Caldo Gallego is a delicious soup crafted from white beans, collard greens, chorizo, ham, cabbage, and potatoes. Its rich flavor embodies an essence of both tastiness and simplicity.
In cooking, "caldo" is the word we use for soups made with a good broth base. It can be the broth itself or broth with other added ingredients, like what's in Caldo Gallego. This soup shows you can do much with a basic broth by adding different yummy and flavorful ingredients.
For more hearty, warm recipe ideas, consider trying Mushroom Soup, White Chili, Sancocho, or Chicken and Chorizo Stew, which goes great served over White Rice.
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Why this recipe works
- Comfort Food: Caldo Gallego often embodies a comforting, homey feel, making it a beloved dish for many during old weather or when seeking a hearty meal.
- Full of Flavor: The flavors are rich and comforting. The chorizo adds a smoky, savory taste to the broth, while the greens and potatoes contribute their distinct flavors and textures.
- Cultural Connection: It's a chance to connect with the culinary heritage of Galicia, Spain, and understand the historical ties between Spain and regions like Puerto Rico, where this dish has roots.
Ingredient Notes
- Cabbage: Cabbage is a surprisingly delicious ingredient when cooked, and in this recipe, it shines.
- Berza: Berza is a Spanish word for dark leafy greens like Turnip greens, Collard Greens, Kale, Mustard Greens, or Swiss Chard. I used Kale, which is more available at the supermarket and prefer in taste. However, feel free to experiment with any of your favorites.
- White Beans: Canned or rehydrated beans work well. If using, rehydrate the beans well in advance. Drain and rinse the white beans before adding them to the soup.
- Bacon: The original recipe I found called for pork fastback, but bacon renders a far better flavor profile.
See my recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.
Variations and Substitutions
- Vegetarian/Vegan: Remove all the meats, and you will have a great soup. Consider purchasing a vegan chorizo to keep some of the flavor profile.
- Garlic Cloves: If you do not have garlic paste available in the house, use two to three garlic cloves instead.
- Cabbage: I used white cabbage when I made this recipe, but other cabbages will also work, like Nappa, Green cabbage, Savoy, or Cannonball. Each cabbage brings its own set of flavors and textures to the soup. Check out onlyfoods.net for a comprehensive guide on different types of cabbages and their applications.
How to make Caldo Gallego
Here are the step-by-step instructions to make Caldo Gallego
Cleaning and chopping all ingredients before you start cooking makes this recipe more manageable.
- In a Dutch Oven or Stock Pot, begin by rendering the finely diced bacon.
- Once the bacon begins to crisp, add the onions. This will stop or slow the bacon's cooking process. Sautee until the onions are translucent.
- Once the onions are translucent, add the large diced ham and lightly brown the ham.
- Once the ham has cooked for about a minute, add the chorizo and brown.
- Add garlic paste and incorporate.
- Add potatoes. Incorporate with other ingredients. Allow potatoes to cook for about 2 minutes while continuously turning.
- Add beans and incorporate.
- Add chicken stock.
- Incorporate all ingredients and allow to cook for a couple of minutes so that the flavors mingle.
- Add half the kale and cabbage once the ingredients have cooked for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Allow the kale and cabbage to cook and soften, then add the other half of each. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft and tender.
Expert Tips
- Drain and rinse the white beans before adding to the soup.
- "Once the bacon begins to crisp, add the onions. This will stop/slow the bacon cooking process." When you add an ingredient to a hot pot, the ingredients and cooking temperature drop. In the case of the onions and the bacon, the onions will change temperature, and water will be added to the pot. The pot will take at least 2 to 3 minutes to return to the initial temperature.
- Extra chicken broth should be available if the potatoes and the beans absorb most liquid. Starches like potatoes and beans work almost like sponges and tend to absorb liquid, making anything you add them thicker. Refrain from adding water, as it might dilute the soup's flavor.
Recipe FAQs
Caldo Gallego is a soup made of potatoes, ham, chorizo, white beans, cabbage, and dark green leafy greens, all in flavorful chicken broth.
In Spanish, caldo means broth. Caldo is used for soup and soups with a broth base, such as Caldo Gallego. For example, Chicken Soup translates to Caldo de Pollo.
Soups or sopas typically have a transparent liquid base broth (chicken, vegetable, beef, or fish/seafood). You can see the ingredients floating in the soup. A Stew (guiso, guisado) tends to be heartier and thicker. They will still use a broth or stock as its base, but the liquid will not be as fluid as in a soup. Stews tend to cook for more extended periods in relation to soup in order to thicken and concentrate the flavors. Chowder is delicious in soup or stew, except it is almost always milk- or cream-based and mainly made of seafood and/or vegetables.
Caldo Gallego translates to Galician Broth.
More Soups and Stews Recipes
- Seafood Pomodoro Pasta with Linguine
- Puerto Rican Steamed Mussels With Sofrito White Wine Sauce
- Guineos, Platanos, and Banana Leaves: Puerto Rican Staples
- Puerto Rican Bacalao a la Vizcaina
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📖 Recipe
Caldo Gallego, Galician Broth
Ingredients
- 1 can White Beans
- 2 cups Chicken Broth
- 2 slices Bacon fine diced
- 1 cup Onions Small Diced
- 1 cup Ham Large Diced
- 1 cup Cured Chorizo ¼" thick rounds
- ½ pound Potatoes Baby potatoes are cut into quarters. If large potatoes, cut into 1" pieces.
- 1 pound White Cabbage Cut into 1" pieces.
- 1 pound Kale De-stemmed and cut into 1" pieces.
- 1 tablespoon Garlic paste or three cloves of fresh garlic
- Salt and pepper to taste to taste
Instructions
- In a Dutch Oven or Stock Pot, begin by rendering the finely diced bacon.2 slices Bacon
- Once the bacon begins to crisp, add the onions. This will stop/slow the bacon cooking process. Sautee until onions are translucent.1 cup Onions
- Once the onions are translucent, add the large diced ham and lightly brown the ham.1 cup Ham
- Once the ham has cooked for about a minute, add the chorizo and brown.2 cups Chicken Broth
- Add garlic paste and incorporate.1 tablespoon Garlic paste
- Add potatoes. Incorporate with other ingredients. Allow potatoes to cook for about 2 minutes while continuously turning.½ pound Potatoes
- Add beans and incorporate.1 can White Beans
- Add chicken stock. Incorporate all ingredients and allow to cook for a couple of minutes so that all the ingredients and flavors mingle.2 cups Chicken Broth
- Add half the kale and cabbage once the ingredients have cooked for 2 to 3 minutes.1 pound Kale, 1 pound White Cabbage
- Allow the kale and cabbage to cook and soften, then add the other half of each. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until potatoes are soft and tendered.
Notes
-
- Drain and rinse the white beans before adding to the soup.
- "Once the bacon begins to crisp, add the onions. This will stop/slow the bacon cooking process." When you add an ingredient to a hot pot, the ingredients and cooking temperature drop. In the case of the onions and the bacon, the onions will change temperature, and add water to the pot. The pot will take at least 2 to 3 minutes to return to the initial temperature.
- Have extra chicken broth available if the potatoes and the beans absorb most of the liquid. Starches like potatoes and beans work almost like sponges and tend to absorb liquid, making anything you add them thicker. Refrain from adding water, as it might dilute the soup's flavor.