Caldo verde is a traditional Portuguese soup that focuses on a handful of ingredients for a warm, comforting meal. It’s basically a potato and kale soup with slices of smoky sausage. This version keeps it simple and approachable for a weeknight lunch or light dinner.
The Story Behind This Recipe
I first tried caldo verde while visiting a small town in Portugal. It was a chilly afternoon, and a bowl of this soup instantly felt like the right thing to warm up with. What stuck with me was how humble the ingredients are—potatoes, kale, and sausage—but together they create something more than the sum of their parts.
Making caldo verde at home became an easy way to enjoy a bit of Portuguese comfort whenever I needed a quick, wholesome meal. The key is cooking the potatoes just right and then mashing or blending part of the soup to create a creamy texture without adding cream. Adding thinly sliced chorizo brings in a nice smoky, meaty flavor.
I usually serve this with some crusty bread on the side. It feels like a simple evening ritual—putting on a pot of soup and knowing dinner will be ready in about an hour. Plus, it makes great leftovers and warms up beautifully the next day.
One little habit I have is slicing the kale super thin. It makes it tender enough so you don’t have to cook it forever, keeping the soup fresh and vibrant without losing texture. This soup’s straightforward nature makes it a great introduction to Portuguese cooking if you’re curious about trying something new.
Cuisine: Portuguese
Course: Lunch
Servings: 4
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes
Total time: 55 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
- 6 cups vegetable or chicken broth
- 6 ounces Portuguese chorizo or smoked sausage, sliced thin
- 4 cups kale, thinly sliced (remove tough stems)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Step 1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes.
- Step 2. Add diced potatoes and broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are very tender, about 20 minutes.
- Step 3. Using a potato masher or immersion blender, mash or slightly puree some of the potatoes in the pot to thicken the soup. Leave some texture.
- Step 4. Add the sliced chorizo and kale to the pot. Simmer until the kale is just wilted, about 5-7 minutes.
- Step 5. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot with crusty bread.
Tips for Success
- Slice the kale very thin for tender, evenly cooked greens in the soup.
- If you don’t have Portuguese chorizo, use any smoked sausage or kielbasa with good flavor.
- Partially blending the potatoes helps thicken the soup without adding cream.
- Let the soup rest a few minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld.
Variations & Substitutions
- Use collard greens or spinach instead of kale for a different leafy green flavor.
- Add a pinch of smoked paprika for an extra smoky note in the broth.
- For a vegetarian version, omit the sausage and use vegetable broth with a splash of liquid smoke.
- Top the soup with a drizzle of good olive oil or a sprinkle of grated cheese if you like.
