35 min
Instant Pot Lasagna Soup
Italian sausage, broken lasagna noodles and tomato broth deliver the comfort of lasagna with a ricotta-mozzarella finish and one pot to wash.
Instant Pot Family Dinners
Instant Pot Portuguese Caldo Verde with Chouriço & Kale
Potatoes melt into a silky garlic broth while ribbons of kale and smoky chouriço turn this Portuguese-inspired soup into a practical family supper.
Directions
Brown the sausage
Select Sauté Normal on a 6-quart electric pressure cooker. Heat oil, brown the chouriço coins for 3 minutes and transfer them to a plate, leaving the flavored oil behind.
Soften aromatics
Add onion and cook 4 minutes. Stir in garlic for 30 seconds.
Deglaze and load
Pour in 1 cup broth and scrape the heating plate completely smooth. Cancel Sauté, add remaining broth, potatoes, bay leaf, salt and pepper, and stir. Keep all contents below the maximum-fill line.
Pressure-cook
Lock the lid and cook on High Pressure for 5 minutes; allow about 10 to 12 minutes to reach pressure.
Release carefully
Let pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then vent any remainder in controlled pulses. If starchy liquid sputters, close the valve, wait 2 minutes and try again. Open only after the float valve drops.
Create the creamy broth
Discard the bay leaf. Mash roughly half the potatoes directly in the pot, leaving some chunks, or blend two cups of soup and return it. Do not blend the sausage.
Wilt and reheat
Select Sauté Low. Stir in kale and browned chouriço; simmer 4 to 6 minutes until kale is tender and sausage reaches 165°F. Stir in vinegar and adjust salt.
Serve mild-first
Ladle into bowls, finish with a small drizzle of olive oil and put crushed red pepper on the table rather than in the family pot.
Why this works
Why it worksBrowning the sausage first seasons the aromatics while holding it out of pressure prevents a rubbery texture.
Why it worksFive cups of thin broth over a clean base provide ample steam; potatoes thicken the soup only after pressure falls.
Why it worksFine kale ribbons cook during the finishing simmer, preserving their color and keeping the pressure stage predictable.
Useful kitchen gear
Tools that make this easier.
Compare the function and specifications first; skip anything your kitchen already handles well.
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Compare on Amazon6-quart electric pressure cookerThe five-cup thin-broth base, potato load and staged release are calibrated for this family-size pot.See current options →
Compare on AmazonStainless-steel potato masherCoarse mashing thickens the soup while preserving the rustic potato pieces that distinguish caldo verde.See current options →
Compare on AmazonInstant-read thermometerVerify the returned fully cooked chouriço reaches 165°F during the kale-finishing simmer.See current options →
Swaps & notes
Easy swaps
- Use fully cooked kielbasa if Portuguese chouriço is unavailable; the flavor will be less paprika-forward.
- Curly kale works when sliced very thin; allow an extra minute or two to become tender.
- For a meatless soup, omit sausage, use vegetable broth and add 1 teaspoon smoked paprika with the garlic.
Cook notes
- Total time includes about 10 to 12 minutes to reach pressure, the 5-minute cycle, a 10-minute natural release and the kale-finishing stage.
- Use a 6-quart cooker and follow the model manual for minimum liquid, fill limits and valve operation. Do not exceed the maximum-fill line.
- Check the sausage package: this recipe calls for a fully cooked product, not raw fresh sausage.
- Never force the lid or cover the vent with a towel.
Storage
Cool in shallow containers within 2 hours and refrigerate up to 4 days. Reheat to 165°F, loosening with broth because potatoes thicken when chilled. Freeze up to 2 months; thaw overnight and whisk well while reheating.
Questions
Should caldo verde be completely smooth?
No. Mashing about half the potatoes gives the broth a silky body while leaving rustic pieces. Blend more only if your family prefers it.
Why add the kale after pressure cooking?
Thin kale ribbons need only a short simmer. Adding them later avoids dull color, overcooking and extra foam during release.
Can I use russet potatoes?
Yes. Russets break down more readily, so mash less after pressure and expect a thicker, less chunky soup.
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Instant Pot Portuguese Caldo Verde with Chouriço & Kale
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1. Brown the sausageSelect Sauté Normal on a 6-quart electric pressure cooker. Heat oil, brown the chouriço coins for 3 minutes and transfer them to a plate, leaving the flavored oil behind.
2. Soften aromaticsAdd onion and cook 4 minutes. Stir in garlic for 30 seconds.
3. Deglaze and loadPour in 1 cup broth and scrape the heating plate completely smooth. Cancel Sauté, add remaining broth, potatoes, bay leaf, salt and pepper, and stir. Keep all contents below the maximum-fill line.
4. Pressure-cookLock the lid and cook on High Pressure for 5 minutes; allow about 10 to 12 minutes to reach pressure.
5. Release carefullyLet pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then vent any remainder in controlled pulses. If starchy liquid sputters, close the valve, wait 2 minutes and try again. Open only after the float valve drops.
6. Create the creamy brothDiscard the bay leaf. Mash roughly half the potatoes directly in the pot, leaving some chunks, or blend two cups of soup and return it. Do not blend the sausage.
7. Wilt and reheatSelect Sauté Low. Stir in kale and browned chouriço; simmer 4 to 6 minutes until kale is tender and sausage reaches 165°F. Stir in vinegar and adjust salt.
8. Serve mild-firstLadle into bowls, finish with a small drizzle of olive oil and put crushed red pepper on the table rather than in the family pot.