Portuguese Recipe! The Low-Carb Portuguese Soup Recipe is a family favorite with tons of cabbage and chorizo for a cold winter night.
As the weather gets colder and my appetite begins to change for all things warm and hearty, I turn to my mom’s soup for winter. It is full of flavor and brings me back to my childhood.
In our family, soup was a staple to our dinner time. A bowl of soup was served most of the time except for the summer months. It was the one way that our vegetables were eaten before anything else. In America it’s common to see a vegetable on the side of your dish but in Portugal it’s all in a bowl.
Not to mention that in Portugal, they seem to only make soup with what was in season, which today we talk about, like it's a new invention to the old world of farming. Nothing was shipped 30 years ago from China and food was locally grown in most countries. Cabbage can be stored for a long time in the refrigerator and most of the time it was kept in the basement pantry during the winter months in our home.
I used to hate eating my soup when I was young and today, it's what I make best, as Jeff says. How our taste buds change as we get older and how much I love it for dinner now.
As the cold air comes in and we now have 47º degrees in our area of Florida, I chop my cabbage and vegetables to make my evening soup that mom made for so many years. Now I will share a cabbage soup that is very popular in Portugal.
About Portugal
This country is located on the Iberian Peninsula, in southwestern Europe. It has beautiful mountains and beaches that surround the country's landscape. The climate is pretty mild winters unless you're in the mountain region.
Portugal is full of history and one place that the kings and queens would come for a getaway. The roots of Portuguese food is native peasant cookery with ingredients that were brought over by the trade routes established many centuries ago. The most common thing you will find in most households are bread, rice, spices, pastries, sausages, and seafood. Cod is the number one fish and the main ingredients in most Portuguese meals.
Us on vacation a few years ago! want see more visit my travel guides
Step by Step - Portugese Soup Recipe from Mom
Low-CarbPortuguese Soup Recipe with cabbage, chorizo, carrots and leeks that is easy to make in a soup pot for cooking.
- Cut the vegetables into bite sizes, along with the chorizo.
- In a soup pot, sauté the onions, carrots, celery, chorizo, and garlic into the pot with olive oil for about 10 minutes on medium heat.
- Pour the diced tomatoes into the pot and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Pour 6 cups of water into the pot.
- Add 3 chicken bouillon packs and bring to a boil.
- Bring heat to a low and put cabbage in the pot.
- Salt and pepper for taste and place parsley and basil for the last 10 minutes.
- Cook for about 45 minutes, Serve in a bowl and enjoy!
Variations
- Add green beans
- Peas
- Turnips
- Parsnip
Ways to Serve
This soup is best served warm. My husband loves to dip a piece of bread while having a bowl of soup. I don’t serve anything else with it but I will have cheese and prosciutto with pickles at the end. This is very traditional in most Portuguese households.
Tip
I usually double up on the recipe so I can freeze it when I want a warm bowl. The other thing I do is label the container of soup so as not to have it too long in the freezer. Most articles say 3 months to freeze food. My mom did it for 5 months.
MORE Portuguese Recipes
- Portuguese Prosciutto Fig Recipe
- Gluten-Free Portuguese Fish Cakes
- Portuguese Beef Macaroni Recipe
- Gluten-Free Portuguese Rice Custard Recipe
Travel Guides to Portugal
- Cascais Portugal
- Sintra And Belem, Portugal
- Plan A Summer Vacation In Lisbon Portugal
- Restaurants Where Locals Eat In Lisbon Portugal
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Portugese Soup Recipe
Ingredients
Sauté
- 1 chorizo chopped in small pieces
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup carrots sliced
- 1 leek chopped
- 2 garlic cloves crushed
- 1 onion chopped
- ยฝ cup stewed tomatoes diced or more if you like
ADD Liquid
- 6 cups water
- 3 packs of chicken bouillon
Simmer
- ½ large cabbage cored and coarsely chopped
- ยฝ cup parsley fresh and chopped
- Salt and Pepper as you like it
Instructions
- Cut the vegetables into bite sizes, along with the chorizo.
- In a soup pot, sauté the onions, carrots, celery, chorizo, and garlic into the pot with olive oil for about 10 minutes on medium heat to low.
- Pour the diced tomatoes in the pot and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Pour 6 cups of water into the pot.
- Add 3 chicken bouillon packs and bring to a boil.
- Bring heat to a low and put cabbage in the pot.
- Salt and pepper for taste and place parsley and basil for the last 10 minutes.
- Cook for about 45 minutes, serve in a bowl of soup to enjoy a taste of Portugal!
Notes
- I usually double up on the recipe so I can freeze it when I want a warm bowl.
- The other thing I do is label the container of soup so as not to have it too long in the freezer.
- Most articles say 3 months to freeze food.
Mary
can you use any type of sausage
Lizzy
Yes you can, I've made it with meatballs also
Dotti
Whst do you do with the chorizo? Doesn't say. Cook with onions carrots or put it In With the cabbage???
Lizzy
So sorry, just updated the recipe. Must of missed that with my updates of recipes. Thank you for letting me know, all my best, xoxo Lizzy
Rosemarie
Diced tomatoes are listed in the directions and not in the ingredients What is the quantity.
Lizzy
Thanks for reaching out, I just updated the recipe. I usually add half a can of dice tomatoes but my mom always did the whole can. It depends on your preference, I recommend tasting to see what you like best. Let me know how it goes, all my best, Lizzy