Escudella is one of Andorra’s most traditional winter dishes. It reflects the country’s Pyrenean mountain cooking, where preserved pork, sausages, legumes, root vegetables, cabbage, rice, and pasta are cooked together in a substantial broth. (Visit Andorra)
Historically, escudella depended on what was available in the household pantry. Richer preparations contained several meats and sausages, while simpler versions relied more heavily on rice, vegetables, and legumes. (Visit Andorra)
This version is an escudella barrejada, meaning the cooked meat is cut into pieces and returned to the soup with the vegetables, beans, chickpeas, rice, and pasta.
Recipe at a glance
- Servings
- 8 generous portions
- Prep Time
- 45 minutes
- Cook Time
- 3 hours
- Drying Time
- 10 minutes
- Cuisine
- Andorran, Pyrenean
- Course
- Main Course, Soup
- Cooking Method
- Simmering
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
Before you begin
Ingredients & equipment
Gather what you need first, then cook through the method with confidence.
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Ingredients
For the Legumes
- Dried chickpeas: 150 g paid link
- Dried white beans: 150 g paid link
- Water for soaking: as needed
For the Meat and Broth
- Beef shank: 500 g
- Bone-in chicken: 500 g
- Oxtail: 400 g
- Fresh pork backbone or pork ribs: 350 g
- Pork ear, cleaned: 250 g
- Cured pork belly or bacon: 200 g
- Beef marrow bone: 300 g
- Veal or beef soup bones: 400 g
- Pork suet: 50 g
- Cold water: 5,000 ml
For the Vegetables
- Green cabbage, cut into large wedges: 600 g
- Potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks: 600 g
- Pumpkin, cut into large chunks: 300 g
- Carrots, cut into thick pieces: 300 g
- Turnip, cut into chunks: 250 g
- Leek, cut into thick pieces: 200 g
- Onion, peeled and halved: 200 g
- Celery stalks with leaves: 150 g
For the Andorran Sausages
- Botifarra blanca or white pork sausage: 200 g
- Botifarra negra de ceba or black onion sausage: 200 g
- To Finish the Escudella
- Short thick soup pasta or fideus: 120 g paid link
- Round-grain rice: 100 g paid link
- Fine salt: approximately 18 g paid link
- Ground black pepper: 3 g
Method
Soak the legumes Place the dried chickpeas and white beans in separate bowls. Cover them with plenty of cold water. Soak for at least 8 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse before cooking.
Prepare the meats Check the pork ear carefully and remove any remaining hair. Rinse the bones, pork ear, pork backbone, oxtail, beef shank, and chicken under cold water. Place them in a very large stockpot. Add the cured pork belly and pork suet.
Start the broth Pour in 5,000 ml cold water. Place the pot over medium heat. Bring the water slowly toward a gentle boil. As foam and impurities rise, remove them with a ladle or fine skimmer. Taking time to skim the broth produces a cleaner flavor and appearance.
Add the legumes Add the drained chickpeas and white beans. Return the broth to a gentle simmer. Do not boil aggressively. Cook uncovered or partially covered for approximately 1 hour.
Add the first vegetables Add the onion, leek, celery, carrots, and turnip. Continue simmering for 35 to 45 minutes. Check the water level periodically. Add more hot water only if the ingredients are no longer covered.
Check the meats Test the beef shank, oxtail, pork ear, and pork backbone. They should be becoming tender but should not yet be falling apart. Remove the chicken if it is fully cooked before the tougher meats. Keep it covered while the remaining ingredients continue cooking.
Add cabbage and pumpkin Add the cabbage wedges and pumpkin. Simmer for 15 minutes. Keep the pieces relatively large so they remain intact.
Add potatoes and sausages Add the potatoes, botifarra blanca, and botifarra negra. Prick the sausages once or twice with a fine needle to reduce the chance of splitting. Simmer gently for another 20 to 25 minutes. The potatoes should become tender without disintegrating.
Remove the meats and bones Carefully transfer the cooked meats, sausages, and large bones to a tray. Discard the celery and any bones with no usable meat. Remove the meat from the chicken, beef bones, pork backbone, and oxtail. Cut the beef, pork, chicken, pork ear, bacon, and sausages into bite-sized pieces. Keep them covered and warm.
Cook the rice Taste the broth before adding salt. The bacon and sausages may already have seasoned it considerably. Add the rice. Simmer for 8 minutes.
Add the pasta Add the short thick pasta. Continue simmering according to the pasta’s cooking time, usually another 8 to 10 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent the rice and pasta from settling on the bottom.
Return the meat Return the cut meats and sliced sausages to the pot. Add the cooked chicken. Stir gently. Heat for another 3 to 5 minutes.
Adjust the seasoning Taste the escudella. Add salt only as needed. Season with ground black pepper. The broth should be rich and savory but not excessively salty.
Rest the escudella Turn off the heat. Let the escudella rest for approximately 10 minutes. The official Andorran preparation also recommends a brief resting period before serving. (Visit Andorra)
Serve Ladle the broth, vegetables, legumes, rice, pasta, meat, and sausage into deep bowls. Make sure each serving receives a balanced amount of every component. Serve immediately while very hot.
Beginner Technique Notes
Start with cold water so the flavor of the bones and meats develops gradually.
Keep the broth at a gentle simmer. Aggressive boiling can make the broth cloudy and cause the vegetables and sausages to break apart.
Skim the broth thoroughly during the first stage of cooking.
Add salt near the end because cured bacon, black sausage, and white sausage already contain salt.
Add vegetables according to their cooking time. Carrots and turnips require longer cooking than pumpkin and potatoes.
Do not add the pasta and rice too early. They absorb broth and can become overcooked during the long meat simmer.
Tips and Variations
Chef Tip: Prepare the meat broth one day ahead. Chilling makes it easier to remove excess fat, while the flavor becomes deeper overnight.
Traditional Two-Course Service: Serve the broth with rice or pasta first, followed by the meats, sausages, chickpeas, and vegetables as carn d’olla. This is a documented traditional serving style in Andorra. (Visit Andorra)
Mixed Escudella: Cut the meats and return everything to the broth for a one-bowl meal.
Christmas Version: Use large shell-shaped galets instead of the smaller pasta. Andorra’s official gastronomy guide identifies sopa de galets or sopa grossa with Christmas escudella. (Visit Andorra)
More Rustic Version: Increase the cabbage, white beans, chickpeas, and potatoes.
Lighter Version: Use less bacon and omit the pork suet, although the broth will be less traditional and less rich.
Authenticity Notes and Substitutions
Authentic Andorran escudella uses a combination of poultry, beef, pork, bones, local sausages, vegetables, legumes, rice, or pasta. The exact combination varies according to household, season, and availability. (Visit Andorra)
Botifarra blanca is a pale cooked pork sausage.
Botifarra negra de ceba is a dark blood sausage containing onion.
When Andorran or Catalan botifarra is unavailable, use a mild fresh or cooked pork sausage for the white sausage and an onion blood sausage for the black sausage. These are substitutions and will not reproduce the exact traditional flavor.
Pork ear, pork backbone, marrow bones, cabbage, potatoes, pumpkin, beans, chickpeas, rice, and pasta are all consistent with the traditional Andorran pantry described by official Andorran sources. (Visit Andorra)
Serving Ideas
Serve Andorran escudella with
- Crusty country bread
- Pickled vegetables
- Simple green salad
- Roasted peppers
- Andorran or Catalan cheese
- A separate platter of carn d’olla
- Fresh fruit
- Dried figs, walnuts, and almonds
Storage
Chiller: Up to 3 days
Freezer: Up to 2 months without the potatoes, rice, or pasta
Best reheating method: Stovetop over low heat
Store extra pasta and rice separately when possible because they continue absorbing the broth.
When reheating, add a small amount of water or unsalted stock if the escudella has become too thick.
Reheat only the quantity needed.
Nutritional Value
Nutrition values are estimates and vary according to the sausages, bacon, meat cuts, bones, fat removal, and serving size.
Allergen Notes
Contains gluten from the pasta.
May contain gluten, milk, sulphites, or other allergens depending on the sausage recipe.
Naturally egg-free when using egg-free pasta.
Naturally nut-free.
For a gluten-free version, omit the pasta or use certified gluten-free soup pasta.
Always check commercially prepared botifarra for allergen information.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is escudella Andorrana?
Escudella Andorrana is a substantial Andorran stew made with meat, bones, sausages, legumes, seasonal vegetables, rice, and pasta.
Is escudella originally from Andorra?
Escudella belongs to the broader Catalan and Pyrenean culinary tradition, but Andorra has its own established preparation using local meats, sausages, vegetables, and pantry ingredients. (Visit Andorra)
What is carn d’olla?
Carn d’olla refers to the meats and other solid ingredients cooked in the escudella broth. They may be served as a separate course after the soup.
What sausages are used in Andorran escudella?
Traditional preparations may include white sausage and black onion sausage, corresponding to botifarra blanca and botifarra negra de ceba.
Can I omit the pork ear?
Yes, but it contributes gelatin and traditional pork flavor to the broth.
Can I use canned chickpeas and beans?
Yes. Drain them and add them during the final 30 minutes so they do not break apart. Dried legumes are more traditional.
Why is my broth cloudy?
The broth may have boiled too vigorously or may not have been skimmed sufficiently during the early cooking stage.
Can I make escudella ahead?
Yes. The meat broth can be made one day ahead. Add the pasta and rice when reheating so they remain properly cooked.
Can I freeze escudella?
Yes, but freeze the broth, meat, legumes, and firm vegetables without the potatoes, rice, or pasta for the best texture.
What is the difference between escudella and escudella barrejada?
In a separated service, the broth is served first and the meats and vegetables follow. In escudella barrejada, the meat, vegetables, legumes, pasta, and rice are mixed together in the soup.
Why are both rice and pasta used?
Some Andorran mixed escudella preparations combine rice and thick noodles, producing a particularly substantial winter meal. (Visit Andorra)
