If you want a taste of traditional Portuguese cuisine, this caldo verde recipe is the perfect project. Simple and delicious, it's a crowd-pleasing favorite that makes for an easy lunch, a festive first course, or even a late-night snack.
If you love warm soups for cold days, check out my recipes for vegetarian caldo gallego and Spanish caldo de pollo.
Introduction
In Portugal, soup reigns supreme. For many Portuguese families, a big, bubbling pot of soup is an everyday staple and an essential element of any meal. This is certainly the case at 33 Hostel in Ferrel, Portugal.
Almost every morning, "Mama" (the household matriarch) chops various vegetables and sets them to cook on the stove. By lunchtime, we have a flavorful and healthy appetizer that can feed a crowd. So far there have been versions of a sopinha da Mama (Mama's soup) featuring cauliflower, carrots, green beans, and more... but my favorite recipe is the classic caldo verde.
This caldo verde recipe comes not from Mama herself, but her daughter Maura, who runs 33 Hostel. We made it for the hostel's anniversary celebration, as no traditional Portuguese party would be complete without it.
Ingredients
You're probably excited to make this Portuguese soup by now...so here's the key ingredients that you'll need to recreate this caldo verde at home.
- Chouriço: This smoky Portuguese sausage is similar to Spanish chorizo, but contains less paprika and is popularly served in a variety of different ways.
- Kale: This dark leafy green is the most popular green added to caldo verde, but you can substitute with other greens like collards or turnip greens as well.
- Olive Oil: Like most Mediterranean dishes, olive oil is the key ingredient! Using a good quality oil will improve the flavor and make this soup even healthier.
- Broa (Portuguese Bread): This hearty corn and rye bread has a crunchy, crackly crust and is the perfect accompaniment to this soup.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Caldo Verde
If you’d like to see the full ingredients and instructions, scroll to the bottom of the post for the printable recipe card.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil, then add the veggies and a pinch of salt and turn the heat to medium-low. Add half of the chouriço and simmer until the veggies are fully coooked. (image 1)
- Purée the veggies and chouriço so it has a smooth consistency. (image 2)
- Place the purée over low heat and add salt and olive oil to taste. (image 3)
- Add the sliced kale strips and simmer until the greens are cooked through. (image 4)
- Remove the caldo verde from the heat and add a drizzle of olive oil and a splash of vinegar to keep the kale from clumping together. (image 5)
- Serve the soup in bowls with a garnish of thinly sliced chouriço and enjoy right away! (image 6)
Recipe FAQs
This is probably the most traditional type of Portuguese soup, based on a combination of just a few simple ingredients. Its name, meaning "green broth," refers to the main attraction: couve galega, which is a dark leafy green similar to kale or collard greens. It's chopped up into long, thin strands before cooking, creating a nice texture that allows it to meld with the other elements of the soup rather than overpowering them.
The broth itself consists of onion, garlic, potatoes, and carrots, and gets extra flavor from a chunk of smoky chouriço. A few thin slices of this cured sausage also add a pop of color to the finished product.
The creator of caldo verde isn't known, but we can trace its origin to the northern province of Minho in Portugal. It may have started as a sopinha da Mama, or Mama's appetizer soup.
It's undoubtedly one of those dishes that vary from kitchen to kitchen, and the details depend on the chef's instincts rather than strict measurements.Â
Serve
While it's certainly appropriate for any meal on any day, caldo verde is most commonly enjoyed on special occasions and holidays. It's especially emblematic of Santo António, the annual festival honoring Lisbon's patron saint.
Traditionally, it goes with grilled sardines and bread to create a true feast--and it's also wonderful with olives. But it's best enjoyed with broa, a dense and delicious Portuguese bread that's made with cornmeal and is perfect for soaking up every last drop.
The Portuguese also eat caldo verde in the wee hours of New Year's Day; the idea is that it warms you up and washes away the excesses of partying all night.
Expert Tips
- The quantities here are approximate; the most important thing is that you have an equal ratio of potatoes to onion, a slightly thick but still soupy consistency, and enough salt to bring out the flavors. Feel free to adjust the amounts as you cook, and develop your own take on the classic version.
- Chouriço is the Portuguese version of Spanish chorizo. It's more smoky and has less paprika than Spanish chorizo, but is quite similar. Feel free to substitute with semi-cured chorizo if you can't find chouriço.
- If you don't like kale, almost any dark leafy green (like collards or turnip greens) works beautifully in this recipe.
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Caldo Verde (Traditional Portuguese Soup)
Ingredients
- 1 pound potatoes diced
- 1 pound yellow onions diced
- 1 large carrot diced
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 4-inch piece Portuguese chouriço cut in half
- 2 pounds kale chopped into thin strands
- salt to taste
- olive oil to taste
- 1 splash red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Fill a large saucepan with water and bring to a boil.
- Add the veggies, half of the chouriço, and a pinch of salt to the boiling water, then reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until the veggies are soft and fully cooked.
- Once the veggies are cooked, blend the pot's contents (including the chouriço) to form a smooth consistency.
- Place over low heat, then season to taste with salt and olive oil. Add the kale and simmer until cooked through.
- Remove the pot from the heat and add a drizzle of olive oil and a splash of vinegar; this helps the kale separate instead of clumping.
- Serve the soup in bowls topped with thin slices of chouriço and accompanied by broa (Portuguese corn and rye bread) or another crusty artisan bread.
Notes
- The quantities here are approximate; the most important thing is that you have an equal ratio of potatoes to onion, a slightly thick but still soupy consistency, and enough salt to bring out the flavors. Feel free to adjust the amounts as you cook, and develop your own take on the classic version.
- Chouriço is the Portuguese version of Spanish chorizo. It's more smoky and has less paprika than Spanish chorizo, but is quite similar. Feel free to substitute with semi-cured chorizo if you can't find chouriço.
- If you don't like kale, almost any dark leafy green (like collards or turnip greens) works beautifully in this recipe.
Nutrition
Photography by Giulia Verdinelli
Heather
Hello, do you peel the potatoes?
Lauren Aloise
Up to you - I usually do!
Charlie
This looks good. In Step 7, does blending the contents of the pot include the half-piece of chourico that was added in Step 4?
Lauren Aloise
It does! We'll adjust the recipe to make clear!