Caldo de Peixe

Easy·25 min active + 35 min resting

Cape Verdean fish soup — fresh white fish simmered with onion, tomato, potato, cassava, and seasonings into a flavorful broth. Eaten with crusty bread or boiled cassava. The everyday Cape Verdean coastal meal.

Caldo de peixe is the Cape Verdean fish soup, made with whatever fish is fresh from the Atlantic. It pairs Portuguese-style cooking with African staples like cassava.

Caldo de peixe — clear orange broth with chunks of flaky fish, soft potato and cassava, golden onion. Simple, fresh, sea-clean flavor. The Cape Verdean coastal weeknight meal.

Adding fish last preserves texture. Cassava and potato thicken the broth as their starches release.

Variations

With multiple fish types. With shellfish added. With wine.

On the Palate

Where Caldo de Peixe sits in the Cape Verdean flavor cloud

Ingredients

Serves 6

3 + 1 tbsp pasteTomato

How it's made

9 steps · 25 min active + 35 min waiting

1
5 min
Cut 1 kg whole fish into pieces (snapper, sea bass, grouper).
2
1 min
Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a pot.
3
9 min
Sauté 2 chopped onions + 4 garlic 8 min.
Watch out
Soften the onions and garlic to translucent-golden without browning — this sweet base carries the broth; scorched garlic turns it bitter.
4
7 min
Add 3 chopped tomatoes + 1 tbsp paste + 1 tsp paprika + 1 chopped chili; cook 6 min.
5
1 min
Add 1.5 L water + 1 tsp salt + 2 bay leaves + 1 sprig fresh thyme.
6
22 min
Add 400 g cubed potatoes + 200 g cubed cassava; simmer 20 min until tender.
Watch out
Simmer the potato and cassava until fork-tender before the fish goes in — as they soften they thicken the broth; the fish only needs the last few minutes.
7
11 min
Add fish pieces; simmer 10 min until just cooked.
Watch out
Add the fish last and pull it the moment it turns opaque — a few minutes is plenty; simmer it hard and the pieces break apart and toughen.
8
2 min
Stir in 1/4 cup parsley + 1 tbsp lemon juice.
9
3 min
Serve in bowls with crusty bread.