Spanish Bean Soup with Clam (Alubias Blancas con Almejas) is a delightful Spanish delicacy that harmoniously combines the wholesome richness of white beans with seafood. This Spanish classic White Beans with Clams, or "Fabes con Almejas(Alubias Blancas con Almejas)" is a hearty meal and a staple in many Spanish households, especially in the northern regions, and has quickly become a favorite in mine as well.
This recipe comes from the beautiful Asturias region in northern Spain. This delicious stew pairs delicate, buttery white beans with clams. The ingredients might seem simple, but the result is truly spectacular.
Tender white butter beans serve as the base, their delicate flavor provides the ideal foundation, allowing the succulent sweetness of fresh clams to shine through. Aromatic vegetables like onions, garlic, and tomatoes, are carefully sautéed to enhance the broth with layers of flavors.
What I love most about this dish is its simplicity. It’s a beautiful example of how a few humble ingredients can come together to create something extraordinary. I serve this dish with crusty bread to mop up the delicious broth.
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⭐Why You'll Love This Spanish Bean Soup with Clam (Alubias Blancas con Almejas)
- Simple Yet Sophisticated: This soup shines with fresh, high-quality ingredients, no need for anything fancy.
- Authentic Spanish Flavors: With extra virgin olive oil, fresh veggies, white beans, and clams, it’s a true taste of Spain’s coastal and rustic cuisine.
- Land Meets Sea: The earthy beans and veggies pair perfectly with the briny clams, creating a delicious Mediterranean balance.
- Everyday or Special Occasions: Creamy soup and glistening clams make it as stunning to serve as it is tasty to eat!
🧾Spanish Bean Soup Ingredients
Here’s the breakdown of what’s in this bean soup recipe:
For White Beans:
- White Beans: I use dried white beans for a hearty and nutritious base full of fiber and protein. You can also use navy beans, cannellini beans, or Great Northern beans.
- Water: I use water for soaking and cooking the beans.
- Vegetables: I add leek, onion, garlic, tomato, and carrot for extra flavor. Leek and onion give a sweet and savory taste. Garlic adds a robust flavor, tomato adds subtle acidity and richness, and carrot adds sweetness and color. You can use tomato sauce or canned diced tomatoes if you prefer.
- Bay Leaves: They give a subtle earthy and herbal note to the soup.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: I use it for richness and a fruity, savory flavor. Any cooking oil works if you don't have extra virgin olive oil.
For Clams:
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: I use it for sautéing vegetables, adding rich, fruity flavor.
- Sofrito Ingredients: Onion, garlic, red pepper, and tomato make the sofrito. Onion and red pepper add sweetness, garlic adds a bold flavor, and tomato adds acidity and richness.
- Salt: For seasoning.
- Dried Chilies: I use them for extra heat.
- Clams: Fresh clams bring a briny, oceanic flavor. Mussels or shrimp can be used if clams aren't available.
- Wine: Adds acidity and depth. For a non-alcoholic option, use vegetable or chicken broth or a splash of white wine vinegar.
- Fish Broth: Adds seafood flavor and complexity. Seafood stock or vegetable broth works too.
- Parsley: I garnish with parsley for a fresh, herbaceous finish.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
👩🏻🍳How to Make Spanish Bean Soup
These step-by-step instructions and photos will help you to visualize how to make this recipe. See the recipe card for a printable version of this recipe.
1. Soak the beans overnight, then transfer them to a pressure cooker and cook with fresh water.
2. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes, skimming impurities.
3. In the pressure cooker, combine leek, onion, tomato, carrot, garlic, bay leaves, and olive oil. Cook for 18 minutes or until beans are tender.
4. Heat extra virgin olive oil in a saucepan, add chopped onion, season with salt, and cook until soft.
5. Finely chop the red pepper and cook in the saucepan until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Stir in dried chilies and diced tomatoes, cooking for 5 minutes until softened.
6. Add the cleaned clams, mix well, and pour in the wine. Cook for a few minutes until the clams open.
7. Add the fish broth to the mixture and simmer for 8 minutes.
8. Once the beans are cooked, blend the onion, carrot, tomato, leek, and a few beans into a smooth paste. Pour it over the clams and stir well. Add the beans back to the pan and cook for 4 minutes.
📖Variations
- Chorizo and Clam Soup: Add slices of Spanish chorizo for a smoky and flavorful twist. The combination of chorizo and clams creates a hearty soup.
- Saffron Infusion: Infuse the broth with a pinch of saffron threads for a touch of luxury and a distinctive golden color. Saffron adds a unique and aromatic flavor.
- Spicy Spanish Paprika Soup: Introduce smoked Spanish paprika for a smoky and spicy kick.
- Spanish Ham Garnish: Garnish the soup with finely chopped Spanish ham (jamon) for a savory and salty element. It adds a distinctive Spanish touch to the dish.
- Herb-Infused Oil Drizzle: Create an herb-infused oil by combining olive oil with chopped herbs like parsley, cilantro, or basil. Drizzle the oil over the soup just before serving for an extra layer of flavor.
🍽 How to Serve
Serve in Individual Bowls: Ladle the soup into individual bowls for a more elegant presentation. Ensure each bowl has a mix of clams, beans, and broth.
Rustic Presentation: For a more rustic presentation, serve the soup in larger communal bowls, allowing everyone to help themselves.
Garnish with Fresh Herbs: Just before serving, garnish the soup with fresh parsley. This adds a burst of color and freshness to each bowl.
Accompany with Crusty Bread: Serve the Clam and Bean Soup with crusty ciabatta bread on the side. The bread can be used to soak up the flavorful broth.
Pair with a Salad: Accompany the soup with a pasta salad or tomato salad for a well-balanced meal.
Wine Pairing: Pair the Clam and Bean Soup with a crisp white wine or a light Spanish Albariño to complement the flavors of the dish. For a no-alcoholic option pair with lemonade.
💭Tips for Success
Choosing White Beans: Go for navy or cannellini beans for their tender texture. Soak dried beans overnight to make them even softer.
Cleaning Clams: Rinse clams under cold water to remove sand and debris. Discard any with broken shells or that don’t close when tapped.
Handling Clams Gently: Add clams to the pot gently to avoid breaking them. Stir carefully to cook them evenly without damage.
Cooking White Beans: Simmer the beans until tender but not mushy. Cooking times vary with bean type and freshness.
Balancing Seasonings: Be careful with salt since clams add natural saltiness. Taste the soup before adding more salt.
Choosing Wine: Use good-quality white wine to boost the broth’s flavor.
Storing Soup: Let the soup cool before putting it in an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
🍛More Spanish Recipes!
If you love this Spanish bean soup, you’ll definitely enjoy these other tasty Spanish recipes:
- Easy Homemade Meatballs
- Spanish Paella Valenciana
- Gazpacho
- Spanish Omelette
- Garlic Shrimp (Gambas al Ajillo)
- Papas Arrugadas with Mojo Sauce
- Pan con Tomate
- Chicken Skewers (Pinchitos de Pollo)
🍲More Dinner Recipes!
Here are more of my favorite dinner recipes! Try these:
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📖 Recipe
Spanish Bean Soup with Clam (Alubias Blancas con Almejas)
Ingredients
For White Beans:
- 250 g White Beans
- 1500 ml Water
- 1 Leek
- 1 Onion
- 1 Tomato
- 1 Carrot
- 2 Garlic Cloves
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 3 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
For Clams:
- 2 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ½ Red Pepper
- 2 Garlic Cloves
- 2 Dried Chilies
- 1 Tomato
- 500 g Clams
- 50 ml Wine
- 200 ml Fish Broth
- Parsley
Instructions
- Soak white beans in water for 10 hours or overnight, then drain.
- In a pressure cooker, place the beans and pour the water.
- Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes, skim and remove all impurities.
- Add leek, onion, tomato, carrot, garlic, bay leaves, and olive oil.
- Cook in a pressure cooker for 18 minutes or until the beans are tender.
- While the beans are cooking, pour extra virgin olive oil into a saucepan and heat.
- Chop onion, add to the saucepan, season with salt, and cook until softened.
- Dice the red pepper, add to the saucepan and cook until softened.
- Mince the garlic cloves, add to the saucepan, and cook for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add dried chilies.
- Dice the tomato, add to the saucepan, and cook for 5 minutes until softened.
- Add cleaned clams and mix well until combined.
- Pour wine and cook for a few minutes until clams open.
- Pour fish broth and cook for 8 minutes.
- Once the beans are cooked, place the onion, carrot, tomato, leek, and a few beans in a beaker and blend until smooth paste.
- Pour the vegetable paste over the cooked clams, stirring until combined.
- Add the cooked beans to the saucepan and cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally until well combined.
- Serve white beans with clams on a plate, garnished with parsley.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
John says
This clam and bean soup is SO comforting! The perfect blend of briny, savory, and hearty. I'm making it again