Food

Caldo Verde

This is my version of caldo verde – one of the most comforting soups you will ever tuck into.

You might say I’m a bit of a caldo verde connoisseur – I’ve had countless bowls of this cozy soup over the years, including at my own wedding where it was served as part of the midnight buffet. This soup comes together quickly, only takes a few humble ingredients, and can serve an army of friends.

Here is my version of Caldo Verde:

Ingredients:

2-4 Tbsp olive oil
Salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper to taste
1 medium yellow onion (diced)
4-10 garlic cloves (more is more) (chopped)
4 medium russet potatoes (rough chopped to medium cubes)
1 bunch of kale
2 boxes of chicken stock (or broth or bone broth for more protein)
4 Sausages (traditional recipes use Portuguese chorizo, but I like a healthier chicken andouille sausage)

Step 1 Video (shown above):
You’ll see that this recipe is pretty straightforward and is great for both novices and expert chefs.

Full Step-by-Step Video Collection:
I have several videos that go over each step of this recipe. If you’d like to watch my process, go to this link to watch the full Caldo Verde playlist on Youtube.

Recipe:

De-stem the clean kale, roll tightly, and carefully julienne into very thin strips; Set aside for later.
Add olive oil, diced onion, and chopped garlic to a large pan over medium heat; stir and cook until onion is translucent.
Stir in a generous sprinkle of salt and pepper.
Add in Stock and cubed potatoes; bring to a boil.
Cut the sausage into rounds and add to a sauté pan on medium heat to brown both sides of each medallion.
When the potatoes are fork-tender, remove from heat and use an immersion blender to blend and emulsify the potatoes, onions, garlic, and broth.
Return the pot to the heat and stir in the slivers of kale.
Taste and season with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper to your liking.
Add browned sausage.
Serve hot with crusty bread.