Why the Portuguese Are Obsessed with Soup (And Why That’s a Good Thing)
A few years ago, I met an English woman who told me — half amused, half confused — that she thought the Portuguese were obsessed with soup. I laughed at the time, but lately I’ve been thinking about it. And honestly… yes. We are. And proudly so.
Soup is almost an emotional language in Portugal. It’s what we make when someone is sick, when we get home late, when the day has been long, when we don’t have the energy for big meals, when we want “something light”, when we need comfort, when we simply don’t know what to eat. Soup is the answer to everything.
And the more I think about it, the more I realise this “obsession” is actually a beautiful inheritance — a blend of tradition, care and culinary survival.
Soup as the Portuguese hug
Soup is our national warm hug. It’s simple, affordable, nutritious and deeply emotional. It’s food that doesn’t ask for much, yet always gives back comfort.
Even when we’re not sick, we still crave it. Because soup makes us feel cared for — even when we’re the ones cooking it.
Delicious soup curiosities
Portugal is one of the European countries that consumes the most soup per person.
Caldo verde was once voted one of the 7 Wonders of Portuguese Gastronomy.
Portuguese soup is historically zero waste: born from using up stems, leaves, leftover vegetables and stale bread.
Every region has its signature soup:
- Minho: caldo verde
- Ribatejo: sopa da pedra
- Alentejo: açorda
- Algarve: fish soup
Soup has always been seen as food of care — what you give someone who’s tired, sad or in need of strength.
It’s one of the first foods babies eat… and one of the last we keep turning to when we’re fragile.
It’s one of the easiest ways to pack micronutrients into a simple meal.
Soup as a modern ritual
Even with fast-paced lives, soup remains a ritual. A moment of pause. A way of telling your body: “slow down, I’m here.”
And maybe that’s why we keep making it, week after week, pot after pot. Because in the middle of chaos, soup is predictable. It’s good. It’s simple. And it always tastes like home.
Why we stay obsessed
Because soup is more than food. It’s memory. It’s care. It’s tradition. It’s survival. It’s love served in a bowl.
And if that’s an obsession… then it’s one of the good ones — the kind that warms your chest and reminds you where you come from.
Bean Soup with Tuscan Cabbage and Sausage
Equipment
- Pot
- Hand Blender
Ingredients
- 2 un large potatoes
- 1 un carrots
- 1 un large onion
- 1 lt water
- Half jar of cooked butter beans (you can cook them yourself) (you can cook them yourself)
- 7 leafes Tuscan kale or another type of kale of your choice—any kind will do.
- 6 un sausages (I used Bavarian sausages with pepper; I buy them fresh, and sometimes freeze the leftovers to use in soups)
- Salt and olive oil to taste
- Cilantro to taste (optional)
Instructions
- Start by peeling and cutting the potatoes, onions, and 1 of the carrots into large cubes for the base. Cut the second carrot into smaller cubes, shred the kale (or cut it to your liking), and set aside.
- In a pot, add the potatoes, onion, and carrot, along with the cilantro, and cook in salted water until tender.
- Remove from heat and blend the soup with a hand blender.
- Add the carrots, kale, beans, and sausages to the base and let simmer for about 20 minutes, until the kale and carrots are tender. Remove the sausages and slice them. Drizzle with a good splash of olive oil and adjust the seasoning. It’s ready to eat.
