Pan-fried hake, white bean & chorizo broth

Why this dinner works

Most weeknight one-pot dinners ask you to choose between two evils: a five-ingredient bowl that tastes like the inside of a saucepan, or a recipe so layered it eats your entire evening. Pan-fried hake, white bean & chorizo broth sits comfortably in the middle. It draws on Spanish traditions where building flavor in stages — aromatics, then spice, then the slow swell of liquid into starch — is just how dinner gets made on a regular Tuesday.

The whole thing comes together in about 43 minutes in a single soup pot, which means dinner from idea to table is shorter than most podcast episodes. We've leaned on the everyday 12 ingredients listed below, but in the notes after the recipe you'll find the small swaps and shortcuts that make this dish forgiving when your fridge is half-empty.

Method

1. Step 1. Drain the beans, then tip into a large pan with 2 litres of water. Simmer with the whole garlic cloves, bay leaves and thyme for 30 mins or until cooked and tender. Remove from the heat and set aside.
2. Step 2. Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp oil in a frying pan. Fry the bread with the remaining garlic clove. When golden and crisp, scoop out and drain on kitchen paper. Add the chorizo to the pan, fry until crisp, tip out and keep warm with the bread.
3. Step 3. Add another 2 tbsp oil and the onion to the pan, and cook for 5 mins until softened. Stir in the paprika. Drain the beans and add to the onions with the chicken stock and 2 tsp salt. Cook for 5-10 mins. Stir through the parsley and keep warm.
4. Step 4. Season the hake and heat the remaining 2 tbsp oil in the frying pan. Put the hake, skin-side down, in the pan and cook for 3-5 mins over a mediumhigh heat to crisp up the skin. Flip the fish over and cook for a further 3-5 mins until cooked through. Spoon the white bean mix into bowls, place the hake on top and finish with the fried bread, chorizo and a little more thyme.

Cook's notes

One pan, fewer dishes. Use the widest, heaviest soup pot you own with a tight-fitting lid. The wider base means faster browning at the start; the lid traps the gentle steam that finishes the dish without scorching the bottom.

Salt as you go. Season the aromatics, season the protein, season the liquid before it reduces. By the time you taste at the end, the only adjustment is usually acid — a squeeze of lemon, a splash of vinegar, a final crack of pepper.

Make it ahead. Like most one-pot dinners with spanish roots, the leftovers are arguably better the next day. Cool quickly, refrigerate within two hours, and reheat gently with a splash of water or stock to loosen things back up.

Pairings & serving

This one feels best in a 6-bowl spread with a sharp green salad and something cold to drink. If you want to stretch it for unexpected company, double the liquid and a single starchy ingredient — rice, pasta, potatoes, depending on the recipe — and the whole pan grows without much extra work.

Watch it cooked

If you're a visual learner, there's a free walkthrough of this dish on YouTube.

Original recipe inspiration: source.