Soup
Spanish Garlic Bread Soup (Sopa de Ajo)
- Prep
- 10 minutes
- Cook
- 30 minutes
- Total
- 40 minutes
- Serves
- 4 servings
Bring it to the table
About this recipe.
Toasted bread softens in a garlic and paprika broth with ham, finished with an egg in each bowl and fresh parsley.
Before you start
Gather your ingredients.
Check your pantry before you begin. Full quantities and serving adjustments are in the recipe card below.
See the ingredient checklist
- 6 cups Bread (day-old crusty bread, cut into 1-inch cubes)
- 4 tbsp Olive oil (divided: 1 tablespoon for bread, 3 for soup)
- 6 cloves Garlic (thinly sliced)
- 2 oz Ham (fully cooked, finely chopped)
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 1/2 tsp Paprika (sweet Spanish paprika)
- 4 Egg (large)
- 1/4 cup Parsley (fresh, chopped; to finish)
Gentle heat brings out the garlic
Warm thin garlic slices until pale gold and fragrant. Keep them from turning dark, and add the paprika briefly off the heat before pouring in broth so the spice does not scorch.
Bread that belongs in the broth
Choose a crusty loaf and toast the cubes until dry and lightly golden. They soften as the soup simmers, thickening the broth with a rustic texture.
Serve the eggs freshly cooked
Finish the soup by gently cooking one egg per serving until both white and yolk are firm. If making the base ahead, add fresh eggs when reheating it for dinner.
Adapted from Katie Hale at Scrambled Chefs, with clarified preparation and egg doneness guidance.
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The cooking plan
How to make Spanish Garlic Bread Soup (Sopa de Ajo).
Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Toss the bread cubes with 1 tablespoon olive oil and spread in one layer on a baking sheet. Toast for about 10–15 minutes, stirring once, until dry and lightly golden; check early if the bread is already very dry.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons oil in a wide soup pot over medium-low heat. Add the sliced garlic and stir for 1–2 minutes until fragrant and pale gold, without letting it darken. Add the cooked ham and stir for 1 minute. Remove briefly from the heat, stir in the paprika for about 15 seconds, then immediately add the broth so the paprika does not scorch.
Add the toasted bread and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 10–15 minutes, stirring gently, until the bread softens and the broth is flavorful. Taste before adding salt because the ham and broth contribute salt.
Keep the soup at a gentle simmer. Crack each egg into a small cup, then slide it onto a different area of the soup. Cover and cook for about 6–10 minutes, checking until both whites and yolks are firm; add time if needed. Do not rely on set whites alone.
Ladle into four bowls, placing one fully cooked egg in each. Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.
Let’s cook
The full recipe.
Check off ingredients as you get them ready.
Changing servings? The ingredient list scales automatically. Adjust quantities named in the steps to match, and choose pans and cooking times for your batch.
Spanish Garlic Bread Soup (Sopa de Ajo)
Ingredients
- 6 cups Bread day-old crusty bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
4 tbsp Olive oil divided: 1 tablespoon for bread, 3 for soup- 6 cloves Garlic thinly sliced
- 2 oz Ham fully cooked, finely chopped
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 ½ tsp Paprika sweet Spanish paprika
- 4 Egg large
- ¼ cup Parsley fresh, chopped; to finish
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Toss the bread cubes with 1 tablespoon olive oil and spread in one layer on a baking sheet. Toast for about 10–15 minutes, stirring once, until dry and lightly golden; check early if the bread is already very dry.
- Meanwhile, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons oil in a wide soup pot over medium-low heat. Add the sliced garlic and stir for 1–2 minutes until fragrant and pale gold, without letting it darken. Add the cooked ham and stir for 1 minute. Remove briefly from the heat, stir in the paprika for about 15 seconds, then immediately add the broth so the paprika does not scorch.
- Add the toasted bread and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 10–15 minutes, stirring gently, until the bread softens and the broth is flavorful. Taste before adding salt because the ham and broth contribute salt.
- Keep the soup at a gentle simmer. Crack each egg into a small cup, then slide it onto a different area of the soup. Cover and cook for about 6–10 minutes, checking until both whites and yolks are firm; add time if needed. Do not rely on set whites alone.
- Ladle into four bowls, placing one fully cooked egg in each. Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.
Notes
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