Caldo Verde (Portuguese Green Soup)

caldo verde in a white bowl on a wood background.

5 from 16 votes

Caldo Verde (Portuguese Green Soup)

Rich, satisfying traditional caldo verde (Portuguese green soup) made with thinly-sliced collard greens, potatoes and linguiça in a potato-based broth. Contains no dairy or gluten.

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time1 hr 30 mins

Resting time10 mins

Total Time2 hrs

Course: Main Dishes

Cuisine: Portuguese

Diet: Gluten Free

Servings: servings

Calories: 473kcal

Author: Crystal DaCruz

Equipment

Food processor

Ingredients

½ pound whole collard greens or 2 cups chopped/shredded
2 pounds russet or yukon gold potatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
2 teaspoons garlic crushed or minced
1 small onion diced
2 bouillon cubes large
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
½ pound linguiça or chouriço sliced thinly
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Place the greens in a large bowl of cold water for 10 minutes then rinse them thoroughly. Repeat as needed and pat the greens dry with paper towels. Cut the stems off, roll the greens up and cut them into very thin strips.
Peel all of the potatoes and reserve 2 whole ones to dice later. Cut the remaining potatoes into quarters and set them aside for now.
In a 4.5-quart soup pot, sauté 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.
Add the quartered potatoes and fill the pot with just enough water to cover the potatoes (about 2 cups). Bring to a boil and and let the potatoes cook until they're soft - about 20 minutes. Discard the bay leaf.
Transfer the cooked potatoes and 1 ladle-full of the starch water from the pan to the food processor. Purée on high speed for 1 full minute. The purée will resemble mashed potatoes.
Transfer the purée back to the soup pot. Turn the burner back on to medium-low flame and slowly add 6-7 cups of water to the purée, stirring constantly. Once the broth is smooth, add the bouillon cubes, garlic powder and onion powder.
Stir in the greens, cover and let the soup simmer over low heat for 30 minutes. Cut the remaining potatoes into cubes while the soup simmers.
Add the potatoes and linguiça, re-cover the soup and let simmer for 15-20 minutes more, until the potatoes are tender. Turn the burner off, taste the soup and season with salt and pepper. Cover the soup and let it rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Notes

For a thinner texture, add a little more water (or broth) to the soup. Hold off on adding salt and pepper to the end because the linguiça will release salt and spices into the soup.
Letting the soup rest is important because it gives the flavors of the soup a chance to settle.

Nutrition