Brazilian Caldo Verde, Collard Green and Sausage Soup

📍 Where this dish comes from: Belém · Ver-o-Peso Market
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Caldo verde, green broth, came to Brazil from northern Portugal and became a winter and festa junina favorite. Silky ribbons of collard greens float in a creamy soup with slices of smoky calabresa sausage. Blended cauliflower takes the place of potato and gives the same velvety body.

Per serving: 259 calories · 6.7 g net carbs · 17 g protein · 18 g fat (calculated from the ingredients)

What You’ll Need

Brazilian Caldo Verde, Collard Green and Sausage Soup

Caldo verde, green broth, came to Brazil from northern Portugal and became a winter and festa junina favorite. Silky ribbons of collard greens float in a creamy soup with slices of smoky calabresa sausage. Blended cauliflower takes the place of potato and gives the same velvety body.

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Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes minutes

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Brazilian

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 259kcal

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil plus more to serve
• 1 medium onion chopped
• 3 garlic cloves sliced
• 1 large head cauliflower cut into florets (about 6 cups)
• 6 cups chicken bone broth
• 9 ounces smoked calabresa or Portuguese-style sausage sliced
• 1 bunch collard greens stems removed, very finely shredded
• 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

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Instructions

• Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes until soft, then add the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
• Add the cauliflower and broth, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until the cauliflower is very tender.
• Meanwhile, brown the sausage slices in a dry skillet over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes. Set aside, keeping the rendered fat.
• Blend the soup with an immersion blender until completely smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
• Bring the soup back to a simmer, stir in the collard ribbons and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, just until bright green and tender. Add most of the sausage.
• Ladle into bowls and top each with the remaining sausage, a drizzle of the sausage fat or olive oil, and a grind of black pepper.

Notes

The collards should be shredded as thin as you can manage, almost like threads. Roll a stack of leaves into a tight cigar and slice crosswise with a sharp knife. Add them at the very end so they stay green and slightly crisp.

Chef's Tip: Make the soup base a day ahead. It thickens in the fridge and the flavor deepens; just add the greens and sausage when reheating.

Keto Swap: Traditional caldo verde is thickened with puréed potatoes, which can add 20 grams of net carbs or more to a bowl. Puréed cauliflower gives the same creamy body for a fraction of that.

Success Tip: Serve with the Pão de Queijo from Chapter 2 for dunking. For milder palates, use a non-spicy smoked sausage.

Nutrition is calculated from the ingredients and is an estimate per serving. Net carbs exclude fiber and allulose.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 259kcal | Protein: 17g | Fat: 18g | Fiber: 3.7g

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About This Dish

Caldo verde comes from the Minho region in northern Portugal, where it is made with a dark cabbage called couve galega. In Brazil, cooks use couve manteiga, the collard-like green that is also served sautéed with feijoada. The soup is a common sight at festas juninas, the June festivals that celebrate Saint John and the harvest. Brazilian versions usually swap Portuguese chouriço for linguiça calabresa, a smoked pork sausage. Many Brazilians also make it as a late-night soup after a party.

This recipe is from The Ultimate Brazilian Keto Cookbook by Gisele Costello, Chapter 3: Soups & Stews (Ver-o-Peso Market). See all Brazilian recipes