Açorda Alentejana

Name: Açorda Alentejana
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Portuguese
Ingredients: 300g stale country bread, torn into chunks; 6 cloves garlic; Large bunch of fresh coriander (cilantro); 4 eggs; 1 liter water or light chicken broth; 6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil; 1 tsp coarse salt; 1 tbsp white wine vinegar; Salt and white pepper

Açorda Alentejana (ah-SOR-dah ah-len-teh-ZHAH-nah)

Alentejo Bread and Garlic Soup

⏱ Prep Time 25 min

📈 Difficulty Easy

👥 Servings

🔥 Calories 310 kcal

A rustic, soul-warming bread soup from the Alentejo where stale bread is drenched in a garlicky, cilantro-infused broth and crowned with poached eggs. Peasant ingenuity at its most delicious.

Nutrition & Info

Protein 14.0g

Carbs 32.0g

Fat 14.0g

Protein Carbs Fat

Dietary

dairy-free nut-free

Allergen Warnings

⚠ gluten ⚠ eggs

Equipment Needed

mortar and pestle large pot ladle

Presentation Guide

Vessel: deep earthenware bowl

Garnishes: poached egg, olive oil drizzle, coriander sprig

Accompaniments: olives

Ingredients

300g stale country bread, torn into chunks
6 cloves garlic
Large bunch of fresh coriander (cilantro)
4 eggs
1 liter water or light chicken broth
6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp coarse salt
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
Salt and white pepper

Instructions

1
Pound garlic and coarse salt in a mortar until a smooth paste forms. Add coriander leaves and pound into the garlic paste.
2
Transfer paste to a large bowl. Whisk in olive oil to create a fragrant green emulsion.
3
Bring water or broth to a boil with vinegar. Poach eggs one at a time for 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon.
4
Place torn bread in deep serving bowls. Pour the hot broth over the garlic-coriander paste and stir well.
5
Ladle the flavored broth over the bread, ensuring it soaks through. Top each bowl with a poached egg.
6
Drizzle with additional olive oil and serve immediately while the bread is soft but not disintegrated.

💡

Did You Know?

Açorda was originally eaten by farmworkers who would carry bread and garlic to the fields, then ask the cook for hot water to make their meal.

Chef's Notes

Equipment Tips

mortar and pestle
large pot
ladle

Garnishing

poached egg, olive oil drizzle, coriander sprig

Accompaniments

olives

The Story Behind Açorda Alentejana

Açorda is the quintessential dish of the Alentejo, Portugal's vast agricultural heartland where summers are scorching and resources historically scarce. Born from necessity, it transforms the simplest ingredients — stale bread, garlic, olive oil, and herbs — into deeply satisfying food. The addition of eggs elevates it from subsistence to comfort.

🕐 Traditionally enjoyed lunch, supper 📜 Origins: Medieval Alentejo

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