CALDO VERDE

STORIES | NOURISH

Caldo Verde, or “Green Broth,” is more than a weekly staple, it’s a ritual woven into the fabric of Portuguese home life. I grew up with this humble soup; its smoky chouriça flavor and silky kale-infused broth remain vivid memories from my childhood. But no matter the season, soup in Portugal is never just a meal, it’s a quiet pause, whether as a light lunch or a welcome prelude to dinner. Its simple warmth carries a deep, satisfying comfort that lingers long after the bowl is empty and childhood has passed.

These days, I rarely make this delicious soup. It never quite tastes like my mother’s, but I’ve found my own way by adding garlic-infused oil as a modern touch to the classic. I still have to order chouriça from a trusted Portuguese market online, which takes some planning, but I’m excited to bring this tradition back into my life with more frequency, and with it, a quiet return to the comfort of childhood.


CALDO VERDE

Generous glug of extra-virgin olive oil

4 inch length of chourico chopped into small cubed

1 large onion, diced

kosher salt

4-6 garlic cloves, sliced; (don’t be shy with the garlic)

4-6 medium gold potatoes, peeled and chopped

8 cups cold water

1 pound lacinato kale, stems removed, leaves cut into very, very thin slices

freshly ground black pepper

Garnish: Raw chouriça rounds, garlic fried in olive oil

Instructions 

  • In a large pot over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the choriça and cook until lightly browned.

  • Remove the chouriça with a slotted spoon.

  • Add onion to the fat in the pan and sprinkle with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic cloves and cook for 2 minutes more.

  • Add the potatoes and cold water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook until the potatoes are almost tender, 10 to 20 minutes.

  • Purée it using an immersion blender and return to the pot.

  • Add kale and bring it back to a boil, and then reduce the heat and simmer until tender, about 5 minutes. Season with more salt and pepper and add the chouriça back into the soup.

  • Ladle the caldo verde into bowls and garnish with the additional slices of chouriça and the garlic oil.

    ENJOY