Caldo Verde (Potato and Greens Soup With Sausage)

When I make this, I render the sliced sausage first in the pot, then add the onions. That imparts the linguica’s spice to the onions, then add cubed potatoes which pick up the flavor. I have never emulsified the potatoes, preferring the tender cubes at the end. For me the various textures all come together for a deeply satisfying soup. Always a hit in our house and for gatherings

Brazilians I know living in the US (including my wife) say that kielbasa is a pretty good sausage to use for caldo verde if you’re having trouble finding linguiça.

In my family recipe, we slice the linguiça into medallions and brown them first before removing the sausage and adding it back at the end. I think it adds extra flavor.

First let me say thanks to all the people commenting here and on all the recipes for the NYT because even though most of the recipes are great the way they are, I really enjoy the comments. I have used so many recommendations in the comment section here and in other recipes on this site. Tonight for example, I made this soup modified with soyrizo in place of the sausage because I am vegetarian. I also added the white beans suggested by another commenter and it def adds more protein. Delicious:)!

When I make Caldo Verde, I render the linguiça sliced in the pot first. Then I add the onions, which pick up the flavor of the linguiça from the fat. For me, this approach gives much more flavor to the soup. It’s always a big head at our house, and for gatherings, very satisfying.

I would cook the whole sausage separate in just the broth and remove to cool then proceed with the rest of the recipe- this way it's not as messy and it won't be covered in the soup when you go to slice it.

If you are not a fan of collards of kale, would spinach work (or is it not sturdy enough)?

I made it vegetarian with 2 beyond spicy sausages and veggie boullion. I sautéed the sausages first before adding water since these are fake meat and very soft. Added some fresh thyme and parsley at the end. I was too lazy to blend so I mashed the potatoes a bit w a spoon but they were already pulverized anyways. Turned out great!

Here's what I did: I used the liquid I'd saved from cooking chickpeas and navy beans, plus some stock I made using veg scraps (next time I have some chicken stock on hand, I'll do a taste test but I dare you to notice the difference!). I cooked the sausage in a bit of oil, then added the onions for a bit, and then the garlic; then I fished out the sausage and did the rest. I just mashed the potatoes in the pot, so I got a nice mix of chunks and mush. Very tasty.

This is a wonderfully tasty and SIMPLE soup. We used two dried chorizos, thinly sliced, and added a generous sprinkle of cayenne for a bit of a lift. I added half a dozen fine-chopped large leaves of chard (minus their stems) as collards are rare hereabouts this time of year and neither of us can stand kale. A handheld blender was used just a bit to thicken the broth and it was perfect for a cold wet Pacific coast night. Caldo Verde has now been added to our “repeater” list. A definite winner!

Leave more cubed potatoes at the end One teaspoon of smoked paprika to replace sausages Blend the greens

Glad I followed these comments. Used Spanish chorizo and fried it as first step. Added extra 1/2lb of potatoes, and lazily mashed a few with a spoon instead of blending. Then left overnight before reheating and serving. Friends loved it, I loved it. Paprika runoff from the fried chorizo added just enough depth to everything. Leaving overnight made broth thick and potatoes tender. Simple but so good.

I used spinach and it was fine. I would double the potatoes and spinach. Agree that you don’t have to pulverize with stick blender.

The vegan version of this soup was even better after sitting for a few days in the fridge, as this heightened the flavors. (Another commenter let his soup sit overnight before serving it, and now I know why). P.S. I didn’t blend the soup as I like my soup chunky & didn’t feel like having to clean the food processor.

Cook potatoes, garlic and chouriço in a bit of olive oil, briefly sweating them before adding water to the pot. After 20 min, reserve chouriço, and blend potatoes abd garlic. Return everything to the pot, including the cabbage, thin thin strands. Better next day.