Caldo Verde (Portuguese Green Soup)

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The popular centuries-old soup from Portugal, Caldo Verde features flavorful Portuguese sausage, cabbage, potatoes, and broth to create a simple but soul-satisfying soup that is served all over Portugal and in many areas around the world!

A simple and deliciously flavorful soup hailing from Portugal!  I had this dish for the first time when we visited Lisbon a few years ago. I was impressed by its flavor and simplicity and when we got home I went to work recreating that flavor. I’m an avid gardener and this caldo verde is a great way to use loads of those healthy collards from the garden.

What is Caldo Verde?

Caldo Verde, which means “green broth”, is a simple Portuguese soup with regional variations but it most traditionally consists of broth, a shredded Portuguese cabbage similar to collard greens, potatoes, onions, garlic, and olive oil and is served with slices of linguiça or chouriço.  It is a popular dish to serve at weddings and celebrations.

Caldo Verde is a centuries-old soup that originated in the Minho region of northern Portugal and has since spread to Portuguese-settled communities throughout the world.  It is prized as a favorite national dish in Portugal and you can find packages of pre-shredded collards in grocery stores specifically for the preparation  of this beloved soup.  It is eaten in practically every household, is present at practically every celebration, and is served everywhere from the most humble rural settings to the most luxurious hotels.

Unless you’re already familiar with Portuguese cuisine, you may be alarmed at the amount of olive oil called for in the recipe.  You may be even more surprised to learn that it’s only half of what would be called for in Portugal.  I equate Portugal’s use of olive oil with Hungary’s use of paprika:  You do NOT add it by the teaspoon or tablespoon, you add it by the cupful!  That said, if you prefer to use less, feel free.

Caldo Verde Ingredients & Method

• Caldo verde is made from few and simple ingredients so it is important to use the best you can find. If you can’t find linguiça, chouriço, or Spanish chorizo choose the best flavorful sausage available.
• Use either a high quality store-bought chicken broth or, a much better option, make your own homemade chicken broth.
• Some Portuguese cooks boil whole in the broth with the potatoes and then removed, sliced, and added when serving.  Others pre-slice the sausage, fry it up in the pot, and transfer it to a plate to reserve until serving (and then fry the onions in the sausage drippings). Use whichever method you prefer.
• Caldo Verde is traditionally a very brothy soup but you can determine both the consistency and thickness by how many potatoes you add and whether you puree all or part of the potatoes.
• A type of Portuguese collard green is traditionally used and you can use either regular collard greens or kale.  Just be sure to avoid chopping it (which would be sacrilege in Portugal) and instead cut it into very thin slices.

Serving Suggestions

Caldo Verde is enjoyed either as a starter before a main meal or as a light dinner.  A traditional accompaniment for dipping in the soup is broa, a type of Portuguese cornbread, or rustic rye bread. But you can accompany this soup with any bread or dinner rolls of your choice and a salad is always a welcome addition.

Caldo Verde Recipe

This soup is easy to make and is ready to serve in just over 30 minutes:

• Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat, add the sausage and fry for 3-4 minutes.  Use a slotted spoon to transfer the sausage to a plate (leaving the sausage drippings in the pot) and reserve until serving.
• Add the onions to the pot and cook them until soft and translucent, 2-3 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook for another minute.  Add the chicken broth, potatoes and salt, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 15-20 minutes until the potatoes are tender.  Use an immersion blender to puree the potatoes (you can decide whether to puree all or part of them).  Add the kale and simmer for another 2-3 minutes until the kale is wilted and tender.  Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Ladle the soup into bowls and add a few slices of the reserved sausage.  If desired, drizzle each serving with some additional olive oil.  Serve with some crusty or rustic bread.

Enjoy!

For more delicious soups from around the world be sure to try my:

• Solyanka
• Hungarian Goulash
• Harira
• Zurek
• Wonton Soup
• New England Clam Chowder
• Japanese Mushroom Vermicelli Soup
• Caldo Verde
• Masoor Dal
• Scotch Broth
• Matzo Ball Soup
• French Lentil Soup
• Minestrone Soup
• Avgolemono
• Cullen Skink
• Hungarian Mushroom Soup
• Pozole Rojo
• Wonton Soup
• German Potato Soup