Caldo Verde

I absolutely love soup, and this Portuguese “green broth” is no exception. We had this dish almost every day in the Azores (Açores) when we were on honeymoon. It’s so nourishing, comforting, and simple. It’s even better homemade since I can add more spices and higher quality ingredients.

Ingredients (Purposefully not measured out, use each to your desired level! It’s art, not science for cooking unlike baking)

• Onion

• Garlic

• Flavorful sausage (I used Aidells cajun andouille sausage)

• Potatoes (fine to leave skin on, it'll fall off when you mash/blend the potatoes)

• Chicken broth

• Salt and both white and black pepper, to taste

• Gochugaru or red pepper flakes

• Greens (I used a mix of baby spinach, baby red and green chards, and baby kale)

Instructions

• Pan fry the sausage and use the fat to saute the garlic and onion

• Add to a pressure cooker along with chopped potatoes, chicken broth, and spices. Cook at high pressure for 7 minutes. If cooking in a pot on the stove, boil at medium heat until the potatoes are tender enough to mash gently with a fork

• Keeping everything in the pot, gently mash the potatoes and stir to thicken the broth

• Add greens in at the end. They’re so tender that you don’t need to boil them, just stirring them into the hot broth is enough to gently wilt them

• Serve immediately! Feel free to top with more spices, chopped fresh parsely, grated cheese, or whatever you feel like.

I made this again the following week and added carrots, pasta, and chicken meat. It’s such an easy, customizable, and hearty soup.