Spanish Pork and Chorizo Stew with White Beans Recipe

Spanish pork and chorizo stew is a hearty, Spanish-inspired one-pot dish of tender pork shoulder, smoky cured sausage, white beans, tomatoes, and paprika. The long, gentle simmer lets the pork soften while the chorizo seasons the broth; versions vary from kitchen to kitchen, and this one is designed for a practical weeknight or weekend meal.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
8 ounces (225 g) Spanish cured chorizo, sliced into ¼-inch (6 mm) rounds
2 pounds (900 g) boneless pork shoulder, trimmed of large pieces of surface fat and cut into 1½-inch (4 cm) cubes
1 medium yellow onion, about 1 cup (150 g) finely chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, about 1 cup (150 g) chopped
4 garlic cloves (12 g), finely chopped
2 tablespoons (30 g) tomato paste
1 teaspoon (2 g) smoked paprika, preferably Spanish pimentón
½ teaspoon (1 g) ground cumin
1 can (14.5 ounces/410 g) crushed tomatoes
½ cup (120 ml) dry sherry, optional; use extra stock if you prefer to cook without alcohol
2 cups (480 ml) low-sodium chicken stock
2 bay leaves
2 cans (15 ounces/425 g each) white beans, such as cannellini, drained and rinsed
1 teaspoon (6 g) fine salt, plus more to taste
½ teaspoon (1 g) freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons (8 g) chopped flat-leaf parsley, for serving
1 lemon, cut into wedges, for serving

Instructions

Prepare the ingredients. Chop the onion, pepper, and garlic, cut the pork into evenly sized cubes, and slice the chorizo. Drain and rinse the beans. Measure the remaining ingredients before you start cooking; keeping them ready makes it easier to brown the meat without letting the pan sit empty and cool.
Render the chorizo. Heat the olive oil in a heavy Dutch oven or large, deep pot over medium heat. Add the chorizo in a single layer and cook for 5 minutes, turning the slices once or twice. They should release some orange-red fat and become lightly browned at the edges. Transfer the sausage to a plate, leaving the flavorful oil in the pot. If the chorizo releases very little fat, that is fine; the tablespoon of oil will keep the pan from drying out.
Brown the pork. Pat the pork dry with paper towels, then season it with the salt and pepper. Add half the cubes to the hot pot, leaving a little space between them. Brown for about 5 minutes, turning to color several sides, and transfer them to the plate with the chorizo. Repeat with the remaining pork for another 5 minutes. Browning in batches takes a little longer than crowding the pan, but it gives the meat a deeper surface color instead of causing it to steam. If the pot becomes dry, add a teaspoon of oil.
Soften the vegetables. Add the onion and red pepper to the pot. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring and scraping up browned bits, then add the garlic and cook for 3 minutes more. Keep the heat at medium or medium-low so the garlic softens without scorching. If the vegetables begin sticking before they soften, add a tablespoon or two of water or stock.
Build the tomato base. Stir in the tomato paste, smoked paprika, and cumin and cook for 1 minute. Add the sherry, if using, and scrape the bottom of the pot as it bubbles for 2 minutes. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and chicken stock, add the bay leaves, and stir to combine. If you omit the sherry, use the same amount of stock instead; the stew will be a little less rounded in flavor but still savory.
Simmer until the pork is tender. Return the browned pork and chorizo, along with any juices on the plate, to the pot. Bring the liquid just to a gentle simmer, then lower the heat and cover. Cook for 55 minutes, stirring once or twice and keeping the stew at a quiet bubble rather than a rapid boil. A hard boil can make the pork cook unevenly and cause liquid to evaporate too quickly. If the bottom looks dry or the stew is bubbling vigorously, lower the heat and add a splash of stock.
Add the beans and finish. Stir in the rinsed beans, cover the pot slightly ajar, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove the bay leaves. Check the thickest pork cube with a food thermometer: USDA FSIS lists 145°F (63°C) followed by a 3-minute rest as the safe minimum for whole cuts of pork. If a piece has not reached that temperature, continue simmering and check again; for this braised stew, the pork should also be fork-tender. Turn off the heat and let the stew rest for 3 minutes before serving. Taste the broth and adjust the salt and pepper, bearing in mind that cured chorizo can be salty.
Serve. Spoon the stew into warm bowls, scatter parsley over the top, and offer lemon wedges at the table. A squeeze of lemon brightens the rich tomato and sausage broth without making the stew taste strongly of citrus.

Tips

Choose the right chorizo. Spanish cured chorizo is firm, smoky, and ready to eat; it seasons the oil as it browns. Mexican chorizo is usually raw and soft, so it behaves differently. If that is all you can find, crumble it into the pan, cook it thoroughly, and drain excess fat before continuing. The stew will have a looser, often spicier sausage flavor.
Keep the pork cubes similar in size. Pieces around 1½ inches (4 cm) cook at roughly the same pace and are easy to portion. Trim only large, hard pieces of surface fat; a little marbling helps shoulder stay succulent during the long simmer.
Control the salt near the end. Use low-sodium stock and wait until the beans have warmed through before deciding whether the stew needs more salt. Chorizo, stock, and canned tomatoes vary in saltiness, and reducing the broth concentrates whatever is already in the pot.
Make the broth thicker if you like. Mash a few beans against the side of the pot and stir them back in. This thickens the stew naturally; avoid adding flour at the start, which can catch on the bottom during the simmer.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the stew in shallow bowls with crusty bread for dipping into the paprika-rich broth. A simple green salad dressed with olive oil and vinegar makes a fresh contrast, while steamed green beans or sautéed greens work well if you want another vegetable on the table. For a more filling meal, spoon the stew over boiled potatoes or a modest portion of rice, keeping in mind that both will absorb some of the sauce.

Put chopped parsley and lemon wedges on the table so each person can adjust their bowl. The lemon is especially useful if the chorizo is quite rich or the tomatoes taste sweet. If serving bread, warm it just before the stew is ready rather than leaving it in the oven for a long time, when it can dry out.

Variations

Use chickpeas instead of white beans. Swap in two drained and rinsed cans of chickpeas in the same quantity. Their firmer texture holds up well in the final simmer, and the stew will feel a little more substantial. Add them at the same point as the white beans.

Add potatoes. Peel and cut 12 ounces (340 g) of waxy potatoes into bite-size chunks and add them with the tomatoes and stock. Simmer until they are tender, checking with a fork. Potatoes soak up broth, so keep extra stock nearby and add a splash if the stew gets thicker than you want.

Adjust the smoke and heat. For a milder, less smoky result, use sweet paprika in place of smoked paprika. To make the pot hotter, add a pinch of red pepper flakes with the garlic. Spanish pimentón can be sweet, bittersweet, or hot, so check the label before adding extra chili.

Change the sausage thoughtfully. If Spanish cured chorizo is unavailable, a smoked paprika-seasoned sausage is a useful substitute, though it will not give quite the same distinctly cured, garlicky flavor. Choose a fully cooked smoked sausage and brown it in the same way. Avoid treating fresh sausage as cured sausage: it needs to be cooked through before the stew continues.

Storage and Reheating

Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate them within 2 hours of cooking in shallow, covered containers. The stew keeps for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. The broth may thicken as it chills because the beans and pork absorb liquid; that is normal. Add a little water or stock when reheating if you want a looser consistency.

Reheat only the portion you plan to eat in a covered saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until steaming throughout. Check that leftovers reach 165°F (74°C), the USDA FSIS reheating temperature, using a food thermometer. You can also microwave a portion in a covered microwave-safe dish, stirring halfway through and checking the temperature in more than one spot. Freeze cooled stew in airtight, freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months for best quality. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat to 165°F (74°C); the beans may soften slightly after freezing, but the flavor remains suitable for a hearty meal.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make Spanish pork and chorizo stew ahead?
Yes. The stew can be cooked a day ahead, cooled, and refrigerated within 2 hours. Its flavors meld while it rests, and the chilled fat on top is easy to remove before reheating if you prefer a less rich broth. Reheat gently until the center reaches 165°F (74°C), adding stock or water if needed.

Can I use pork loin instead of pork shoulder?
You can, but pork loin is leaner and less suited to a long braise. It may become dry or firm during the time needed to develop the stew’s flavor. Shoulder is the more forgiving choice. If using loin, cut it into larger pieces, simmer only until tender and safely cooked, and check it early with a thermometer rather than relying on the full shoulder cooking time.

Do I need to soak dried beans first?
No, this version uses canned beans, which are already cooked and go into the pot near the end. If you want to use dried beans, cook them separately until tender according to their package directions, then drain and add them for the final 15 minutes. Do not add uncooked dried beans directly to this recipe and expect them to cook in the listed time.

What if I do not have a Dutch oven?
Use any heavy pot with a lid that holds at least 5 quarts (4.7 liters). A wide pot gives the pork room to brown, while a heavy base helps keep the stew at a gentle simmer. If your only pot is narrow, brown the pork in smaller batches and stir more often so the vegetables and sauce do not catch.

Why is my stew watery?
It may not have simmered long enough uncovered after the beans were added, or the lid may have trapped more steam than expected. Simmer it uncovered for a few extra minutes, stirring so the bottom does not scorch. You can also mash some beans into the broth. Avoid turning the heat high to reduce it quickly, since a vigorous boil can make the pork less tender.

Can I make the stew without sherry?
Yes. Replace the sherry with an equal amount of chicken stock, as listed in the method. Sherry contributes a subtle dry, rounded note, but the tomatoes, browned pork, chorizo, and paprika still make a flavorful stew without it.

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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

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