The Easy Portuguese Soup I Make All the Time

This classic Portuguese soup is incredibly easy to make. Much of the flavor in caldo verde comes from smoked sausage, with potatoes and kale rounding out the recipe.

large pot of Caldo Verde (Portuguese Kale Soup) — Simply Recipes / Sara Haas

Soup is one of my favorite foods—I eat it year-round. I could never pick a favorite, but I tend to gravitate toward brothy soups that are full of texture and flavor. When I’ve cleared the bowl, I feel a sense of comfort and satisfaction. Bonus points if that soup is also simple to make. Caldo verde checks all of the boxes.

While I could eat soup every day of the year, my husband feels differently. Even worse, he’s not a fan of broth-based soups. You can see my dilemma. I’ve tried a few heartier soups, like pozole and even a veggie and bean-packed minestrone, but I couldn’t get him to appreciate it the way I do. That was until I served him caldo verde. I think it was the sausage that stole his heart.

What Is Caldo Verde?

Caldo verde is a Portuguese soup that gets its name, “green broth,” from the brightly-hued greens used to make it. The greens are typically collards, but other recipes use kale or mustard greens. While there’s more than one way to make it, many recipes also include onion, garlic, potatoes, and linguiça, a type of cured Portuguese sausage.

The beauty of the meal is its simplicity. Humble ingredients become a satisfying dish that comes together quickly using just one pot.

large pot of Caldo Verde (Portuguese Kale Soup) with a bowl of the soup next to it — Simply Recipes / Sara Haas

Tips for Making Caldo Verde

Choose your sausage. If you can find linguiça, use it, but other smoked sausages will work. They come in all shapes and sizes. If the diameter is small enough, a simple slice is sufficient. For larger sausages, you may need to halve or quarter before slicing. The goal is to have slices that can easily fit on a spoon.
Remove some fat. Some smoked sausages, like Spanish chorizo, have relatively high-fat content. When you cook it, plenty of that fat will come out. If you end up with more than 3 to 4 tablespoons in your pot, remove a tablespoon or two before proceeding with the rest of the recipe.
Use a helpful tool. I like to use my slotted spatula (the same wide one I use to flip cookies) to drain the sausage quickly after cooking.

Caldo Verde (Portuguese Kale Soup) in bowls, bread, roasted red pepper and a spoon on the side — Simply Recipes / Sara Haas

Quick and Easy Soups

Cook the sausage:

Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the smoked sausage and cook, stirring occasionally until browned, about 4 minutes. Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon to a bowl and set aside.

Cook the vegetables:

Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute.

Add potatoes, broth, and water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender, 10 to 15 minutes.

Add the kale:

Remove half of the potatoes and transfer to a bowl. Mash roughly with the back of a fork, then add back to the pot. Add the cooked sausage and the kale to the pot and cook until the kale is just tender, about 3 minutes. Taste, adding salt if needed.

Portion the soup among bowls and serve. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

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