Description
You know those soups that feel like they hug you from the inside? Yep, this is one of them. Caldo Verde is basically Portugal’s way of saying, “We got you” on a cold day. It’s hearty without being heavy, simple without being boring, and—bonus—you can make it in one pot while half-watching your favorite show.
Ingredients
Scale
- 500 g floury potatoes (like 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 thin
- 2 tbsp olive oil (plus more for drizzling)
- 1.2 litres cold water
- Salt and white pepper, to taste
- Crusty bread, for serving
- Extra olive oil, for serving
Instructions
- Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a big ol’ pot over medium heat.
- Toss in the chopped onion and garlic—cook until it smells like your kitchen just got promoted to “cozy restaurant.”
- Add the potatoes, give them a quick stir, then pour in the cold water.
- Season with salt and white pepper, then let it gently bubble until the potatoes are super soft (about 20 minutes).
- Once the potatoes are soft, grab a potato masher or immersion blender—no need to be fancy—and mash until you’ve got a thick, smooth-ish soup base.
- Add the shredded kale and sliced chouriço.
- Simmer for 5–10 minutes until the kale is tender but still has a little bite.
- Ladle into bowls.
- Drizzle a little olive oil on top for that golden, glossy finish.
- Serve with thick slices of crusty bread—you’ll want it for dipping.
Notes
Caldo Verde is comforting, ridiculously easy, and tastes like a warm holiday memory in a bowl. You can easily swap kale types or make it vegetarian by skipping chouriço and adding smoked paprika.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: One Pot
- Cuisine: Portuguese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 15mg
Keywords: caldo verde, Portuguese soup, kale soup, comforting soup