Impressed by the basic Portuguese soup, my vegan caldo verde options tender potatoes, vibrant greens, and spicy vegan sausage in piping-hot broth. It’s tremendous easy, extremely comforting, and ideal for chilly nights.

Soup is, by far, my favourite strategy to get my day by day dose of greens. Severely — put nearly any sort of greens right into a pot of soup and also you’ve acquired my consideration. I like my kale soup, chard soup, collard greens soup, and broccoli rabe soup. So after I first heard a few Portuguese soup referred to as caldo verde, which accurately interprets to “inexperienced broth,” I used to be instantly intrigued. There was only one downside: caldo verde is historically made with sausage. However that’s by no means stopped me earlier than. Time for some vegan caldo verde!
Soar to:
Caldo verde is a type of soups that’s surprisingly easy, made with only a handful of substances, but extremely tasty and comforting. It’s the proper meal for if you’re craving one thing cozy however don’t really feel like placing in a ton of effort.
There are just a few variations on how caldo verde is ready, however the fundamental technique is tremendous simple. Potatoes are simmered in broth till tender, then half of them are mashed to create a naturally thick, creamy base. Thinly sliced greens are added subsequent and cooked simply till tender. Historically, caldo verde is made with a leafy inexperienced referred to as couve galega, however because it’s exhausting to seek out right here within the U.S., I exploit a mixture of kale and collard greens as a substitute. A splash of crimson wine vinegar and a few spicy vegan sausage end issues off, making a soup that’s satisfying and filled with taste. I’ve a sense you’ll be making this one all winter lengthy.
Elements You may Want
Under you will discover a record of substances on this recipe, with notes and substitutions. Scroll all the way in which to the underside of the submit to see the total recipe, together with the quantity of every ingredient.
- Olive oil. You’ll be able to substitute one other impartial, high-heat oil if you would like.
- Onion.
- Garlic.
- Vegetable broth.
- Potatoes. We’re utilizing yellow potatoes, corresponding to Yukon gold. Purple potatoes may even work nicely. Russets will do in a pinch, however aren’t preferrred — waxy potatoes will maintain their form higher and offer you a creamier broth when mashed.
- Greens. We’re utilizing a fifty-fifty mix of kale and collard greens, however be happy to make use of all kale or all collards when you choose, or if that’s what you could have available.
- Vegan sausage. Conventional caldo verde is made with Portuguese chouriço, which is a spicy, smoky sausage. So we’re utilizing spicy, smoky vegan sausage right here! I like Discipline Roast Mexican chipotle, however there are loads of choices. Should you’re not into faux meat, go away it out and add some smoked paprika and optionally a bit cayenne pepper to the soup for taste.
- Purple wine vinegar.
- Salt and pepper.
How It is Made
Under is an in depth photograph tutorial on learn how to make this dish. Scroll all the way in which down if you would like to skip proper to the recipe!

Step 1: Prepare dinner the onion & garlic. Warmth your oil in a pot, then add the onion. Prepare dinner it for a couple of minutes whereas stirring often, to begin softening it up. Add the garlic and prepare dinner it with the onion for one more minute.

Step 2: Simmer the potatoes. Stir within the broth and potatoes, then flip up the warmth and get the broth to a boil. Decrease the warmth and let the potatoes simmer within the broth till they’re tender and simply pierced with a fork.

Step 3: Put together the greens. Lower the thick stems out of your kale and collards, then slice the leaves into skinny strips.

Step 4: Mash potatoes. Take about half of the potatoes out of the pot, utilizing a slotted spoon. Mash them up in a bowl.
Step 5: Simmer the greens. Stir your mashed potatoes again into the broth, then add your greens. Carry the liquid to a boil as soon as once more, then decrease the warmth and simmer the soup till the greens are tender.

Step 6: Prepare dinner the sausage. Whereas the greens prepare dinner, slice your vegan sausage hyperlinks and brown them in a skillet.
Tip: Prepare dinner the greens to your most popular degree of tenderness. A fast five-minute simmer gives you shiny inexperienced, barely agency greens, whereas an extended (ten or fifteen-minute) simmer will make them very mushy.

Step 7: End the soup. Stir the sausage into the soup, then add your crimson wine vinegar. Style-test and determine if it wants extra salt and a few black pepper.

Step 8: Serve. Your vegan caldo verde is able to take pleasure in! Ladle it into bowls and dig in whereas it is sizzling!
Variations
- Creamy broth. Some caldo verde recipes name for mashing all the potatoes. Be happy to do that if you would like an ultra-creamy broth.
- Additional chunky. Alternatively, you could possibly additionally skip mashing the potatoes when you choose your soup additional chunky.
- Spice it up. Season your caldo verde with some cayenne pepper or sizzling sauce to style if you would like it additional spicy.
- Add some beans. Throw in a can of beans, corresponding to chickpeas or kidney beans to make the soup additional hearty. This variation works significantly nice when you’re skipping the vegan sausage.
Continuously Requested Questions
It may be! Ensure that your vegan sausage is gluten-free, and also you’re good to go. Past makes gluten-free vegan sausages.
Not essentially! Conventional caldo verde is made with peeled potatoes, and I choose to peel mine so I do not find yourself with bits of peel within the mash, however be happy to go away the peels in place when you choose.
Many of the sodium comes from the broth and vegan sausage. Use a reduced-sodium vegetable broth, and both skip or scale back the quantity of vegan sausage.
Leftover vegan caldo verde will maintain in an hermetic container within the fridge for 3 to 4 days. This soup could be frozen for as much as 3 months, however the texture of the potatoes might change a bit.
Extra International-Impressed Vegan Soups
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📖 Recipe
Vegan Caldo Verde
Impressed by the basic Portuguese soup, my vegan caldo verde options tender potatoes, vibrant greens, and spicy vegan sausage in piping-hot broth. It’s tremendous easy, extremely comforting, and ideal for chilly nights.
Elements
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 8 cups vegetable broth
- 1 ½ kilos yellow potatoes, peeled and diced (½- to 1-inch items)
- 8 ounces curly kale
- 8 ounces collard greens
- 2 spicy vegan sausage hyperlinks (Notes 1 and a couple of), thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon crimson wine vinegar
- Salt and pepper, to style
Directions
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Coat the underside of a giant pot with the oil and place it over medium warmth. Give the oil a minute to warmth up, then add the onion. Prepare dinner the onion for about 5 minutes, stirring often, till it turns into mushy and translucent. Stir within the garlic and prepare dinner it for a few minute longer, till very aromatic.
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Stir within the broth and potatoes. Elevate the warmth and produce the liquid to a boil, then decrease the warmth and let it simmer for about quarter-hour, till the potatoes are simply pierced with a fork.
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Whereas the soup simmers, take away the stems out of your kale and collards, then slice the leaves very thinly.
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Use a slotted spoon to take away about half of the potatoes from the soup, inserting them right into a heatproof bowl. Use a fork or potato masher to mash the potatoes till creamy.
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Return the mashed potatoes to the pot, stirring till they’re nicely integrated, then add the kale and collard greens to the pot. Elevate the warmth and produce the soup again to a boil, then decrease the warmth and let it simmer for a minimum of 5 minutes, or till the greens have reached your required degree of tenderness.
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Whereas the greens simmer, place a medium skillet over medium-high warmth and add the sliced sausage hyperlinks. Prepare dinner the sausage slices for about 5 minutes, stirring often, till they’re browned and a bit crisp.
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Stir the sausage into the soup, then add the crimson wine vinegar and season it with salt and pepper to style.
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Ladle the soup into bowls and serve.
Notes
- I used Discipline Roast Mexican chipotle sausage. Vegan chorizo would additionally work nicely, though most manufacturers are offered as crumbles somewhat than hyperlinks — that is completely high quality.
- Should you’d somewhat omit the sausage, attempt including a teaspoon of smoked paprika and a pinch (or extra) of cayenne pepper.
Vitamin
Energy: 215kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 7g | Fats: 10g | Saturated Fats: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 1g | Monounsaturated Fats: 5g | Sodium: 1231mg | Potassium: 671mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 5452IU | Vitamin C: 63mg | Calcium: 178mg | Iron: 2mg


