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Caldo Verde
4.8 (117 reviews)
Portuguese kale soup, caldo verde, is something you’ll experience literally everywhere in Portugal, from Lisbon’s trendiest restaurants to farmhouses scattered at the edge of villages. Understandably so. Its simple yet sustaining character is appreciated everywhere.
Total Time65
Servings6
456
Caloriesper servingNutrition Information
456
Calories
24 g
Fat
50 g
Carbs
15 g
Protein
6 g
Fiber
4 g
Sugar
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 10 ounces chouriço, linguiça, or Spanish chorizo
- 1 large Spanish onion (diced)
- kosher salt
- 2 garlic cloves (sliced; don’t be afraid to go for a third or fourth. We Portuguese love their garlic)
- 6 medium potatoes (peeled and roughly chopped (I prefer Yukon Gold, as they as similar to Portugal's yellow potatoes)
- 8 cups cold water (or half homemade chicken stock or canned chicken broth, and half water)
- 1 pound collard greens or kale (stems removed, leaves cut into very, very thin slices)
- freshly ground black or white pepper
Instructions
- 1Sauté
- 2In a large pot over medium heat, warm the 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil. Add the 10 ounces chouriço, linguiça, or Spanish chorizo and cook until lightly browned on both sides, 3 to 5 minutes.
- 3Drain
- 4Remove the sausage slices with a slotted spoon and transfer them to a plate, making sure they drain well into the pot; its fat will flavor the soup.
- 5Dump the 1 large Spanish onion into the pot. Sprinkle with kosher salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the 2 garlic cloves and cook for 2 minutes more.
- 6Add
- 7Plonk in the 6 medium potatoes, add the 8 cups cold water (or a combo of water and chicken stock), and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook until the potatoes are almost tender, 10 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the soup cool slightly.
- 8Blend
- 9When the caldo verde has cooled a little, purée it using an immersion blender or a food processor. (Tradition demands that one slice—and only one slice—of chouriço is added to each bowl, lthough some cooks like to add half the sausage to the soup before puréeing. It’s your choice. And that one-slice thing? To hell with it!)
- 10Simmer
- 11Add the 1 pound collard greens or kale to the soup, bring it back to a boil, and then reduce the heat and simmer until tender, 2 to 5 minutes. Season with more salt, if needed, and freshly ground black or white pepper.
- 12Ladle the caldo verde into bowls and garnish with the remaining slices of chouriço. Comer agora!