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Portuguese Bean Soup Recipe

Portuguese Bean Soup

iamwinfred
This Portuguese Bean Soup recipe is a thick, smoky, deeply savory New England classic built on chourico or linguica sausage, kidney beans, potatoes, and cabbage. It's the kind of one-pot meal that fills the kitchen with a Sunday afternoon aroma and tastes even better the next day. Simple, forgiving, and perfect for feeding a crowd, it's a comforting taste of Portuguese-American tradition.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes
Course Soup
Cuisine Spanish
Servings 8 servings
Calories 380 kcal

Equipment

  • Large Dutch oven or heavy stockpot
  • Sharp chef's knife
  • Cutting board
  • Wooden spoon
  • Ladle
  • Colander for draining beans

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound chourico or linguica sausage sliced into rounds
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 2 medium Yukon gold potatoes peeled and diced
  • 2 medium carrots peeled and sliced
  • 2 15 ounce cans dark red kidney beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 15 ounce can crushed tomatoes
  • 6 cups beef broth low-sodium recommended
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika preferably Spanish
  • 1/2 small green cabbage roughly chopped
  • 1 cup elbow macaroni
  • salt to taste
  • black pepper to taste
  • red wine vinegar for serving

Instructions
 

  • Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Brown the sliced sausage in a single layer for 4-5 minutes, then transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat in the pot.
  • In the same pot, sauté the diced onion in the sausage fat for 3-4 minutes until soft and translucent. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant, scraping up any browned bits.
  • Return the sausage to the pot with the potatoes, carrots, beef broth, crushed tomatoes, bay leaves, and smoked paprika. Season with salt and pepper, bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer.
  • Partially cover the pot and let it simmer for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes and carrots are fork-tender but not falling apart.
  • Stir in the drained kidney beans and chopped cabbage, pushing the cabbage into the liquid. Simmer uncovered for 15 more minutes until the cabbage is tender and beans are heated through.
  • Stir the elbow macaroni directly into the soup and simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender. Add extra broth or water if the soup is too thick.
  • Remove and discard the bay leaves. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Ladle into bowls and serve hot with red wine vinegar on the side.

Notes

  • Brown the sausage well for maximum flavor—this step builds the savory base of the soup.
  • Don't skip the red wine vinegar at the table; it brightens the rich broth.
  • If making ahead, hold off on adding the macaroni until reheating, as it will soften too much if left in the soup.
  • Use low-sodium beef broth to better control the final saltiness of the dish.
  • Let the soup rest for 10 minutes off the heat before serving to allow the flavors to settle.
  • For a milder flavor, swap the kidney beans for cannellini beans or use kale instead of cabbage.
  • Add a diced ham hock along with the sausage for an extra layer of smoky flavor.
  • For a lower-carb version, simply leave out the elbow macaroni.
  • This soup freezes beautifully for up to 3 months—freeze before adding the macaroni for best results.
  • If using dried beans instead of canned, soak overnight and cook separately until tender before adding to the soup.

Nutrition

Serving: 1BowlCalories: 380kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 20gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 45mgSodium: 890mgPotassium: 700mgFiber: 8gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 45IUVitamin C: 30mgCalcium: 8mgIron: 15mg
Keyword bean soup recipe, chourico soup, linguica soup, new england soup, portuguese bean soup
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