Caldo Verde Portuguese Green Soup (Printable Version)
Creamy potato base, collard greens, and smoked sausage combine in this traditional Portuguese green soup.
# Ingredients:
→ Main
01 -
450 g smoked cured sausage (calabresa, paio, chouiço, linguiça, Spanish chorizo, Kielbasa, or plant-based), sliced into half moons
02 -
30 ml olive oil
03 -
1 medium onion, chopped
04 -
3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
05 -
2 kg yellow potatoes, cut into chunks
06 -
1 to 1.5 teaspoons salt, to taste
07 -
0.75 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, to taste
08 -
8 cups (1.9 litres) chicken stock or vegetable broth
09 -
2 cups (packed) collard greens or kale, cut into fine ribbons
→ Optional Garnishes
10 -
2–3 tablespoons lemon juice
11 -
Zest of 1 lemon
12 -
Extra olive oil for drizzling
13 -
Aleppo pepper, to taste
14 -
Cream, as desired
# Steps:
01 -
Remove stems from collard greens or kale. Stack three leaves at a time, roll them tightly, and slice into thin ribbons. Set aside.
02 -
Heat olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the sausage slices and sauté until lightly browned. Remove and reserve sausage.
03 -
In the same pot, sauté onions and garlic until tender and aromatic, scraping up any browned bits.
04 -
Pour in broth, add potatoes, salt, and black pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until potatoes are fork-tender.
05 -
Return one third of the sliced sausage to the pot. Use an immersion blender to partially blend the soup, leaving some texture. Avoid over-blending to prevent gumminess.
06 -
Add collard green or kale ribbons. Gently simmer for 10 minutes until greens are tender.
07 -
Return remaining sausage slices to the pot. Warm through for 2–3 minutes. Adjust consistency with extra broth as needed.
08 -
Taste and adjust salt, pepper, and, if using, lemon juice and zest. Ladle into bowls, drizzle with olive oil, and finish with Aleppo pepper or a splash of cream if desired.
# Notes:
01 -
For a lighter variation, boil sausages whole with potatoes and broth, then remove before blending, slice, and stir back in at the end.
02 -
For a vegan version, use plant-based sausage and vegetable broth.