Traditional Spanish Comfort Food at Home: Cocido Madrileño Recipe

This blog post was originally posted on February 19, 2015 and was updated on November 2, 2017

On cold winter days, there’s no better feeling than digging into a deliciously warm and comforting meal.

And for most Madrid residents nothing warms the soul quite like a good cocido madrileño.

Spaniards have quite a few hearty dishes to choose from, but as the cooler temperatures move into Madrid none can compete with the city’s most famous stew.

The dish originated in Madrid, and grew in popularity during the 19th and 20th centuries. Since the main ingredient—chickpeas—were relatively cheap and easy to acquire, it was often on the menu in taverns and small restaurants. Nowadays, it’s a household staple.

Cocido madrileño is usually eaten in two or three courses. Once the chickpeas, meats and vegetables have been cooked, the broth is separated and is used to make soup. This steaming broth is served as the first course. Then, the rest of the flavorful ingredients become the main dish, often in two rounds. First come the chickpeas and veggies, and following that, the stewed-to-perfection meat.

Enjoy this traditional Spanish meal at home by following this cocido madrileño recipe.

Cocido Madrileño Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 cups chickpeas
• 9 oz. veal, cut into 2 inch chunks
• 5 oz. chunk of Serrano ham
• 1 5” ham bone
• 1 3” chunk of veal bone marrow
• 5 oz. 2-inch thick bacon chunks
• 1 large 10 inch chorizo cut into 4 inch pieces
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 onion
• 2 large carrots
• 2 potatoes
• 1 cup pasta noodles
• Water, enough to cover the ingredients and two inches over
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Morcilla (blood sausage) [can be omitted]

Instructions

1. Allow garbanzo beans to sit in water overnight. drain excess water and set aside.
2. Peel the garlic, onion, carrots and potatoes and set aside.
3. Cook veal, bones, chorizo and ham in a large pot in just enough water to cover. Add salt to taste.
4. When the water begins to boil, remove the excess foam.
5. After an hour, add the chickpeas, garlic, onion and carrots, whole.
6. Cover pot and simmer for an hour and a half.
7. Drain the stock and reserve the rest of the ingredients on a platter.
8. Put the stock back into the same pot and use it to cook the noodles.
9. In a different pot, boil the peeled potatoes. Drain and place along with the rest of the ingredients you reserved.
10. Cut the cooked vegetables into big chunks and add to the meat platter.

This recipe serves 6.