Patatas a la Riojana from the North of Spain

I would like to start off 2024 with a stew from the north of Spain. The two main ingredients are potatoes and chorizo sausage. Normally the stew is seasoned with either the paprika paste called “pimiento choricero” and/or with the smoked paprika powder “pimentón de la vera”. Here in Germany you will find smoked paprika powder, so that is why I went with that. However, feel free to order the “real” ingredients online. I got to learn about this dish in the north of Spain. It comes from the region La Rioja. Quite a few of the relatives of my husband live there. I love this stew in winter, it is hearty, warming, and it is pretty easy to prepare. We are fortunate enough to receive a parcel with chorizo and such every Christmas, so we don’t have to improvise or replace ingredients. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

One key reason to make this stew is that you will need very few ingredients and will yet have a very seasoned meal. This is due to the fact that the chorizo sausages contain a lot of spices. So you will try to bring these out and don’t need to season that much more. We like to serve this stew with another typical ingredient from La Rioja, pickled chilis, which are called “alegrias riojanas”. But beware, if you go for spicy chorizo plus chili, you may end up with a pretty spicy stew, so make sure you are OK with that. I usually make the stew with homemade broth. We usually have some in the freezer. If you want to make the broth yourself, I would recommend using the recipe from this chicken soup.

Print Recipe

Patatas a la Riojana, potatoe stew from North Spain

Serves: 4 persons

Prep Time: 20min – Cooking Time: 30min

Patatas a la Riojana, this is a potatoe stew from North Spain. It comes together pretty quickly and is a hearty meal in winter.

Ingredients

• 1 large onion
• Olive oil
• 2-3 garlic cloves
• 500 grams of chorizo (I like to use the spicy variety)
• 2 teaspoons of smoked paprika powder (originally "pimentón de la vera")
• 1 tablespoon of tomatoe mark
• Salt and pepper
• 1 liter of broth (vegetable or chicken), for homemade broth, check out this recipe
• 1 liter of water or additional broth
• 2 kilograms of potatoes
• Cut chives or parsley for serving
• Optional: alegrias riojanas (pickled chilis)

Instructions

1

Peel and finely slice the onion. Then heat a bit olive oil in a large pot and simmer the onion until translucent on medium heat. Meanwhile peel the garlic and cut the chorizo in thin slices. Once the onions are done, add the chorizo and simmer for another few minutes. Cut garlic finely. Only add the garlic for 30 seconds, then add the paprika powder and while stirring, let simmer for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoe paste and repeat. Salt and pepper lightly (you don't want to overdo it as the chorizo contains a lot of herbs and spices). Now add the broth and water. While you wait for it to boil, peel and cut the potatoes. If you don't cut the potatoes fully, but do the last "crack" with your hands, you will get a slightly starchier and creamier stew. But don't worry, it will still taste delicious. Add about half of the potatoes, let boil for 10 minutes, then add the rest and let everything cook for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with more salt and pepper to taste and if necessary. Serve with chopped chives or parsley. You can serve the pickled chilis on the side. The stew is normally served with white bread, baguette-style.

P.S.: If you would like to try another Spanish recipe, how about this burnt cheesecake from San Sebastian?