Caldo Verde

Name: Caldo Verde
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Portuguese
Ingredients: 2 tbsp Olive Oil; 1 large Onion, finely chopped; 3 cloves of Garlic, sliced; 800g Floury Potatoes, peeled and diced; 1.2 l Water; 200g Portuguese Chouriço, thinly sliced; 200g Couve Galega, or collard greens, very finely shredded; 1 1/2 tsp Fine Salt, to taste; 1/2 tsp Pepper (Black), to taste; 1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for drizzling; Some Chouriço, reserved slices, optional, for garnish

Caldo Verde is a warm, rustic Portuguese soup of silky potatoes, fragrant onions and garlic, and tender ribbons of kale studded with savory chouriço. It's simple to make but deeply comforting—perfect for a cozy dinner or to impress guests with minimal fuss.

Caldo Verde is a warm, rustic Portuguese soup of silky potatoes, fragrant onions and garlic, and tender ribbons of kale studded wi... Show more

Traditional Portuguese Recipe

Health Grade

B · Healthy

Rating

4.3

Time

55 min

Price

1,67 €

Calories

496 kcal

low calorie

easy

meal prep

one pot

Method

Wash the vegetables

Rinse the Floury Potatoes under cold water to remove any dirt from the skins before peeling. Wash the Couve Galega very well in a big bowl or under running water, separating the leaves so any grit can fall away, then shake or pat it dry.

Prep the ingredients

Peel and finely chop the Onion. Peel and thinly slice the Garlic. Peel the potatoes, then dice them into bite-size chunks so they cook evenly. Strip any thick stems from the couve galega and shred the leaves as finely as you can. Thinly slice the Portuguese Chouriço into coin-shaped rounds.

Heat the oil

Pour the Olive Oil into a large soup pot and warm it over medium heat until it shimmers and coats the bottom easily, about 1 minute.

Brown the chouriço

Add the chouriço slices to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 4 minutes, until the edges curl and some orange-red fat has rendered out. Transfer all the slices to a plate, leaving the flavored oil in the pot. If you want a garnish, keep a few slices separate as reserved chouriço slices.

Soften the aromatics

Add the onion to the pot and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes, until soft and lightly golden. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute more, just until fragrant; don't let the garlic brown or it can turn bitter.

Simmer the potatoes

Add the diced potatoes, pour in the Water, and stir in the Fine Salt. Bring everything to a boil over medium-high heat, then lower to a gentle simmer and cook partially covered for 15 to 20 minutes, until the potatoes are completely tender and mash easily against the side of the pot.

Blend until smooth

Take the pot off the heat and blend the soup with an immersion blender until smooth and creamy. A few tiny flecks are fine, but there should be no firm potato chunks left.

Cook the greens

Return the pot to medium-low heat. Stir in the shredded couve galega and most of the browned chouriço, keeping the reserved slices aside if you're using them for garnish. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the greens are tender but still bright and the soup is lightly smoky from the sausage.

Adjust the seasoning

Taste the soup and season with Pepper (Black) and a little more salt if needed. The flavor should be full and savory, since the potatoes soften and mellow the seasoning.

Serve the soup

Ladle the caldo verde into bowls and drizzle each serving with Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Scatter over the reserved chouriço slices if using, and serve right away while the soup is hot and the greens are still vivid.