Caldo Verde (Portuguese Green Soup)

Name: Caldo Verde (Portuguese Green Soup)
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 2 h
Total time: PT-462491H25M50S
Cuisine: Portuguese
Ingredients: 1/2 pound of whole collard greens (measures out to 2 cups chopped/shredded); 2 pounds of potatoes, peeled and cubed (russet or Yukon gold are fine); 3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil; 2 teaspoons of minced or crushed garlic; 1 small onion, diced; 2 large bouillon cubes; 1 bay leaf; 2 teaspoons of onion powder; 2 teaspoons of garlic powder; 1/2 pound of chouriço or linguiça

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Caldo verde is a traditional Portuguese soup made with thinly-sliced collard greens, potatoes and linguiça (smoked Portuguese sausage). This creamy, one-pot soup contains no dairy or gluten! Serve as a starter before a large meal or on its own for lunch or dinner. Vegetarian/vegan instructions included!

One thing that Portuguese-speaking cultures have in common is our love for cozy soups! Much like canja, caldo verde is the perfect comfort food for a cold, rainy day or when someone in your household is feeling sick.

caldo verde in a white bowl served with bread and a glass of white wine

Why you’ll love this recipe

This recipe in particular, resembles Caldo Verde in its most simple and traditional form. It starts with base of sauteéd onions, water and boiled potatoes.

As the potatoes simmer, they break down and form a creamy broth, which can then be pureéd to thicken the soup even more. Thinly sliced collard greens are then added to the pot with slices of linguiça.

Origins and history of caldo verde

Caldo Verde originated in the Minho province (northern region) of Portugal in the mid-15th century. Today it’s one of the most famous Portuguese comfort foods.

Because of its popularity in other Portuguese-speaking countries like Cape Verde, Angola and Brazil, there are many variations of caldo verde.

Commonly asked questions

What does ‘caldo verde’ mean in English?

Caldo verde means ‘green soup’ in Portuguese. It’s given this name because of the green tint that comes from the collard greens.

Should I use kale or collard greens to make caldo verde?

Traditional caldo verde uses collard greens. Collards have a smoother, softer texture and more mild taste than kale. You can use kale as a substitute but I recommend using collards.

In the United States you’ll often see Portuguese Kale soup listed on restaurant menus. This appears to be a variation of this dish or a completely different dish altogether as tomatoes and beans are often added.

key ingredients needed to make Portuguese-style caldo verde: olive oil, thinly shredded collard greens, potatoes, minced garlic, bouillon cubes and a bay leaf

Ingredients you’ll need

Collard greens – ½ pound of fresh collard greens or 2 cups shredded. If using bagged greens, make sure they’re thinly sliced.
Potatoes – Russet potatoes or yukon golds are both great choices. I prefer russet because the soft texture makes the broth extra creamy!
Linguiça or chouriço – these 2 Portuguese sausages are nearly identical and can be found in most Portuguese markets and some national grocery chains.
Small yellow or white onion – diced.
Garlic – crushed or minced.
Extra virgin olive oil – any EVOO works fine but Portuguese is ideal if you can find it.
Seasonings: kosher salt, black pepper, 2 large bouillon cubes, 1 bay leaf, onion powder and garlic powder

Substitutions and variations

Chouriço – another Portuguese smoked sausage that’s often used interchangeably with linguiça. The main difference is that linguiça is in a pig’s casing and chouriço is in a cow’s casing.
Chorizo – yet another type of smoked sausage used in Spanish and Mexican cuisine. Both countries have their own version of chorizo that each differ greatly from Portuguese chouriço. Only use chorizo if you can’t find the Portuguese versions.
For vegan/vegetarian caldo verde, omit the linguiça/chouriço entirely and use vegetable bouillon or vegetable broth.
As mentioned, every culture puts its own spin on caldo verde. Variations of the dish sometimes include beans, ground meat and other vegetables like carrots and/or cabbage.

Step by step Instructions:

Step 1: Prep the greens

Wash your greens by placing them in a very large bowl of cold water for about 10 minutes then rinse them thoroughly. Shake the greens off or pat them dry with paper towels.
Cut the stems off and stack a few leaves on top of each other. Roll them up and cut them into very thin strips using a sharp knife.

thinly sliced collard greens for caldo verde

Step 2: Peel and dice the potatoes

Peel the potatoes and reserve 2 whole potatoes to add to the soup later.
Cut the other potatoes into quarters.

Step 3: Saute the garlic and onions

In a 4 and ½ quart soup pot, saute the diced onions until they’re clear and fragrant.
Add the garlic and bay leaf. Sauté for 1 minute more, until the garlic starts to sizzle.

sauteéd onions in preparation for the base for caldo verde

Step 4: Add the potatoes and boil them

Add the quartered potatoes to the pot and fill the pot with enough water to just cover the potatoes (about 2 cups of water).
Bring the pot to a boil and and let the potatoes cook until they’re soft – about 20 minutes. Discard the bay leaf.

process shot 2 of preparing the base for caldo verde - quartered potatoes, bay leaf and onions covered in water in a soup pot

Step 5: Puree the potatoes

Transfer the potatoes to a food processor. Add 1 ladle-full of the starch water from the pan to the food processor and pureé on high speed for 1 full minute.

Tip: the puree should resemble mashed potatoes. It’s ok if some onions get transferred to the food processor.

pureéd potatoes in a food processor for caldo verde

Step 6: Make the broth

Refer to the photos below for a visual.

Transfer the pureé back to the soup pot.
Re-ignite the flame to medium and slowly add 6-7 cups of water to the puree. Stir constantly as you add the water.
Once the broth is smooth, taste it to see if the texture is to your liking. For thinner broth, add more water.
Add the bouillon cubes, garlic powder and onion powder.

Tip: Hold off on adding the salt and pepper for now, since we haven’t added the linguiça yet.

Pureed potatoes transferred back into the pot

caldo verde base of pureéd potatoes and water

Step 7: Add the collard greens and let the soup simmer

Stir in the greens – remember they’ll will wilt as they cook!
Cover the soup and let simmer over low heat for 30 minutes.
Cut the linguiça into thin rounds while the soup simmers.

caldo verde in its early stages - collard greens have been added to the pot

Step 8: Add the linguiça

After the soup has simmered for 30 minutes, add the sliced linguiça.
Stir, re-cover and let the soup simmer for 15 more minutes.

pot of caldo verde with linguiça added to the soup

Step 9: Adjust the seasoning and add the potatoes

While the linguiça cooks, dice the 2 reserved potatoes into small cubes, as shown in the photo below.
Once the 15 minutes from the previous step is up, taste the soup and add enough salt and pepper to your liking.
Add the diced potatoes and cover the soup again. Let simmer for 15 minutes more and then turn the burner off.

photo demonstrating size of diced potatoes

Step 10: Let the soup rest and serve

Cut the flame and let the soup rest with the lid on before serving it. This gives the flavors a chance to settle.
After 5-10 minutes of resting-time, ladle the soup into bowls and serve with crusty bread on the side.

prepared caldo verde in a bowl with a spoon

Re-heating and storing leftovers:

Store any leftover caldo verde in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container or freeze for up to 3 months.

Reheat the soup in a pan over low heat. If it’s too thick, add a little water or chicken broth to the pan to thin it out. Make sure to stir occasionally as you warm it up so it doesn’t stick to the bottom.

two bowls of caldo verde shown with sliced bread and a glass of wine

Other recipes you’ll love:

Canja – Cape Verdean Chicken Soup

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup with Sweet-Bread Croutons

Carne de Porco à Alentejana

Shrimp Mozambique