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    February 21, 2024

    Caldo Verde

    This Portuguese soup contains a hearty serving of meat and potatoes, but the name “green broth” comes from the heaping portion of collard greens that get cooked into the soup.

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    a bowl of homemade caldo verde soup with smoked sausage, onion, potatoes, spices and collard greens
    Photography by Gayle McLeod

    More cozy soup recipes

    Our Best Caldo Verde Recipe For Your Next Soup Night

    Caldo verde is a hearty Portuguese soup, traditionally served on celebratory occasions. It’s a real meat and potatoes soup that gets its name from a heaping portion of hearty greens (we call for collard greens, but kale or similar would also do). Caldo verde is usually served with bread, and we recommend our Cornbread for dipping. For more soup inspiration, check out more of our 30 Best Soup Recipes.

    diced potatoes, sliced smoked sausage, onion, spices, chicken stock and collard greens in prep bowls to make caldo verde soup

    What Is Caldo Verde Made Of?

    • Seasoning: Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper

    • Pantry: Extra-virgin olive oil, chicken stock

    • Fresh: Sweet onion, garlic cloves, Yukon Gold potatoes, collard greens

    • Specialty: Chouriço, linguiça, or smoked sausage of your choice

    sliced smoked sausage being cooked in olive oil in a Dutch oven
    sliced onion and garlic being cooked in a skillet
    potatoes, onion, spices and chicken stock cooking in a large soup pot
    potatoes being scooped out of a soup pot

    How to Make Caldo Verde

    1. Cook the sausage in a large Dutch oven or a heavy soup pot.

    2. Add the onion and garlic and cook until softened.

    3. Add the potatoes, salt, pepper and stock. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes more.

    4. Thicken the soup by removing two cups of the potatoes and place them in a blender and blend until smooth. Return the blended potatoes to the pot. Stir in the collard greens and half the sausage along with any collected juices. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, until the collards are softened, about 5 minutes.

    5. Serve soup topped with remaining sausage and a drizzle of olive oil.

    soup being blended with an immersion blender in a large soup pot
    collard greens, potatoes and smoked sausage being added back into a soup pot with blended soup

    How to Store Leftover Soup + Tips

    • Freezer storage – Can you freeze this soup? Yes! Before freezing, let the soup cool completely, and store in an airtight freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw and reheat in a saucepan until warmed through.

    • Refrigerator storage – Leftover caldo verde can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

    • If your soup is too thick, add additional broth until you get the consistency you are looking for.

    • Caldo verde vegetarian version – We like to use a plant-based smoked sausage, such as Field Roast. You’ll just need an extra tablespoon of olive oil for cooking the sausage. Sub vegetable stock for the chicken stock.

    a bowl of homemade caldo verde soup with smoked sausage, onion, potatoes, spices and collard greens

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    Caldo Verde

    February 21, 2024

    • Serves: 6
    • Prep Time:  15 min
    • Cook Time:  45 min
    • Calories: 381
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    Ingredients

    • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
    • 10 ounces chouriço, linguiça, or smoked sausage of your choice, cut into ¼-inch slices
    • 1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced
    • 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
    • 6 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces (about 2 pounds)
    • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
    • ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
    • 8 cups chicken stock
    • 4 cups collard greens, stemmed and very thinly sliced

    Method

    1. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat. Once the oil is glistening, add the sausage and cook until lightly browned on both sides, 3 to 5 minutes total. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage to a plate.

    2. Add the onion to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the potatoes, salt, pepper and stock. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes more.

    3. Using a slotted spoon, transfer about 2 cups of the potatoes to the base of a blender. Blend until smooth. Return the blended potatoes to the pot. Stir in the collard greens and half the sausage along with any collected juices. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, until the collards are softened, about 5 minutes.

    4. Serve soup topped with remaining sausage and a drizzle of olive oil.

    Nutrition Info

    • Per Serving
    • Amount
    • Calories381
    • Protein21 g
    • Carbohydrates51 g
    • Total Fat12 g
    • Dietary Fiber5 g
    • Cholesterol0 mg
    • sodium1256 mg
    • Total Sugars8 g

    Caldo Verde

    Questions & Reviews

    Join the discussion below.

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    • john

      boiling collards for 5 minutes makes them tender??? I am used to cooking them for nearly 50 minutes in minimal liquid! If this is real I am trying it tonight.

      We slice them very thinly for this recipe.

    • Lindz

      What even was this magic? So wonderful.

      Thanks LIndz, we are so glad you loved it!