Sopas mallorquinas is one of the oldest Mallorcan dishes. The name 'sopas' refers not to a liquid soup but to the bread slices (called 'sopes' in Catalan) that form the base. This is a dish of the payesa (peasant) tradition.
A bowl of thick, soft, bread-and-vegetable stew. The bread has dissolved into the vegetable broth, creating a comforting mass. The flavor is earthy, sweet from the vegetables, with a faint tang from the tomatoes.
The thin bread slices absorb the vegetable broth completely, dissolving into a thick mass (similar to Italian ribollita). The vegetables' starches and the bread's starches combine to create a natural thickness.
Variations
The vegetable mix varies by season; some add pork or snails; the bread must be stale.
On the Palate
Where Sopas Mallorquinas sits in the Spanish flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 4
How it's made
6 steps · 45 min active + 15 min waiting
- 15 min
Slice stale country bread very thinly.
- 25 min
Chop chard, cabbage, tomato, garlic.
- 35 min
Layer bread and vegetables in a pot.
- 430 min
Add water or stock; season with salt and olive oil.
- 55 min
Simmer 30 min until bread dissolves into the stew.
Watch outIt's done when the bread has melted into the broth and a spoon stands up in a thick, unified mass — thin and soupy means it needs longer.
- 61 min
Rest 5 min; serve in deep bowls.
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