Sopa caramela is a stew made with catarino beans, either butter or wine-colored depending on preference, sausages, lean pork (rarely), and fatty cuts like ear, chispe (knuckle), head, or pork belly. These ingredients are seasoned with onion and garlic and accompanied by carrots, turnips, potatoes, cabbage, and kale—traditionally sourced from the garden.

The soup is finished with a drizzle of olive oil and a bit of elbow pasta to add body and consistency. It is a traditional Portuguese soup from the Pinhal Novo area that originated in the 16th century and was brought by rural workers from Beira Litoral and Baixo Mondego, who settled there in the 19th century.