Main Menu

Caldo Verde (Portuguese Kale Soup)

It is freezing! I mean, it’s really cold. Yes, I know it’s winter and it’s supposed to be cold but it’s the kind of cold you feel in your bones. The kind of cold that makes you feel like you’re getting sick even if you’re not.

When I think about what to eat, anything less than steaming hot is not appealing right now. I love salad but salad is not hot. What I want is something in a warm bowl that I can wrap my hands around. Something that you can see the steam rising from. Something where the whole meal is in one dish. Something hearty that will make me all warm inside. Something that will be more filling than just soup but more interesting than just chili or stew.

The answer to all my needs is Caldo Verde or Portuguese Kale Soup. Caldo Verde is Portuguese for  “green broth” and is often served at Portuguese celebrations. Caldo Verde typically contains potatoes, onions and kale. I used all these ingredients. I also added cannellini beans and for added heartiness and yumminess, vegan sausage.

If you are gluten-free, use gluten-free sausage. My recipe for my improved Italian-style sausage is here. If you are not gluten-free, I would suggest Field Roast Italian Sausage but of course, use your favorite brand.

My Caldo Verde is delicious and will warm you up inside and out. Like the commercial says, “It’s more than a soup. It’s a meal.” An amazing vegan meal. Stay warm and enjoy!

Caldo Verde (Portuguese Kale Soup)

2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
4 links of vegan, gluten-free sausage


8 Yukon gold potatoes, halved


2 medium or 1 large onion, chopped


4 – 6 cloves of garlic, minced


2 bay leaves


1 – 2 bunches of kale, stemmed and chopped


1-15 oz. can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed


1-15 oz. can fire-roasted diced tomatoes


1 quart low-sodium vegetable broth or water


Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

In a large pot, heat 1 Tbs. of oil over medium-high heat. Cut the sausages into coins and add them to the pot. Cook them until they are just browned on both sides, about 5 minutes. Remove the sausage from the pot. Do not eat them. Ok, you can taste one piece but just one. Yeah, good luck with that.

If the pot is dry, add the 2nd Tbs. of oil. Add the potatoes and the onion. Cover the pot and let cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic, bay leaves and kale to the pot. Cover and let cook for 2 minutes or until the kale starts wilting.

Add the beans, tomatoes and broth. Add salt and pepper. Bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, add the sausage back in (whatever’s left of it), cover the pot and let simmer about 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes are fork-tender. Taste for seasoning. Serve hot, preferably with crunchy bread for dunking.

 The “V” Word: Say it. Eat it. Live it.

 

(Visited 7,731 times, 1 visits today)

, , , , , , , ,

15 Responses to Caldo Verde (Portuguese Kale Soup)

  1. lorrwill March 12, 2014 at 2:08 pm #

    Kale and potatoes and vegan. I’m in.

    Thanks for the recipe. I love soup year round.

    • Rhea March 12, 2014 at 3:23 pm #

      It’s my favorite too! 🙂

  2. Ash & Linds Jakubowski January 21, 2013 at 3:27 am #

    Looks delish! 😛

  3. Ginger Cat Bed and Breakfast January 7, 2013 at 8:13 am #

    Hi Rhea –
    I’m adding a link to the “V” Word on the B&B’s links page. Should be showing up in just a minute or two.

  4. Rhea Parsons January 6, 2013 at 12:03 pm #

    And there would NEVER be pork in a vegan version of any food. So this is my cruelty-free interpretation.

  5. Rhea Parsons January 6, 2013 at 12:01 pm #

    Hi Ana Maria, the research I did said that about the onions and that meat was optional. But can’t believe everything you read, I guess. Thanks for the info.

  6. Anonymous January 6, 2013 at 9:00 am #

    This is Ana Maria again (born and raised eating caldo verde) You stated exactly this: “Caldo Verde typically contains potatoes, onions and kale”… Nope,… Caldo Verde does not contain onions… Iot is only 3 ingredients: potatoes, sausage and collard greens! And, of course olive oil!!!

  7. Anonymous January 6, 2013 at 8:55 am #

    Hi! My name is Ana Maria and I am Portuguese; born and raised in the North of Portugal. This is everything but “Caldo Verde” … Caldo Verde is made with potatoes boiling in the water which you melt, the collard greens cut very thin (like hair) and pork sausage – with olive oil (nothing else). This picture is of a regular soup, Portuguese soup, Spanish soup or whatever soup… This is not Caldo Verde!!! Sorry 🙁

  8. Rhea Parsons January 6, 2013 at 6:26 am #

    Ginger Cat – hope it goes on the menu. Please link to The “V” Word on the B&B’s page!

    Jinky – thank you for taking the time to comment!

    Beanpip – so glad you liked it. I was just watching Craig Ferguson’s show the week he filmed in Scotland. Stay warm!

  9. beanpip January 6, 2013 at 5:21 am #

    I just made this for dinner and it was DEEELISH!!! Thank you so much from cold dark Scotland brrr… K xx

  10. Jinky January 6, 2013 at 3:06 am #

    Saw this on my FB feed, going to make it soon! Looks yummy! Thank you for sharing vegan recipes to the world! So many people have no idea how well we eat.
    Carole Raphaelle Davis
    http://www.caroleraphaelledavis.com

  11. Ginger Cat Bed and Breakfast January 4, 2013 at 8:35 am #

    Hi Rhea –

    Happy New Year. I know exactly what you mean about the cold and wanting soup. In fact, I heated up some left-over frozen curried butternut squash soup for lunch and it hit the spot.

    I have almost all the ingredients on hand for this soup and it looks amazing. Could be on the menu for this weekend.

  12. Rhea Parsons January 4, 2013 at 7:05 am #

    Steve, you should use whatever makes happy. Make it your own!

  13. Steve January 4, 2013 at 6:42 am #

    I think I’ll be making this on the weekend. I’ve got sausage and black-eyed peas from the Hoppin’ John I was going to make on New Years (thanks to my friend Cara for making it for me instead!), and of course I always have a ton of kale on hand. I hope you don’t mind me using black-eyed peas instead of the proper cannellini beans!:)

Trackbacks/Pingbacks

  1. The Soup I’m Making Like Every Week Now… – No More Unicorn Tears - December 12, 2016

    […] better just start out with something like “Vegan Portuguese Soup”. And lo and behold I found this awesome recipe (a photo of my attempt below) from Rhea at The “V” […]


Hit Counter provided by orange county property management