The perfect soup should be hearty, nourishing and incredibly delicious, like this garlicky white bean soup or vegan potato soup. Now here’s one more soup to fall in love with: a vegan caldo verde.
What is caldo verde?
Caldo verde is a popular Portuguese soup made with potatoes and greens. The greens used are typically a local cruciferous leafy green called couve galega. It is a variety of kale that looks and tastes a lot like collard greens. You can make caldo verde with other greens, like kale and spinach. Despite its promising name (which translates to “green broth” or “green soup” in Portuguese), caldo verde is not vegan: a fact I discovered the old-fashioned way on a ride back from the headily beautiful city of Porto. We stopped in the beach town of Nazaré, known for its 100-foot waves, late at night, and stumbled into the only restaurant that was open. It was a lovely little place filled with locals and the most beautifully tiled bathrooms I’ve ever seen. But there was nothing vegetarian on the seafood-rich menu. Except, as we gleaned through our attempts to communicate with the helpful waitress, a caldo verde. So the caldo verde arrived, smelling divine. I dipped my hopeful spoon in it and fished out a piece of sausage! As I learned, sausages like chouriço or linguiça are a pretty standard ingredient in caldo verde, putting it in the category of “definitely not vegan”. Veganizing a caldo verde isn’t difficult, but one has to add plenty of umami-rich ingredients to substitute for the meats, which add flavor to this otherwise simple soup.
Why you will love this caldo verde recipe
Loaded with flavor and umami. This vegan caldo verde may be meatless but it is in no way lacking in flavor. Mushroom broth, sage, lots of garlic and optional soy sauce make this a soup to savor and love. Simple recipe. The soup is easy to make and one-pot if you have an immersion blender. If you don’t you can use a regular blender. Healthy soup. Kidney beans add healthy protein to this already-healthy soup loaded with greens and potatoes. Nut-free, gluten-free and can be soy-free.
How to make vegan caldo verde
Serving suggestions
Caldo verde is usually eaten with rye bread. You can also serve it with crusty bread, like this no-knead sourdough bread, or French bread.
Storage instructions
Refrigerate: Caldo verde can be refrigerated for up to five days in an airtight container. Freeze: Freeze the soup in a freezer-safe container for up to four months. Reheat: Thaw and reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave. Add more broth as needed to thin out. Always check for salt after adding more liquid to the soup.
More cozy vegan soups
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