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Two white bowls of Portuguese fennel soup with spoons resting inside and crusty bread on the side.
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5 / 2 votes

Portuguese Fennel Soup

This Portuguese fennel soup, or sopa de funcho, made with fennel, white beans, cabbage, and sausage is a staple in Madeira and the Azores Islands.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 40 minutes
Total Time2 hours
Course: Mains
Cuisine: Portuguese
Servings: 6 to 8 servings
Calories: 597

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups dried white kidney beans
  • 1 pound pork ribs, pig's knuckle, or ham hock
  • 8 cups water, or you can substitute vegetable stock
  • 2 dense bunches feathery fennel leaves, or 2 fennel bulbs with green leaves
  • 1 medium (about 1 cup) onion, finely chopped
  • 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
  • 3 large (about 1 cup) Savoy or regular green cabbage leaves, coarsely chopped (optional)
  • 3 large (about 3 cups) new potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch (25-mm) cubes
  • 1 bunch (about 1/2 cup) scallions, dark green stems removed, thinly sliced crosswise
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 pound linguiça, cut into 1/8-inch (3-mm) rounds (optional)
US - Metric

Instructions

The day before

  • Soak beans overnight in enough water to cover by 2 inches.
  • Rub the meat with 2 tablespoons coarse salt and chill overnight.

The next day

  • Drain and rinse the beans. 
  • Wipe any excess salt from the ribs (or pig's feet) and place in a 4-quart stock pot with the beans and water. Cover, place over medium-high heat, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the meat is tender and the beans are easily mashed, 60 to 90 minutes. Occasionally skim the surface of any impurities.
  • Meanwhile, trim and discard coarse stems from the fine feathery fennel leaves. Finely chop enough leaves to yield 2 cups. (If you are using fennel bulbs, discard the outer layer. Separate sections of the bulbs, rinse well, and coarsely chop.) 
    Chopped dill and fennel for Portuguese fennel soup.
  • Add the onion, garlic, bay leaf, cloves, and black pepper to the pot. Simmer for 5 minutes. then toss in the fennel leaves, and chopped bulb if using, along with the cabbage, potatoes, scallions, olive oil, and sausage, if using. Return the soup to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and continue to simmer until the potatoes are done and the cabbage is tender, about 20 minutes. 
    Piles of chopped scallions, garlic, fennel, cabbage, and potatoes for Portuguese fennel soup.
  • Usually this soup needs no additional salt, but taste and season to your preference.

Nutrition

Serving: 1portion | Calories: 597kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Monounsaturated Fat: 18g | Cholesterol: 109mg | Sodium: 535mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 1g