All About Soup in Spanish
Making soup in Spanish is easier than you think. No matter what your favorite flavors are, it’s fun to explore flavorful local soups when you travel—and make them at home! Following a recipe in Spanish is a delicious way to practice following instructions.
What’s more, knowing how to talk about soup in Spanish is also excellent for when you’re on vacation somewhere in the Spanish-speaking world and want to order your favorite soup.
Being able to order your favorite soup in Spanish fluently is going to make you feel just like a native Spanish speaker. Keep reading to learn all the essential soup in Spanish vocabulary!
Traditional Soups in Spanish
Soups are becoming more and more popular, especially among millennials. What’s not to love? Soups are nutritious, satisfying, and (usually) easy to prepare.
If you like soup, why not try some from Latin America and Spain? Trying these new flavors helps you immerse in the culture. Check out this list of 8 amazing soups from Spanish-speaking countries.
1. Sopa de Ajo – Garlic Soup
Originally a popular dish among the poor in the province of Castilla, but can now be found almost anywhere. This is one of the most typical soups you will find in Spain and can be found on a daily basis. People love to eat it with bread and it is a garlic soup that is very flavorful and salty.
2. Cocido Madrileño – Madrilene Stew
Cocido is the big brother of caldo, as it’s thicker and more filling. This stew can be eaten as a main course. You can put anything in a caldo, such as carrots, chicken, different kinds of squash and even rice. Choose your favorite vegetables and spices and try out different caldos!
3. Gazpacho
Gazpacho is a fully blended vegetable soup so light that’s it’s often served in a glass instead of a bowl. It’s served chilled and usually has avocado as a base. It’s perfectly refreshing for a hot summer day!
Plus, it’s a cinch to make. Throw the vegetables into the blender, season, add vinegar, blend, and chill.
4. Sopa de Lentejas – Lentil Soup
This thick and nutritious soup is perfect for the winter. It can be scooped up and eaten with toasted bread. All it requires is preparing your lentils, then adding seasoning and tomato sauce. It’s often accompanied by rice and makes for a hearty vegan meal!
5. Cocido de Vegetales – Vegetable Stew
This traditional Central American soup has carrots, cilantro, squash, and potatoes. It usually has red meat but can also be made vegetarian. You boil it all together and eat it as a stew. It’s served with rice and corn tortillas.
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6. Ajiaco – Potato and Chilli Stew
Ajiaco is the national dish of Colombia, a flavorful chicken and potato soup with garlic, herbs and corn. It’s inexpensive to make, and people love to prepare this soup to share with others. It’s similar to chilli and sounds delicious!
7. Encebollado – Ecuadorian Fish Soup
Encebollado is the national dish of Ecuador, a fish soup that is characterized by a large amount of cebollas (onions)—hence the name! It is comparable to ceviche, except it is served warm and usually eaten with bread or tortilla.
8. Sancochado – Peruvian Traditional Soup
Sancochado is a robust Peruvian soup that was originally prepared with about 10 different meats. Nowadays, only one or two are used in its preparation. It also contains carrots, onions, potatoes, yucca, and cabbage. This soup is one of a kind, so try it out if you visit Peru.
More Soups in Spanish
Check out even more soups in Spanish (plus related vocabulary) so that you can order your favorite soup and ask what’s in it.
Crema de… – Cream of…
Cremas are popular in all of Latin America. They usually have cream and pureed vegetables. Common bases of these soups include zanahorias (carrots), calabaza (pumpkin), arvejas (peas), brócoli (broccoli), and coliflor (cauliflower).
Here are some other well-loved Latin flavors of creamy soups:
- Cream of chicken soup – Crema de pollo
- Cream of leek soup – Crema de puerros
- Cream of mushroom soup – Crema de setas
- Cream of oat soup – Crema de avena
- Cream of pea soup – Crema de guisantes
- Cream of potato soup – Crema de batatas/papas
- Cream of prawn soup – Crema de gambas
- Cream of spinach soup – Crema de espinacas
- Cream of tomato soup – Crema de tomates
Seafood Soups in Spanish
Fish caldos are also common across Latin America. These stews include ingredients such as vegetables, seafood, and meat. They are a bit more elaborate to make—but worth it!
Fish soup – Sopa de pescado
Shrimp soup – Sopa de camarón
Seafood soup – Sopa de mariscos
Fish soup or broth – Caldo de pescado
Fish stew – Caldereta de pescado
Fish soup – Sancocho de pescado
Broths
Broth – Caldo
Vegetable stock – Caldo de verduras
Beef broth – Consomé de vaca
Chicken stock – Caldo de pollo
Meat stock – Caldo de carne
Ordering Soup in Spanish
Here’s a sample conversation for you to study and practice ordering soup in Spanish.
Mesera: Bienvenido a Sopas Deliciosas. ¿Qué le gustaría probar?
Maria: ¿Tienen cocido de vegetales?
Mesera: ¡Claro que sí!
Maria: ¿Qué ingredientes tiene?
Mesera: Tiene zanahorias, papas, güisquil y carne de res.
Maria: Se ve delicioso.
Mesera: Lo es. ¿Quisiera probar uno?
Maria: Sí, por favor.
Mesera: Enseguida. ¿Quiere algo para acompañarlo? ¿Tortillas o pan?
Maria: Solo un vaso de agua. Gracias.
Waitress: Welcome to Delicious Soups. What would you like to try?
Maria: Do you have a vegetable stew?
Waitress: Of course!
Maria: What ingredients does it have?
Waitress: It has carrots, potatoes, squash, and red meat.
Maria: It looks delicious.
Waitress: It is. Would you like to try one?
Maria: Yes, please.
Waitress: Right away. Would you like something else? Some tortillas or bread?
Maria: Just a glass of water. Thank you.
Enjoy Your Soup in Spanish
Next time you feel like eating something delicioso (delicious) and saludable (healthy), try a warm soup!
If you love talking about food as much as I do, sign up for a free class at Homeschool Spanish Academy to practice your Spanish conversation skills and share your favorite recipes with a native Spanish teacher today! It’s an excellent way to broaden your vocabulary—and your meal plans.
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