Caldo Verde

Portugal

About Caldo Verde

Caldo Verde, meaning "green broth", is Portugal's best-known soup. Potatoes and onion are simmered and blended until smooth, then very finely shredded collard greens or kale are stirred in and cooked briefly so they stay bright green.

Each bowl is usually finished with a slice or two of chouriço, a smoky Portuguese pork sausage, and a drizzle of good olive oil. Market vendors in Portugal sell the greens already cut into thin ribbons especially for this soup.

Caldo Verde comes from the Minho region in the north of the country, but it is now eaten all over Portugal. It is a fixture at weddings, birthday parties and the June festivals of Santo António and São João, usually with a piece of cornbread called broa.

Ingredients

• potatoes
• collard greens or kale
• chorizo (chouriço)
• onion
• garlic
• olive oil