A Deliciously Tasty Portuguese Kale Soup Recipe
One of the classic soups to come out of Portugal and make its way across the Atlantic is the Portuguese Kale Soup. This soup is now a staple in Portuguese restaurants, something that started in homes across the country, and is now a delicacy.
If you enjoy Portuguese Kale soup and want to make it home, this recipe below gives you your own twist and the option for substitutions if necessary. This dish is ideal any time of the year, so grab your ingredients below and head to the kitchen whenever you are ready.
History of Portuguese Kale Soup
With sausage, kale, carrots, and lots of garlic, this is a homey and hearty soup that you can enjoy as a starter to your meal, or it can be a meal all on its own. Becuase kale is plentiful in Portugal, it is no secret that the locals took advantage of this green delicacy and paired it with other favorites to make a classic dish.
For those who do not enjoy kale raw, this is a great way to get all the nutrients and health benefits it has to offer regularly. This soup started as a way to feed families affordably and keep them healthy during the winter months.
Today, I use this soup in my rotation of healthy soup options to make for my family or even meal prep it so that I have a healthy and protective lunch throughout the work week.
Gathering Your Ingredients
You will need to head over to the local market and a local farmer if you have some selling kale for your ingredients below.
- One large pack of andouille sausages
- One tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
- One diced onion
- The chopped carrots
- One tablespoon of minced garlic
- One large butternut squash, diced
- Five cups of chicken or vegetable broth
- Three cups of water
- One large bunch of kale
- One can of red drained red kidney beans
- Salt and pepper to taste
Substitutions
When you opt for andouille sausage, you can choose from any type of meat to fit your diet preferences if you have any. You can also opt for vegan sausage if you are looking to make this a vegan soup.
The butternut squash is optional, especially if you don’t have any in the market, you can just substitute white potatoes or leave them out completely. I would not use regular squash or spaghetti squash, though, as the textures are very different and they did not do well in this soup.
Adding the kidney beans to your soup is your choice; if red ones are unavailable, the white kidney beans will work just fine. Honestly, I have only had a can of pinto beans in the pantry before, and they worked well, too.
Time to Build Your Soup
Once you have everything you need laid out and you start to feel overwhelmed, know there is a process and follow the steps below.
1. Prepare Your Veggies
You want to give them all a good cleaning, including the kale, to make sure there isn’t any dirt lingering. There is truly no worse taste than dirt in your teeth when you are trying to enjoy one of your favorite soups.
Once everything has been washed down, peel your carrots and butternut squash. You also want to dice them or chop them up into similar-sized pieces so that they will cook evenly. During this step, make sure you also drain your canned beans and rinse them off with cold water, also.
2. Brown Your Sausage
No matter what sausage you opted for, it needs to brown first before you can add it to the soup. In your large soup pan, add in your tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and turn the head to a medium-high.
Once the oil gets hot, lay in your sausage and let them brown for about five minutes, turning them about halfway through. Once they have finished cooking, take them out and let them cool on a separate dish.
3. Saute Away
With the sausage and oil drippings remaining in the pot, add your onion, garlic, and carrots to the pot. Give them a few minutes to cook down. During this time, you can start slicing up your sausage so that you can add it back later.
After a few minutes, you need to add in your butternut squash and give it about two minutes to brown up, also.
4. Add Your Liquid
Once those veggies have started cooking down, add the broth of your choice and water to the large soup pan. Let the soup reach a steady boil, then turn the heat down to low-medium for about 15 minutes.
5. Bring in the Kale
Because it cooks quickly, adding kale is one of the last steps you need to take. Add the kale in batches, and watch it cook down. You will want to add some salt and pepper to the pot.
6. Protein Time
Once I have all the veggies in, I like to add the protein to list. I will dump the drained kidney beans in the pot and stir it all up. After that, slowly add in the sausage and let it cook for a few more minutes.
You want to let the soup cook together for about ten minutes, so leave it on a low-medium and put the lid on it.
7. Serve and Store
Once you are ready to serve your soup, turn off the burner and begin ladling the soup in the bowls. Allow your diners to add their favorite toppings and enjoy this soup. This soup pairs well with your favorite dinner rolls and can be an entire meal.
After the soup has cooled completely, make sure you put the leftovers in a safe storage container. It can keep in the fridge for up to four days.
While you can freeze it, I personally would not recommend it. Potatoes and butternut squash do not freeze well and they do not reheat well. I use the leftovers instead for lunches during the week, and meals until it is gone.
If you have a few neighbors that you are friendly with, you can always give them some if you have too much and will not be able to enjoy it all.
Toppings For Your Soup
If you have diners like me with different tastes, you may want to have some shaved parmesan cheese available for this soup, as well as hot sauce and red pepper flakes. This way, everyone can enjoy the soup the way they choose.
