Print — Portuguese Caldo Verde with Chorizo

Made By Emily

Soup

Portuguese Caldo Verde with Chorizo

3-4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into pieces (approximately 1.5 pounds / 700 g)
2 medium onions, chopped
200 g (about 7 oz) Galician cabbage, kale, curly cabbage, savoy cabbage, or black cabbage, finely chopped
150 g (5 oz) chorizo, sliced
2 liters (8 ½ cups) water
50 ml (3 tablespoons) olive oil
1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

Heat olive oil in the bottom of a large pot over medium heat.
Add the chopped onions and potato pieces to the pot and sprinkle lightly with salt. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until onions start to soften.
Optional: Add a chopped cabbage leaf at this stage for subtle flavor, then pour in the 2 liters of water.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are tender through.
Meanwhile, in a separate pan, fry the sliced chorizo over medium heat until crispy and browned (about 5-7 minutes). Remove from heat and set aside.
Using a blender or immersion blender, carefully blend the onion and potato mixture until smooth and creamy.
Return the mixture to the pot, add the remaining finely chopped cabbage, and cook for an additional 10-12 minutes until the cabbage is tender but maintaining a bright green color. Adjust salt to taste.
Serve the soup hot, distributing the crispy chorizo slices evenly into bowls or plates.

Frying the chorizo instead of boiling it gives the dish a deeper, smoky flavor and a crunchy texture contrast.
Keep the cabbage addition until the end to ensure it retains color and nutrients without becoming mushy.
A hand blender simplifies the process and allows blending directly in the pot to save cleanup.

Values are estimates and may vary by ingredients and portion size.