Spanish
Cocido madrileño
A traditional Madrid chickpea stew served in three vuelcos: first the fideo broth, then the chickpeas with vegetables, and finally the meats and sausages. It is hearty, slow-cooked, and deeply savory from cured bones, beef, pork, and chicken.
Watch it madeLa cocina de Masito · 7:42
Ingredients
- Dried chickpeas200g
- Coarse salt1 tbsp, for soaking
- Beef shank or morcillo250g
- Chicken thigh or hen1 small piece, about 200g
- Fresh pork belly or tocino80g
- Cured ham bone1 small piece
- Beef marrow bone1 small piece
- Pork spine bone or salted pork bone1 small piece, rinsed
- Chorizo for cooking1 small link
- Morcilla1 small link
- Carrot1 medium, peeled
- Potato1 medium, peeled
- Green cabbage1/4 head, cut into wedges
- Garlic2 cloves, sliced
- Olive oil1 tbsp
- Fine fideos or angel hair pasta50g
- Saltto taste
Method
- The night before, soak the chickpeas in plenty of warm water with the coarse salt for 12 hours.
- Drain and rinse the chickpeas, then place them in a mesh bag if you have one so they stay together during cooking.
- Put the beef, chicken, pork belly, ham bone, marrow bone, and pork bone in a large pot and cover with about 2 liters of cold water.
- Bring slowly to a simmer, skim off the foam carefully, and keep the broth at a gentle simmer rather than a rolling boil.
- When the broth is clean and simmering, add the drained chickpeas, cover partially, and cook gently for about 2 hours, skimming as needed.
- Add the carrot and potato to the pot and continue cooking until the chickpeas and meats are tender, about 45 to 60 minutes more.
- In a separate small saucepan, simmer the chorizo and morcilla in water for 15 to 20 minutes so they cook without making the main broth too greasy.
- Cook the cabbage wedges in salted water until tender, about 15 minutes, then drain.
- Warm the olive oil in a small pan, fry the sliced garlic until lightly golden, and toss it with the cooked cabbage.
- Remove the meats, bones, carrot, potato, and chickpeas from the cocido pot and keep them warm; discard the spent bones or scrape out the marrow if desired.
- Strain the broth, taste for salt, return enough broth for soup to the pot, and bring it to a boil.
- Add the fideos to the boiling broth and cook until tender, usually 3 to 5 minutes.
- Serve the cocido in the traditional three vuelcos: first the noodle soup, then the chickpeas with carrot, potato, and cabbage, and finally the sliced beef, chicken, pork belly, chorizo, and morcilla.
Common questions
Can I substitute the beef shank, pork belly, or ham bone in cocido madrileño?
Yes. Use beef chuck or short ribs instead of shank, pancetta instead of pork belly, and a smoked ham hock if you can’t find a cured ham bone. Keep at least one marrowy bone for depth, or the broth will taste flat.
How long does cocido madrileño take from start to finish?
Plan for about 3 to 4 hours total, plus overnight soaking. The chickpeas usually need around 2 hours after they go in, then another 45 to 60 minutes with the vegetables. Slow simmering is more important than exact timing.
What are the most common mistakes when making cocido madrileño?
The biggest mistakes are boiling hard, skipping the skim, and adding the chorizo and morcilla directly to the main pot too early. Hard boiling clouds the broth, and early sausage cooking can make it overly greasy and strong.
How should I store leftover cocido madrileño?
Cool it quickly, then refrigerate the broth, chickpeas, meats, and vegetables in separate containers for up to 3 to 4 days. For longer storage, freeze the broth and chickpeas; freeze sausage separately if possible for better texture.
How is cocido madrileño traditionally served?
It’s often served in stages: first the broth as a soup, then the chickpeas and vegetables, and finally the meats and sausages. Add a little broth to each plate if you like, and serve with crusty bread.