Caldo Verde à la Luisa

Caldo Verde - which means green stock in Portuguese - is quick and easy to make, healthy, filling, warming and really tasty!

What you need:

- A big pot

- 2 Table spoons olive oil

- 1 large or 2 small onions, chopped

- 2 to 4 cloves of garlic, minced

- 2 cubes of vegetable stock (the vegan kind, so no palm oil!)

- 1 liter of water

- 750 grams potatoes, peeled and cubed

- 500 grams green kale, finely chopped

- salt & pepper to taste

Optional: vegan sausages, sliced

How to make:

1. olive oil to the pot, don't let it get too hot

2. Add onion and garlic, and fry until the onion is translucent (2 minutes)

3. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil.

4. Simmer the soup for about 30 minutes, until the potatoes and kale are done.

5. Add the optional sliced vegan sausages.

I told you it was easy!

My Portuguese cousin Rui, told me that the original caldo verde didn't have any meat added to it. I've never seen caldo verde in Portugal that didn't have any slices of salsicha or linguiça (sausage) floating in it and before I went vegan, I used to love to eat caldo verde with some kind of sausage in it, especially chouriço.

So I make my own vegan chouriço. Here's how.