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Brief Overview
Caldo Verde is the kind of soup that feels like home. Simple, warm, and deeply rooted in tradition, it is a Portuguese staple that holds its place on both everyday dinner tables and festive gatherings. Its comfort lies in its honesty.
Hailing from northern Portugal, this green kale soup is known for its rich flavour and minimal ingredients. At first glance, it appears plain, but the taste reveals something far more comforting. It is rustic food at its most genuine.
Served with crusty bread and often a slice of chouriço, Caldo Verde is more than just a bowl of soup. It is a reflection of regional identity, a connection to the land, and a reminder that food does not need to be complicated to be satisfying.
What Is Caldo Verde?
Caldo Verde translates to green broth, and that is exactly what it offers. A potato based soup tinted with thinly sliced kale, it is traditionally cooked with olive oil, garlic, onion, and flavoured by the smoky depth of Portuguese sausage.
The soup is blended until smooth before the kale is added. The leaves are cut into fine ribbons, allowing them to soften just enough without losing their shape. This gives the soup a distinct look, with strands of green threading through the velvety base.
It is served hot, often with a round of chouriço floating on top, and best enjoyed slowly. While humble in ingredients, it is bold in feeling. Caldo Verde is less about novelty and more about comfort that lingers long after the bowl is empty.
Ingredients and Taste
The key ingredients are few but chosen with care. Potatoes provide the body, cooked until soft and blended into a smooth base. Onion and garlic are sautéed gently in olive oil, offering warmth and aroma without overpowering.
The kale, traditionally a Portuguese variety known as couve galega, is sliced into long, thin strips. It adds both flavour and texture, slightly earthy with a hint of bitterness that balances the richness of the broth.
Chouriço brings a smoky and salty note that seeps into the soup as it simmers. The result is a dish that is soft on the tongue but full in taste. Every spoonful offers a mix of smoothness, savoury heat, and leafy bite.
A Taste of History
Caldo Verde comes from the Minho region in northern Portugal, a place where hearty, honest food has long been shaped by agriculture and modest means. The soup was born from what was available: potatoes, greens, garlic, and oil.
It quickly became a staple, appreciated for its simplicity and ability to feed many. Over time, it moved beyond the home kitchen and found its way into celebrations, often served at weddings and village gatherings alongside local bread.
Despite its rise in popularity, it has never lost its humble soul. Even in upscale restaurants, Caldo Verde stays close to its roots. The ingredients remain familiar. The method stays simple. The flavour still speaks of tradition.
Today, Caldo Verde continues to warm tables across Portugal and beyond. It is a dish that asks for little but gives a lot, offering not just nourishment but a taste of Portuguese hospitality and pride in every bowl.
How to Make Caldo Verde (Green Kale Soup)
Caldo Verde is Portugal’s iconic green soup, a rustic blend of thinly sliced kale, potatoes, garlic, and smoky chouriço. Velvety yet hearty, it brings comfort in every spoonful. Patience with simmering and fine slicing of the greens is key. See the recipe card at the bottom for printable directions
Ingredients
For the soup
- 500g floury potatoes (such as Maris Piper), peeled and chopped
- 150g couve galega (Portuguese kale) or curly kale, finely shredded
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 100g Portuguese chouriço (or Spanish chorizo), sliced into thin rounds
- 2 tbsp olive oil (plus more for drizzling)
- 1.2 litres cold water
- Salt and white pepper to taste
For serving
- Crusty bread
- Extra olive oil
Cooking Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the base
To begin, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and garlic, and sauté gently until softened but not browned, about 5 minutes. Move on to adding potatoes.
Step 2: Add the potatoes
Stir in the chopped potatoes and cook for a minute to coat them in the oil. This helps develop flavour before adding liquid. Proceed to adding water.
Step 3: Add water and simmer
Pour in the cold water and bring the mixture to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer gently for 20 to 25 minutes or until the potatoes are tender enough to mash. Prepare to blend the base.
Step 4: Blend the soup
Using a stick blender, purée the soup directly in the pot until smooth and creamy. Alternatively, blend in batches using a standard blender. The texture should remain light but velvety. Continue with seasoning.
Step 5: Season the soup
Add salt and white pepper to taste. The base should be delicately seasoned to allow the kale and chouriço to shine. Now prepare the kale and sausage.
Step 6: Slice the kale
Take your time to shred the kale into ultra thin strands. The traditional texture of Caldo Verde relies on this fineness. Discard any tough stalks. Transition to cooking the sausage.
Step 7: Sauté the chouriço
In a separate dry pan, lightly fry the chouriço slices for 2–3 minutes until the oils are released and edges crisp slightly. This enhances both colour and aroma. Set aside some slices for garnish.
Step 8: Add kale and sausage to soup
Stir the shredded kale and most of the chouriço into the soup. Simmer uncovered for 5 to 7 minutes until the kale is tender but still vibrant. Do not overcook. Move to final garnishing.
Final Step: Serve hot
Ladle the soup into warm bowls. Garnish each portion with a few reserved chouriço slices and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve with crusty bread on the side for a complete, rustic meal.
Variations and substitutions
- Couve Galega Substitute: Use curly kale, cavolo nero, or collard greens if Portuguese kale is unavailable. Slice them as thin as possible.
- Chouriço Substitute: Spanish chorizo can be used if Portuguese chouriço is hard to find. Choose a semi cured or cured version.
- Vegetarian Version: Omit the sausage and sauté smoked paprika with the onions for a hint of depth.
- Thicker Soup: Add a small handful of blended cooked beans (like cannellini) for a thicker consistency without changing tradition too much.
Cooking Tips for Perfect Caldo Verde
- Slice the kale into hair thin strands for the most authentic texture.
- Use floury potatoes, not waxy ones, for a creamy base after blending.
- Add kale only at the end to preserve its colour and fresh flavour.
- Lightly sautéing the chouriço beforehand intensifies the final aroma.
Portuguese Caldo Verde (Green Kale Soup)
Ingredients
For the soup
- 500 g floury potatoes such as Maris Piper, peeled and chopped
- 150 g couve galega Portuguese kale or curly kale, finely shredded
- 1 large onion chopped
- 2 garlic cloves finely minced
- 100 g Portuguese chouriço or Spanish chorizo, sliced into thin rounds
- 2 tbsp olive oil plus more for drizzling
- 1.2 litres cold water
- Salt and white pepper to taste
For serving
- Crusty bread
- Extra olive oil
Instructions
- To begin, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and garlic, and sauté gently until softened but not browned, about 5 minutes. Move on to adding potatoes.
- Stir in the chopped potatoes and cook for a minute to coat them in the oil. This helps develop flavour before adding liquid. Proceed to adding water.
- Pour in the cold water and bring the mixture to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer gently for 20 to 25 minutes or until the potatoes are tender enough to mash. Prepare to blend the base.
- Using a stick blender, purée the soup directly in the pot until smooth and creamy. Alternatively, blend in batches using a standard blender. The texture should remain light but velvety. Continue with seasoning.
- Add salt and white pepper to taste. The base should be delicately seasoned to allow the kale and chouriço to shine. Now prepare the kale and sausage.
- Take your time to shred the kale into ultra thin strands. The traditional texture of Caldo Verde relies on this fineness. Discard any tough stalks. Transition to cooking the sausage.
- In a separate dry pan, lightly fry the chouriço slices for 2–3 minutes until the oils are released and edges crisp slightly. This enhances both colour and aroma. Set aside some slices for garnish.
- Stir the shredded kale and most of the chouriço into the soup. Simmer uncovered for 5 to 7 minutes until the kale is tender but still vibrant. Do not overcook. Move to final garnishing.
- Ladle the soup into warm bowls. Garnish each portion with a few reserved chouriço slices and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve with crusty bread on the side for a complete, rustic meal.
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