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Caldo Verde
Caldo verde is a traditional Portuguese soup made with a broth of puréed potatoes and garlic, then garnished with chouriço and thin ribbons of collard greens. My grandma's caldo verde recipe is simple, but packed full of flavor and comfort
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
45 mins
Calories: 597 kcal
Cuisine:
Portuguese
Ingredients
- 3 pounds Yukon gold potatoes (peeled and quartered)
- 3 cloves garlic (peeled and roughly chopped)
- water
- 1 pound Portuguese Chouriço (sliced [see note #1])
- 10 large collard green leaves (prep in recipe)
- kosher salt
- fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a soup pot, place the quartered potatoes as evenly as possible on the bottom of the pot and the garlic. Add enough water to just cover the potatoes. You can always add more water later on in the recipe, but cannot take away and it will affect the texture of the soup. Add in 1/2 tsp of kosher salt.
- Bring the potatoes to a boil and allow them to cook until easily pierced with a knife (about 10-15 minutes).
- While the potatoes boil, cut the chouriço and cut the collard greens. Cut the thick stem out of the center of the collard greens and continue the cut so the leaf is in half. Stack all the halves together, then begin to tightly roll the leaves. Cut thin strips which will give you ribbons.
- Once the potatoes are easily pierced with a knife, using an immersion blender, blend until the potatoes are fully smooth. Now is when you assess the consistency and see if you need more water. This is supposed to be more of a thick soup base, not watery. Bring to a gentle boil. .
- Next you are going to add in the chouriço and collard greens, stir to combine into the soup. The chouriço is fully cooked, so now it is just going to help flavor the rest of the broth. The collard greens will soften for 10 minutes.
- I wait till the very end of cooking caldo verde to adjust the seasoning with kosher salt and black pepper, because the chouriço will lend a lot of it's seasoning to the soup. Adjust seasoning if necessary and serve using a ladle.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- Portuguese chouriço is not the same as Spanish chorizo. If you can not find Portuguese chouriço, try and substitute Portuguese linguiça. If you can not find either and must use Spanish chorizo, you must fully cook it separately, since it is par-cooked. See in recipe post more notes on differences between chouriço and chorizo.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Nutrition Information
Calories
597kcal
(30%)
Carbohydrates
62g
(21%)
Protein
26g
(52%)
Fat
27g
(42%)
Saturated Fat
10g
(50%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
0.2g
Monounsaturated Fat
0.01g
Cholesterol
71mg
(24%)
Sodium
26mg
(1%)
Potassium
1494mg
(43%)
Fiber
9g
(36%)
Sugar
3g
(6%)
Vitamin A
1667IU
(33%)
Vitamin C
77mg
(86%)
Calcium
103mg
(10%)
Iron
5mg
(28%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 1Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 597
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 597kcal | 30% |
| Carbohydrates | 62g | 21% |
| Protein | 26g | 52% |
| Fat | 27g | 42% |
| Saturated Fat | 10g | 50% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.2g | 1% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 0.01g | 0% |
| Cholesterol | 71mg | 24% |
| Sodium | 26mg | 1% |
| Potassium | 1494mg | 32% |
| Fiber | 9g | 36% |
| Sugar | 3g | 6% |
| Vitamin A | 1667IU | 33% |
| Vitamin C | 77mg | 86% |
| Calcium | 103mg | 10% |
| Iron | 5mg | 28% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.