Caldo Verde (Portuguese Green Soup) Recipe
Caldo Verde, a comforting Portuguese green soup, features smoky chorizo, creamy potatoes, and tender kale in a savory broth. This stovetop version builds depth with caramelized sausage and a gentle simmer, yielding a thick, hearty soup with a hint of heat from red pepper flakes.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Total Time: 75 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Portuguese
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
Base
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb chorizo sausage links (or Portuguese sausage)
- 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 medium russet potatoes, peeled and shredded
- 6 c chicken broth (bone broth preferred)
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp pepper
Greens
- 1 bunch kale, stems removed, thinly julienned
Finish
- Red pepper flakes (to taste)
Instructions
1. Brown sausages. In a large pot or Dutch oven, brown the sausage links over medium-high heat until deeply browned on all sides. Remove using tongs and set aside.
2. Saute aromatics. Heat the olive oil in the same pot until shimmering. Add the sausage back if desired for extra render; otherwise proceed with the onions. Add the onion and garlic and toss to coat in the fat. Saute, stirring occasionally, until soft, 8-10 minutes.
3. Simmer potatoes. Add the shredded potatoes and broth to the pot, then season with salt and pepper. Bring to a brisk simmer and cook, covered, for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are releasing their starch and starting to fall apart.
4. Simmer kale. Add the kale to the pot. Simmer 15-20 minutes more, or until the kale is very soft, the potatoes are disintegrating, and the soup thickens to a creamy consistency. Optional: use a stick blender to lightly puree the soup (a few quick rounds) or remove ⅓ of the soup and puree in a blender.
5. Return sausages. Slice the sausage links into coins and return them to the pot. Simmer 5 minutes, or until the sausages are cooked through.
6. Season and serve. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Ladle into bowls and finish with red pepper flakes for a spicier finish. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Optional: puree a portion of the soup for a smoother texture, then reassemble to retain some chunky pieces.
- For a lighter version, use chicken sausage or turkey sausage and reduce the oil to 1 teaspoon.
- Leftovers reheat nicely; the flavors deepen after a day.
- Best served with crusty bread to soak up the savory broth.
Keywords: Caldo Verde, Portuguese soup, chorizo soup, kale soup, potato soup, hearty soup, stovetop soup
