Caldo Verde
Caldo verde is considered Portugal's national soup, originating in the Minho region in the north of the country, where the specific cabbage variety, portuguesa, grew abundantly in small household gardens. The simplicity of the recipe — potatoes, onion, cabbage, olive oil — made it accessible even to the poorest families, and today it remains the dish served at almost every party or celebration across the country, often alongside a slice of corn bread. The technical detail that sets a genuine caldo verde apart is cutting the cabbage into extremely thin threads, almost like shredded paper, a technique called couve à moda — a wide or coarse cut would give a completely different soup in both taste and appearance. Equally important is the timing: the cabbage goes in only at the very end, simmering just a few minutes, to keep its bright green color and a hint of crunch, unlike a completely soft vegetable cooked from the start alongside the potatoes.
The potatoes are boiled and fully mashed, becoming the smooth base of the broth
Their thick starch thickens the soup without needing cream or flour — the other ingredients are just added over this base
The kale is cut extremely thin, into thread-like strips, not wide pieces
The specific cutting technique, called couve à moda, gives the characteristic thin-thread texture, not shredded leaves
The kale simmers only 3-4 minutes, added at the end, not from the start
The short time keeps its deep green color and slight crunch; boiled longer, it would turn gray and mushy
The chorizo (chouriço) is thinly sliced and placed on top, at serving time
The red oil that drips from the slices colors the soup's surface, without fully mixing into it
Ingredients 4 servings
- 1kg potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1.5 liters water
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 300g kale or Portuguese cabbage, cut into thin threads
- 150g chorizo (chouriço), thinly sliced
- Salt, to taste
How to make it
- 1BOIL THE POTATOES: put the potatoes, onion, garlic and water in a large pot, bring to a boil, simmer 20 minutes, until the potatoes are very tender.
- 2BLEND: blend everything with an immersion blender, right in the pot, until a smooth cream.
- 3ADD THE OIL: add the olive oil, season with salt, bring back to a boil.
- 4ADD THE KALE: add the kale cut into thin threads, simmer only 3-4 minutes, until slightly softened but still deep green.
- 5FRY THE CHORIZO: fry the chorizo slices in a dry pan, a few seconds per side, just enough to brown lightly.
- 6SERVE: divide the soup into bowls, place the chorizo slices on top of each bowl, serve immediately, with a drizzle of olive oil.
Nutritional info
per serving (~400 ml)
Estimated nutritional values.
Pairs perfectly with
