also chop up the garlic very small or press it through a garlic press and mix it well with the other ingredients.

garlic paste frying on silver pot with wooden spoon mixing it around.
Add the paste and garlic to a pot.

Add the garlic-paprika-paste and the garlic slices to a pot. Fry gently on low heat for a minute.

Mix everything around with a wooden spoon to make sure it does not burn.

stale bread pieces in large silver pot with wooden spoon stirring everything and other ingredients around on counter.
Add the bread.

Add the diced bread to the pan and mix with the spoon so it absorbs the paste and flavors, toast gently for about 1 minute.

water pouring into silver pot of cooking bread for garlic soup with food on counter top around.
Add the water.

Next, add the water to the pot and cook for 7 minutes on medium-low heat.

wooden spoon stirring cooking soup of bread garlic and water in large silver pot with other ingredients around on counter.
Stir regularly.

Stir regularly so that the bread breaks up a bit.

white bowl of raw scrambled egg with silver fork sticking out sitting on white counter.
Whisk the eggs.

Crack the eggs into a bowl and whisk them with a fork.

hand holding white bowl of raw scrambled egg as it pours into hot of cooking garlic soup.
Add the eggs to the pot.

Add the beaten eggs to the pot and immediately mix with the wooden spoon so that it gets distributed while being cooked, forming thin threads.

two smaller bowls of spanish garlic soup sitting on white counter beside larger silver pot of soup.
Look at this delicious soup.

Once the egg is cooked, the soup should have a creamy but slightly runny consistency.

close up shot of garlic soup in a white bowl sitting on counter with garlic clove behind.

Serve the sopa de ajo immediately. Enjoy!

Storage Tips

Sopa de ajo should be eaten right away because the bread will continue to absorb the liquid and would otherwise make the soup too thick. 

However, if you do have any leftovers, you can store them in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Eat them sooner rather than later, though, as the soup tastes better when fresh.

Heat the leftover soup with more water or stock, as it will have thickened in the fridge.

FAQ

Here’s an answer to a frequently asked question about this recipe:

What is sopa de ajo?

Sopa de ajo is the Spanish term for “garlic soup”. It is made primarily from stale bread, fresh garlic, water, and egg.

Related Recipes

If you liked this recipe for Spanish soup, here are a few more classic Spanish recipes that you might enjoy!

white bowl of garlic soup with the word soup on the outside of the bowl sitting on counter with another soup bowl behind.

Sopa de Ajo (Spanish Garlic Soup)

Sopa de ajo is a classic Spanish garlic soup made with fragrant garlic, bread, eggs, and spices. It's easy to make and perfect for warming you up on a cold day!
5 from 2 votes
Print Save
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 2

Ingredients

  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 3.5 ounces bread, preferably stale
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 3 1/2 cups water, alternatively broth
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, more to taste
  • 2 eggs

Instructions

  • Slice the bread thin, then dice it into cubes.
    3.5 ounces bread
  • Peel the garlic cloves and thinly slice 2 of them. Set aside.
    4 garlic cloves
  • Add the other 2 garlic cloves to the mortar with the salt, smoked paprika, and olive oil. Crush until you have a fine paste.
    1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • Add the garlic-paprika-paste and the garlic slices to a pot. Fry them gently on low heat for a minute. Stir with a wooden spoon to prevent burning.
  • Add the bread cubes to the pan and mix with the spoon so it absorbs the paste and flavors, toast gently for about 1 minute.
  • Add the water to the pot and cook over medium-low heat for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally to break up the bread.
    3 1/2 cups water
  • Crack the eggs into a bowl and whisk. Add the beaten eggs into the pot and stir immediately with the wooden spoon so it gets distributed while being cooked, forming thin threads.
    2 eggs
  • When the egg is cooked, the soup should have a creamy but slightly runny consistency. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • Use stale crusty bread for the best result. Stale bread absorbs the flavors better and turns into a creamier consistency. 
  • If your garlic cloves are very small, feel free to add more than four.
  • If you decide to use chicken or beef broth instead of water, you may want to reduce the amount of extra salt you add.
  • If you don’t have a mortar, you can chop up the garlic very small or press it through a garlic press and then mix it well with the other ingredients.
  • You can add some diced chorizo or serrano ham if you like. Add them when the garlic and garlic paste are frying, so they have a chance to release their delicious flavors.
  • Instead of adding beaten eggs, you can also add them whole and poach them.
  • If you want the consistency to be less runny, you can add less water or adjust it to your liking.

Nutrition

Calories: 398kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 164mg | Sodium: 2064mg | Potassium: 190mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 978IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 115mg | Iron: 3mg

This nutritional information has been estimated by an online nutrition calculator. It should only be seen as a rough calculation and not a replacement for professional dietary advice.

Course Soup
Cuisine Spanish
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This recipe was contributed by
Alba Luna Meyer
Born and raised in the Southeast of Spain, Alba is a photographer and a foodie. Always hungry for new flavors and recipes, but with a big passion for traditional recipes that speak about roots and family. You can always find her talking about food, photographing it, or cooking! Obviously, she is team “tortilla de patatas con cebolla”.

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