Caldo de Peixe
Also known as: Caldo de peixe cabo-verdiano, Cape Verdean fish soup, Caldo di pexe
Caldo de Peixe is a Cape Verdean fish soup built on grouper, tuna or wahoo simmered with cassava, sweet potato, green banana and cabbage. It arrives with a wedge of cuscuz or a bowl of rice, and costs $4 to $8.
| Dish type | Main course |
|---|---|
| Country | Cape Verde |
| Key ingredients | Grouper, wahoo or tuna, Cassava, Sweet potato, Green banana, Cabbage, Onion, garlic and tomato +2 more |
| Vegetarian | No |
| Spicy | No |
| Typical price | $4 to 8 a bowl |
| Also known as | Caldo de peixe cabo-verdiano, Cape Verdean fish soup, Caldo di pexe |
| Served with | Cuscuz, Bread or rice, Homemade chilli sauce (molho de pimenta), Lime |
Caldo de peixe is what most Cape Verdeans eat on a weekday when they are not eating cachupa. It is a fish soup in the Atlantic island tradition: a whole fish or thick steaks, usually garoupa (grouper), serra (wahoo) or tuna, simmered in a broth built from onion, garlic, tomato, bay leaf and a splash of olive oil, with chunks of cassava, sweet potato, green banana and cabbage cooked in the same pot until everything is soft. Some cooks add a handful of rice or a few pieces of corn on the cob. The result is a big, brothy bowl where the starches thicken the liquid and the fish falls away from the bone.
The flavour is clean and mild, sweet from the root vegetables and banana and savoury from the fish stock, with a spoonful of homemade chilli sauce on the side for those who want it. It is eaten in the coastal towns above all, and the best bowls come from small restaurants near the fish markets in Mindelo and Praia, where the catch is a few hours old. A portion runs 400 to 800 escudos, about $4 to 8, and it comes with a wedge of cuscuz, bread or rice to soak up the broth. Caldo de peixe is also the traditional cure for a night of grogue, sold from early morning in market cafes, and it is the soup you will be offered in a Cape Verdean home when you are unwell. Order it wherever the menu is handwritten and the fish is displayed on ice.
How It's Eaten
Served in a deep bowl with the fish and vegetables in the broth, eaten with a spoon and a wedge of cuscuz or bread on the side. Chilli sauce and lime are added at the table. It is a lunch and early-evening dish, and a breakfast dish in market cafes.
Cultural Context
Fish has always been the protein Cape Verde could count on when the rains failed, and caldo de peixe is the simplest way to stretch a single fish across a family with the root vegetables and green bananas from the garden. It is home cooking rather than restaurant food, closely related to the fish soups of the Azores and Madeira, and it is the dish Cape Verdeans cook for someone who is sick or hung over. Mindelo, the fishing and port city of Sao Vicente, is especially proud of its version.
Variations
Caldo de peixe com arroz
Made with rice cooked into the broth, thicker and more filling.
Caldo de garoupa
Made specifically with grouper, the most prized fish for the soup, often the priciest version on the menu.
Buzio
A related stew of sea snails simmered with the same vegetables and a richer, darker broth, found mostly on Sal and Sao Vicente.
Where to Try Caldo de Peixe
mindelo
Restaurants beside the Mercado de Peixe on the waterfront, Small lunch spots in the streets behind Praca Nova
praia
Cafes around the fish market at Praia Negra, Local restaurants on the Plateau at lunchtime
santa maria
Restaurants near the fishing pier where the morning catch is sold
Frequently Asked Questions
What is caldo de peixe?
Caldo de peixe is Cape Verde's everyday fish soup. Grouper, wahoo or tuna is simmered with cassava, sweet potato, green banana and cabbage in a light tomato and onion broth, and it is served with cuscuz, bread or rice.
What does caldo de peixe taste like?
Clean and mild, with a sweet, starchy broth from the root vegetables and green banana and a savoury depth from the fish. Chilli sauce is served on the side rather than cooked in, so the heat is up to you.
What fish is used in caldo de peixe?
Usually garoupa (grouper), serra (wahoo) or tuna, whichever came in that morning. Grouper is considered the best and is often the most expensive version.
How much does caldo de peixe cost in Cape Verde?
Roughly 400 to 800 Cape Verdean escudos a bowl, about $4 to 8, in a local restaurant. It is one of the cheapest full meals in the coastal towns and comes with bread, cuscuz or rice.