A sopa de feijão é um dos pilares da cozinha portuguesa e um prato que evoca memórias de conforto e tradição. Rica, nutritiva e cheia de sabor, esta sopa é uma refeição completa por si só, especialmente nos dias mais frios. A sua base aveludada, obtida ao passar parte dos legumes, contrasta maravilhosamente com os feijões inteiros, a couve e a cenoura, criando uma textura e um sabor que são a verdadeira essência da comida caseira portuguesa.

Ingredientes (6 Pessoas)

  • 1 kg de feijão manteiga ou catarino
  • 6 batatas
  • 6 cenouras
  • 350 gr de abóbora cortada em cubos
  • 1 couve coração cortada em juliana
  • massa cuscus
  • 1,5 l de água
  • sal
  • azeite

Preparação

  1. De véspera demolhe o feijão em água.
  2. Numa panela coloque a abóbora, 850 gr do feijão demolhado e cerca de metade da couve cortada em juliana.
  3. Descasque as batatas e as cenouras.
  4. Corte as batatas em cubos e 5 cenouras em pedaços e junte à panela.
  5. Coloque a água na panela, tempere com sal e azeite e leve ao lume a cozer durante 1 hora e 30 minutos ou até os legumes estarem bem cozidos.
  6. Passado esse tempo, apague o lume e com a ajuda da varinha mágica reduza a sopa a puré.
  7. Volte a levar a panela ao lume e quando o puré começar a ferver adicione o restante feijão, a restante couve em juliana e a cenoura que reservou cortada em rodelas finas.
  8. Deixe cozinhar por 30 minutos.
  9. Junte massa cuscus a gosto, retifique temperos e deixe cozinhar por mais 15 minutos.

Ready to dive into a bowl of authentic Portuguese comfort? Here’s the recipe in English.

Portuguese Bean Soup

There is nothing quite so quintessentially Portuguese as a hearty, nourishing bowl of soup, and this Sopa de Feijão is a perfect example. It’s a classic, rustic dish found in homes all across the country, celebrated for its ability to turn simple, humble ingredients into a deeply satisfying meal. Many Portuguese soups feature a creamy, puréed vegetable base, which is then enriched with whole ingredients for texture—a technique beautifully demonstrated here.

This particular recipe is a wonderful vegetarian version, packed with beans, potato, pumpkin, carrot, and cabbage. The method of blending half the vegetables creates a thick, velvety broth that is both flavourful and substantial, while the whole beans and finely sliced vegetables added later provide a lovely contrast in texture. The addition of small soup pasta, like couscous, turns it from a simple starter into a complete meal, perfect for a chilly evening.

Since you enjoy exploring traditional Portuguese meat dishes, you could easily adapt this recipe by adding some sliced chouriço or bacon. Simply fry the sausage or bacon with a little olive oil at the start before adding the other vegetables to infuse the entire soup with a smoky, savoury flavour. This soup is best served piping hot with a slice of crusty bread for dipping.

Ingredients (Serves 6)

  • 1kg dried butter beans or pinto beans
  • 6 medium potatoes
  • 6 medium carrots
  • 350g pumpkin or butternut squash, cut into cubes
  • 1 savoy cabbage or other hearty green cabbage, finely shredded (julienned)
  • Soup pasta (such as couscous or other small shapes)
  • 1.5 litres of water
  • Salt, to taste
  • Olive oil, for drizzling

Method

  1. The day before, soak the beans in plenty of cold water.
  2. Drain the beans. In a large pot, combine the pumpkin, about 850g of the soaked beans, and roughly half of the shredded cabbage.
  3. Peel the potatoes and carrots.
  4. Cut the potatoes into cubes and 5 of the carrots into chunks and add them to the pot.
  5. Pour the water into the pot, season with salt and a generous drizzle of olive oil, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and let it simmer for about 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are very tender.
  6. Once cooked, turn off the heat and use a hand blender to purée the soup until smooth.
  7. Return the pot to the heat. When the purée begins to boil, add the remaining whole beans, the rest of the shredded cabbage, and the final carrot, which you have reserved and cut into thin rounds.
  8. Allow to cook for 30 minutes.
  9. Add the soup pasta to your liking, check and adjust the seasoning, and let it cook for another 15 minutes, or until the pasta is tender.