Chickpea Soup with Mexican Chorizo

History & Origin

Chickpea soup with chorizo is one of the finest examples of Mexican culinary mestizaje: a dish born from the fusion between the Spanish tradition of chickpea cocido and the ingredients and techniques that Mexico contributed to transform it into something entirely new. Chickpeas arrived in Mexico with the Spanish, who had consumed them since Roman times. In New Spain, chickpeas adapted easily to the temperate climate and became an everyday ingredient. What distinguishes the Mexican version from any European chickpea soup is the incorporation of chile and local chorizo. Mexican chorizo is fundamentally different from Spanish chorizo: while the Iberian variety is cured and eaten cold or used to add flavor, the Mexican version is fresh, heavily spiced with ancho chile, garlic and spices, and cooked directly. When fried, it releases its red, aromatic fat that colors and perfumes everything it touches. Mulato chile - a close cousin of ancho but darker with notes of chocolate and liquorice - adds a depth that elevates the soup from everyday to memorable. This soup is the type of dish that appears in Mexican fondas on Mondays, using chickpeas left from Sunday's cocido. It is food of family, neighborhood, market - substantial and generous as all good soup should be.