Caldo Verde (Portuguese Green Soup)

Soups are a traditional part of Portuguese cuisine, and probably the most loved of them all is caldo verde (green soup). It has just a short list of ingredients, and is comforting and healthy.

Traditional Portuguese cuisine

As a country with a large portion of coastal regions, it's no surprise Portuguese cuisine includes a lot of seafood.

"Bacalhau", cod, in particular, is incredibly popular throughout the country. Some joke there are at least as many ways to cook cod in Portugal as days of the year.

Alongside a love of seafood is a love of meats, in particular pork.

Traditionally, much of Portugal was very rural (some still is), and families very much ate "nose-to-tail" from the animals they raised. They made sure nothing went to waste, often using regional recipes that had been handed down through the generations.

Part of the love of pork and the tradition of using every part of the animal is seen in the various Portuguese sausages.

Some of the best known are linguiça which has plenty of garlic, and chouriço similar to Spanish chorizo that has an orange color from paprika.

It's one of these cured sausages that adds some of the distinctive flavor to caldo verde, a favorite Portuguese soup.

What are the origins of caldo verde?

Caldo verde (green soup) originates in the Minho region of Northern Portugal.

Today the lines of the provinces have changed so the region as it was is no longer, but the main city of the area is Braga. The region has many Celtic origins, similar to its Northern neighbor, Galicia, in Spain.

These days, the soup is enjoyed across the country, and you'll find it served at large festivals, as well as small taverns or "tascas".

It is a popular choice for a quick bite to eat both during the day and late at night.

What are the main ingredients in Portuguese green soup?

The core ingredients of this dish are potatoes, onion, some form of greens, and a little linguiça or chouriço sausage.

Garlic is in many recipes, too, and most use olive oil in some way.

Despite this short list of ingredients, every family has a recipe with slight variations. 

This soup is traditionally made with a kind of leafy green not generally found in the US. The Portuguese "couve" generally translates as cabbage, but apparently it's actually closest to lacinto kale. Kale or collard greens are a good alternative here.

You can use Portuguese linguiça, chouriço, or Spanish chorizo. The firm, cured forms in all cases, with skin removed. (Not to be mistaken with Mexican chorizo, which is uncooked.)

How to make this green soup recipe

Most traditional recipes simply boil the onion and potato in water. Then, the mixture is blended before adding the thin strips of greens to soften. Everything is topped with fried sausage slices and olive oil.

However, a common variation is to saute the onion and garlic first and use some chicken stock to add a greater depth of flavor. That's method I have gone with in my recipe below.

I also fried the chorizo in the oil before frying the onions and garlic, to introduce some of that flavor in to the soup. And I also added some chorizo in before blending the potatoes, which is a variation that I found in some recipes as well. Again, this adds extra flavor to the soup base.

I recommend only adding the greens right at the end, as this keeps them a vibrant green color and they will have more flavor.

Exactly how much greens you use is a little to taste.

This version is quite heavy on the greens, but you could use less, if you prefer. And the amount you add also depends on which greens you use, as their density differs.

With all types of greens though, make sure you cut them as thin as possible. Those thin strands of green are one of the main characteristics of this soup.

How to serve caldo verde

This soup is typically served with broa, a traditional Portuguese cornbread.

You also traditionally serve it with just one slice of sausage on top of each bowl.

Whether you stick to that part of the tradition or not, this is a comforting, easy soup that's good for you too. Perfect to enjoy on a cold winter's day.

More comforting winter soup recipes

If you love greens in soups, you'll want to try German Seven Herb Soup. While a traditional Holy Thursday dish, this fragrant green soup is perfect for any chilly evening. 

And, if brothy soups are your cup of tea on a cold winter evening, you'll want to give these a try: 

• Avgolemono (Greek lemon chicken soup)
• German pancake soup
• Ukha (Russian fish soup)
• Scotch broth
• Shchi (Russian cabbage soup)
• Easy wonton soup
• Bolivian chicken noodle soup