Caldo Verde

About This Recipe

Caldo Verde (meaning 'green broth') is the national soup of Portugal. It appears at every family table, at weddings, at festivals and at late-night tascas. The formula is deceptively simple: potatoes boiled and puréed into a silky broth, dark leafy greens cut into the thinnest possible ribbons and briefly cooked to preserve their brilliant colour, and sliced chouriço (smoked paprika-spiced pork sausage) added for richness. The result is greater than the sum of its parts — a soup of extraordinary comfort and depth.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 700 gfloury potatoes(peeled and roughly chopped)
• 200 gdark kale or Savoy cabbage(centre stems removed)
• 150 gchouriço(or Spanish chorizo, half sliced, half whole)
• 1 largeonion(roughly chopped)
• 3 clovesgarlic(crushed)
• 3 tablespoonsolive oil(plus extra to serve)
• 1.2 litreswater or chicken stock
• 1.5 teaspoonsfine salt
• 0.5 teaspoonblack pepper

Instructions

1. 1

   Build the broth

   In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and the piece of chouriço (keep half unsliced for now). Cook for 5 minutes until the onion is softened. Add the potatoes and stock or water. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover and cook for 20 minutes until the potatoes are completely tender.

   Adding the chouriço whole at this stage flavours the broth without losing the slices' texture.

2. 2

   Purée the potatoes

   Remove the piece of chouriço and set aside. Use a hand blender or potato masher to purée the soup until silky smooth. Return the broth to a simmer.

3. 3

   Prepare the greens

   Stack the kale leaves, roll them tightly into a cigar shape and cut into the thinnest possible ribbons with a sharp knife. This technique is key — the finer the cut, the better the texture.

4. 4

   Finish and serve

   Add the sliced raw chouriço to the simmering broth and cook for 2 minutes. Add the kale ribbons and cook for just 2–3 minutes more — they should be tender but still vivid green. Taste and adjust seasoning. Ladle into bowls, add a swirl of good olive oil over each serving and eat immediately.

Variations

• •

  Vegetarian version: omit the chouriço and use vegetable stock; add smoked paprika to the potato base.

• •

  Use couve tronchuda (Portuguese cabbage) or spring greens if Galician cabbage is unavailable.

• •

  Add a tin of cannellini beans with the potatoes for extra substance.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

Refrigerate for up to 3 days. The greens will lose their brilliant colour on storage but the flavour remains good. Add a fresh handful of kale ribbons when reheating. Soup base (without greens) freezes well for up to 3 months.

Frequently Asked Questions