Sopa de Feijão com Couves 🇵🇹🥣
A hearty Portuguese bean and couves soup made with chouriço, white and red feijão, potatoes, massa and a flavourful rustic broth. Cozy, filling and perfect with pão de milho.
Ingredients
- 1-2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 Chouriço, sliced
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 carrots, sliced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon pimenta moída
- 2 tablespoon sweet pimenta or massa de pimentão
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
- ½ teaspoon sweet paprika
- 3-4 cups chicken broth
- 4 cups water add more if needed
- salt to taste
- 1 can white beans
- 1 can red beans
- 3 medium potatoes peeled and cubed
- ¾ cup small massa (passtina)
- 4-5 cups chopped couves (collard greens)
- crusty bread for serving
Instructions
- 1. Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add sliced chouriço and cook for 3–4 minutes to lightly brown and release its oils.
- 2. Add the chopped onion and cook until it begins to soften.
- 3. Add the garlic and carrots and cook briefly until fragrant.
- 4. Add the bay leaf, tomato paste, sweet pimenta, optional hot pimenta moída, white pepper and paprika. Stir and cook briefly to develop the flavours.
- 5. Pour in 3-4 cups chicken broth and 4 cups water. Season lightly with salt and bring to a gentle boil.
- 6. Add the drained white beans, drained red kidney beans and cubed potatoes.
- 7. Reduce the heat and simmer for approximately 15–20 minutes, or until the potatoes are nearly fork-tender. Add additional water if you prefer more broth.
- 8. Remove and discard the bay leaf.
- 9. Add ¾ cup massa (passtina) and cook according to the package directions, stirring occasionally. Add more water if the soup becomes too thick.
- 10. Toward the end of the pasta’s cooking time, add the chopped couves.
- 11. Continue cooking until the couves are tender and the massa is cooked through.
- 12. Taste and adjust salt and white pepper as needed. Add additional water for a more brothy consistency, if desired.
- 13. Serve hot with crusty bread or pão de milho/broa de milho.
Notes
The beans, potatoes and massa will naturally absorb liquid and make this soup thicker and more rustic as it cooks and sits. If you prefer more caldo, simply add additional water, about ½ cup at a time.
The hot pimenta moída is optional. Use only the sweet pimenta if you want a milder soup.
Leftovers will thicken considerably in the refrigerator. Add water when reheating until the soup returns to your preferred consistency.
Pimenta moída substitution: If you can’t find Portuguese pimenta moída, substitute the sweet pimenta with mild Portuguese red pepper paste, massa de pimentão doce or roasted red pepper paste with a little sweet paprika. For the optional hot pimenta, use piri piri sauce or another chilli paste to taste. Because Portuguese pepper pastes can be salty, always taste the soup before adding additional salt.
