Traditional Portuguese Sopas: Azorean Beef and Bread Soup

Traditional Portuguese sopas, especially the Azorean sopas do Espírito Santo, is a celebratory dish of tender meat, cabbage, mint-scented broth, and rustic bread. The bread is arranged in a serving dish and softened with hot broth, so every portion is hearty and fragrant; recipes vary among islands and families, and this version keeps the preparation practical for a home kitchen.

Ingredients

2 1/2 lb (1.13 kg) beef chuck, cut into 2-inch (5 cm) chunks
1 1/2 lb (680 g) bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed
12 cups (2.8 L) cold water, plus a little boiling water if needed
1 medium yellow onion, about 5 oz (150 g), peeled and quartered
4 garlic cloves, about 20 g, lightly crushed
1 small head green cabbage, about 1 1/2 lb (680 g), cut into 6 wedges
2 bay leaves, about 1 g
6 whole allspice berries, about 1 g
4 whole cloves, about 0.5 g
1 small cinnamon stick, about 2 g
2 tsp (12 g) fine salt, plus more to taste
1/2 tsp (1 g) freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch fresh mint, about 3/4 oz (20 g), divided
1 lb (450 g) firm, day-old rustic bread, cut into 1/2-inch (1 cm) slices

Instructions

Put the beef in a large, heavy pot and add the cold water. Bring it just to a boil over medium-high heat, skimming off the gray foam that rises during the first few minutes. Lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer rather than a rolling boil. Add the onion, garlic, bay leaves, allspice, cloves, cinnamon, salt, and black pepper. Keep the pot partly covered and simmer for about 1 hour 40 minutes, turning the beef once or twice, until the chunks are tender when pierced with a fork. If the liquid drops below the meat, add a little boiling water.
When the beef is nearly tender, add the chicken thighs and tuck them into the broth. Simmer gently for 35 minutes, or until the thickest part of each thigh reaches 165°F (74°C) on a food thermometer; this is the USDA FSIS safe minimum temperature for poultry. Avoid judging doneness by color alone. Lift out the chicken and beef with a slotted spoon and set them on a platter. Cover loosely to keep warm. If the beef is not fork-tender yet, let it continue simmering and check it again before removing it.
Add the cabbage wedges to the pot and simmer for about 25 minutes, turning them once, until tender but still holding their shape. While the cabbage cooks, taste the broth and adjust the salt. It should taste savory and aromatic, since the bread will absorb a good amount of it. Pick out the bay leaves, cloves, and cinnamon stick; the allspice berries can also be removed if you spot them easily.
Place the bread slices in a deep, heatproof serving dish, overlapping them slightly. Scatter about half of the mint leaves over the bread. Ladle roughly 6 cups (1.4 L) of very hot broth evenly over the slices. Start with less if the bread is especially soft; add more as needed. Let it stand for 10 minutes so the bread absorbs the broth and softens without turning completely to paste.
Arrange the beef, chicken, and cabbage over and around the softened bread. Ladle a little more broth over the meat and finish with the remaining mint leaves. Serve the dish hot at the table, along with a jug or bowl of extra broth so diners can moisten their portions to taste. If your serving dish cannot comfortably hold everything, serve the bread in one dish and the meat and cabbage on a platter.

Tips

Choose bread that can take a soak. A firm country loaf, Portuguese-style wheat bread, or sourdough with a close, sturdy crumb works well. Very airy sandwich bread collapses quickly. If your loaf is fresh, slice it and leave the slices uncovered for several hours, or dry them in a low oven until firm but not browned.
Keep the broth at a quiet simmer. A hard boil can make the beef fibers tighten and can break the cabbage into ragged pieces. Gentle bubbling also makes it easier to skim the broth and keep it clear. If the pot seems to be reducing quickly, lower the heat and add boiling water rather than cold water.
Use mint thoughtfully. Fresh mint is a defining aroma in many Azorean versions. If fresh mint is unavailable, use 1 tsp (about 1 g) dried mint in the broth and omit the finishing leaves; the result is less bright and more muted. Parsley is not an identical substitute, but a small handful can add freshness when mint cannot be found.
Season after the meat has simmered. The broth concentrates as it cooks, and bread absorbs salt as it softens. Begin with the listed amount, taste near the end, then adjust before pouring it over the bread. Keep any additional broth separate so people can choose how soft or soupy they want their portion.

Serving Suggestions

Serve sopas as a substantial shared main course, with the bread and broth at the center and the meat and cabbage arranged on top or alongside. Put extra hot broth on the table; some people like the bread just moistened, while others prefer a generous, almost spoonable pool. A small dish of sliced fresh mint lets diners add more aroma individually. The meal is filling, so a simple green salad or sliced seasonal fruit is usually enough alongside it.

For a family-style meal, separate the components before serving: ladle bread into bowls, then offer pieces of beef, chicken, and cabbage with a little broth. This makes it easier to portion the meat evenly and is helpful if guests prefer different amounts of bread or liquid. Sopas is traditionally associated with Azorean Holy Ghost celebrations, but the same generous format makes sense for a relaxed gathering at home. Keep the serving dish warm and bring it to the table soon after the bread has absorbed the broth; leaving it for a long time makes the bottom layer increasingly soft.

Variations

There is no single version shared by every island or household. Some cooks use beef alone, while others include pork or additional poultry; some add potatoes or other vegetables. For a beef-only pot, replace the chicken with another 1 lb (450 g) of chuck and simmer the beef until tender, allowing extra time if needed. The broth will be richer, but you will lose the softer poultry texture. If including pork, choose a suitable stew cut and cook it until tender rather than adding it only for a brief finish.

For a version with potatoes, add 1 lb (450 g) peeled potatoes cut into large chunks during the final 25 to 30 minutes of simmering, checking that they are tender before serving. They make the dish more substantial and absorb some broth, so have extra hot water ready if the pot becomes too concentrated. A cabbage-free version is possible but will taste less like the familiar vegetable-and-bread style; substitute a few carrots or omit the vegetable rather than expecting them to reproduce cabbage’s flavor.

Spice proportions are also flexible. Keep the cinnamon, cloves, and allspice restrained so they perfume the broth rather than make it taste sweet. If whole spices are hard to find, omit the allspice and cloves and add a small pinch of ground allspice, about 1/8 tsp (0.3 g), with the other seasonings. Ground spices cloud the broth and are harder to remove, so use only a little. A firm Portuguese wheat loaf is traditional where available; sturdy country bread is a practical substitute and gives a similar broth-soaked texture.

Storage and Reheating

For the best texture, store the bread separately from the broth, meat, and cabbage if you expect leftovers. Transfer cooked food to shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours. The beef, chicken, cabbage, and broth keep for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator; softened bread is best within 1 to 2 days, though its texture will become softer as it sits. Do not leave the serving dish at room temperature for longer than 2 hours.

Reheat the broth, meat, and vegetables in a covered saucepan over medium-low heat, adding a splash of water if needed. Stir occasionally and heat leftovers to 165°F (74°C), checking the center with a food thermometer. Reheat only the portions you plan to eat. Warm the bread separately by ladling hot broth over it just before serving, or add it to the pot for the last few minutes if you do not mind a softer consistency. For longer storage, freeze the meat and broth in airtight freezer-safe containers for up to 2 to 3 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat to 165°F (74°C). Cabbage and bread may soften after freezing, so freeze them separately or leave them out and prepare fresh bread when serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Portuguese sopas mean?
In this Azorean dish, sopas refers to bread softened with seasoned broth and served with meat and vegetables. Although the name is often translated as soup, the finished meal can be more like a layered, broth-soaked bread dish than a bowl of thin soup. The exact preparation differs across Portuguese islands and families.

Can I make the broth a day ahead?
Yes. Cook the meat and broth, cool them promptly in shallow containers, and refrigerate within 2 hours. The next day, remove any firm fat from the surface if desired, then reheat the broth and meat until the leftovers reach 165°F (74°C). Cook the cabbage fresh in the reheated broth if you want it to retain more shape, and assemble the bread just before serving.

How do I keep the bread from becoming mushy?
Use firm, day-old bread and pour on hot broth gradually instead of flooding the dish all at once. Let it absorb the first ladleful for a few minutes, then add more until the slices are softened but still recognizable. Bread type and age make a difference: a fresh, open-crumb loaf needs less broth and less standing time than a dense, dry loaf.

Can I prepare sopas without chicken?
Yes. The recipe can be made with beef alone, and beef-only versions are found among regional and household preparations. Increase the beef to about 3 1/2 lb (1.6 kg), keep the broth and seasonings, and simmer until the meat is tender. Since the chicken is omitted, add the cabbage when the beef is nearly done so it does not overcook while the meat softens.

What can I use instead of fresh mint?
Dried mint can season the broth, but its flavor is more subdued and it will not give the same fresh finish. Use about 1 tsp (1 g) dried mint in the pot, taste, and add a little more only if needed. Parsley can be served at the table for a fresh herbal note, though it changes the character of the dish rather than closely imitating mint.

More recipes to cook

Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

Spotted an error? Tell us and we will correct it (corrections policy).