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    You are here: Home » Meal Type » Soups and Stews » Caldo Verde

    Caldo Verde

    January 12, 2021 By Danielle Esposti 3 Comments

    May contain affiliate links.See our Privacy Policy and disclosure.

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    Pinterest image for Portuguese green soup, also called caldo verde.
    Pinterest image for whole30 compliant caldo verde green soup.
    Pinterest collage for whole30 compliant caldo verde green soup.
    Pinterest collage for Portuguese green soup, also called caldo verde.

    Love a creamy soup but don’t want the heaviness? I have two words for you:  Caldo Verde. This buttery, brothy soup gets its velvety texture from the natural starch in potatoes, but the real stars of the show are spicy chorizo sausage and leafy kale. Piqued with just a touch of red pepper flake, this is one winter warm-up you won’t want to skip!

    A bowl of caldo verde green soup on a cement background with a small bowl of red pepper flakes to the side.
    Jump to:
    • What Is Caldo Verde?
    • What Kind of Sausage Should I Use?
    • It’s All About the Texture
    • Tips for Making This Recipe Perfectly
    • Other Regional Soup Recipes You’ll Love
    • Recipe

    I stumbled upon Caldo Verde years ago after a few attempts at upgrading a family recipe for Italian Wedding Soup. Some people add pasta, some don’t. Some people use meatballs, some use sausage. Heck, beans, carrots, cheese… there’s a long list of things people will toss in to improve on the classic.

    Anyway, I googled myself down a windy rabbit hole and stumbled upon this traditional Portuguese recipe. And I was instantly hooked. What struck me was its simplicity:  potatoes, greens, and broth, topped off with smoked sausage. Reminiscent… similar, even. But also totally new.

    More “main” soup than “side” soup, tuck into a bowl of this spicy green goodness to stave off the winter blues or beat back a cold. Or just to feel really, really cozy from the inside out.

    What Is Caldo Verde?

    The zesty Portuguese alternative to Italian Wedding Soup, literally translated “caldo verde” means “green broth,” a reference to the leafy greens used in this dish. There are as many “traditional” ways to make caldo verde as there are kitchens in Portugal, but the mainstays are very thinly shredded kale and potatoes cooked until they disintegrate for creamy-without-cream, velvety smooth broth.

    Pro Tip: While the soup itself is gluten-free, it’s traditionally served with corn bread or rye bread as a complement.

    What Kind of Sausage Should I Use?

    If you can source traditional Portuguese sausages like chouriço and linguiça, please do use them. They bear the same traditional spicy vs. mild characteristics as sausage in any other culture, but what really excited me was learning that the secret to the heat in chouriço is piri piri – also known as peri peri, also known as that damn fine spicy seasoning on Nando’s Peri Peri Chicken. (If you don’t have Nando’s or haven’t had Nando’s, do yourself a favor, as conditions permit, and get some. And do NOT skip the Natas for dessert.)

    There’s a not so pleasant history of colonization behind this pepper, and while the Portuguese developed it, its origins are in Africa, so credit where credit is due. Bottom line, it’s difficult to find Portuguese smoked sausage (and I live in a major metropolitan area) so if you can get your hands on it, do it! In the meantime, its Spanish cousin – a nice, spicy chorizo – will do just fine to add the necessary kick.

    A collage showing key steps in making caldo verde - sautéed chorizo sausage links, thinly shredded kale, and a ladle of soup hovering over a pot.

    It’s All About the Texture

    Now, now…no need to call for a welfare check – I’m fully aware there’s no dairy (or dairy imposter) in this soup and that seems a bit out of character for me, but hear me out. ‘Cause this soup feels rich. And it’s glorious.

    Finely minced onion, shredded potatoes, and very thinly shredded greens are gently simmered to create a velvety broth and creamy without cream texture. You should cook the potatoes until they’ve released all their starch and start to fall apart. Thinly shred the kale and simmer until it’s completely cooked through. Feel free to puree a third or so of the soup using an immersion or stand blender to break down the plant fibers even further.

    Two bowls of Portuguese green soup with sausages on a concrete background with a striped linen napkin and small dish of red pepper flakes.

    Tips for Making This Recipe Perfectly

    • Use russet potatoes for their high starch content – make sure to peel first.
    • Shred the potatoes using the largest holes on a box grater – they’ll disintegrate more efficiently.
    • Thinly julienne the kale. To do so, run a knife along the ribs to release them. Stack several kale leaves, then thinly slice using a sharp knife.
    • If you can source it, seek out Portuguese smoked sausages.
    • Homemade bone broth will make a huge difference when it comes to creating a velvety, smooth consistency in the broth.
    • For a Whole30 and Paleo compliant soup, be sure to use compliant chorizo sausages (I can easily find sugar and nitrate/nitrite free chorizo at my local grocery store).

    Other Regional Soup Recipes You’ll Love

    • Spicy Chicken Taco Soup
    • Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup with Kale
    • White Bean Kale Soup
    • Swedish Meatball Soup
    • Winter Minestrone Soup
    Side view, a bowl of Portuguese caldo verde soup on a cement background with a vintage soup spoon and striped linen napkin.

    Did you make this Caldo Verde? I’d love to know how it turned out! Leave a comment and a rating below.

    While you’re at it, let’s be friends – follow me on Pinterest and Instagram for the latest and greatest.

    Recipe

    Two bowls of caldo verde soup on a concrete background with a striped linen napkin and small dish of red pepper flakes.

    Caldo Verde (Portuguese Green Soup)

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    Author: Danielle Esposti
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    There are "side soups," and then there are "meal soups," and Caldo Verde is definitely the latter. Portuguese Green Soup features kale and chorizo in a silken broth, thickened by Russet potatoes. Brown your sausage first to coax out the best flavor. Build your base by adding sautéed onion and garlic, potatoes, and kale into bone broth. Add your sausage after simmering, and serve it steaming with fresh bread.
    Prep Time: 10 mins
    Cook Time: 50 mins
    Total Time: 1 hr
    Servings : 6
    Calories: 455

    Recommended Equipment

    • Dutch Oven
    • Tongs
    • Immersion Blender

    Ingredients

    • 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
    • 1 bunch kale, stems removed, thinly julienned
    • Red pepper flakes, to taste

    Instructions

    • Heat a dutch oven over medium high heat. Add 1 tbsp olive oil and heat until shimmering. Add the sausage links and saute 3-4 minutes per side, until well browned. Remove using tongs and set aside.
      Chorizo sausage links browning in olive oil in a dutch oven.
    • Add the onion and garlic and toss to coat in the fat. Saute, stirring occasionally, until soft, 8-10 minutes.
      Finely diced onions and minced garlic sauteed until soft in a dutch oven soup pot.
    • Add the potatoes and broth, then season with salt and pepper. Adjust the heat to maintain a brisk simmer. Cover and simmer 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are releasing their starch and starting to fall apart.
      Top - adding broth to sauteed onions and shredded potatoes; bottom - shredded potatoes falling apart after simmer for 15 minutes.
    • Add the kale. Simmer 15-20 minutes more, or until the kale is very soft, the potatoes are disintegrating, and the soup takes on a thickened, slightly creamy consistency. Optional: use a stick blender to slightly puree the soup (just a few quick rounds) or remove ⅓ of the soup and puree in a blender.
      Top - shredded kale added to soup; bottom - shredded kale after simmering in broth for 20 minutes.
    • Slice the sausage links into coins and return them to the pot. Simmer 5 minutes, or until the sausages are cooked through.
      Sliced chorizo sausage links on a grey plate.
    • Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper as needed. Ladle into soup bowls and garnish with red pepper flakes for a spicier finish. Serve immediately.
      A ladleful of caldo verde hovering over a soup pot.

    Nutrition Information

    Calories: 455kcal (23%), Carbohydrates: 20g (7%), Protein: 35g (70%), Fat: 26g (40%), Saturated Fat: 9g (45%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 0g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 0mg, Sodium: 266mg (11%), Potassium: 581mg (17%), Fiber: 4g (16%), Sugar: 3g (3%), Vitamin A: 335% (335%), Vitamin C: 98% (98%), Calcium: 111% (111%), Iron: 3% (3%)
    Did you make this recipe?Mention @oursaltykitchen or tag #oursaltykitchen!
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    Disclaimer: This post and the recipe card may contain affiliate links, which means we receive a small commission (at no cost to you!) if you make a purchase using these links. Rest assured, we only endorse products we own and truly love!

    3 Comments
    Filed Under: Fall Recipes, Gluten Free, Grain Free, Soups and Stews, Whole30 Recipes, Winter Recipes

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Caroline Studer

      January 21, 2021 at 12:38 am

      Would you be able to make this in a slow cooker? Or what do you recommend if you don’t have a dutch oven?

      Reply
      • Danielle

        January 21, 2021 at 10:30 am

        I haven’t tested this in a slow cooker, so I can’t guarantee results, but if I were going to test in the slow cooker, here’s how I’d do my first test run: (1) saute the onion and garlic in a skillet as instructed, then transfer to the slow cooker; (2) add the potatoes, broth, shredded kale, salt and pepper; cook on high 2-3 hours or low 5-6 hours; (3) brown the sausages in a skillet, then slice; add to the slow cooker in the last hour of cooking. You could use a large soup or stock pot; if it can’t handle heavy sautéing, cook the sausage and onion/garlic in a separate skillet and add to the soup pot. Let me know if you try one or the other and how it turns out!

        Reply

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    1. Instant Pot Chicken Bone Broth | Our Salty Kitchen says:
      May 16, 2021 at 10:57 am

      […] for soups and stews. Try it in meaty Caldo Verde soup, creamy Potato Onion Soup or even stew-like Chicken […]

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