Spicy Sausage and Kale Soup
This recipe was inspired by a soup enjoyed enjoyed in the kitchen of Nachama Wilker, who is a gifted cook. While we’ve modified it to meet the time constraints of the harried chef, it is still delicious and makes enough to enjoy leftovers. Save time by adding the ingredients as you go, and chopping the next addition while the soup simmers.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. spicy sausage such as chorizo (use wheat/gluten-free, if needed), or use mild sausage if your family prefers it, or meatless sausage
- 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 yellow onion quartered and thinly sliced
- 6 cloves garlic minced, about 1 Tbsp.
- 64 oz. reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable broth (or use any variety)
- 12 oz. kale or other hearty greens coarsely chopped
- 6 red potatoes halved and thinly sliced
- 28 - 30 oz. canned kidney or pinto beans or for a lower sodium option, rinse the beans and refill the cans with clean water
- 1/2 - 1 cup low fat sour cream or plain Greek yogurt(or use any variety)
Instructions
- Remove the casings from the sausage (or dice the pre-cooked sausage). Heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium heat and brown the sausage.
- Add the onions and garlic and cook it, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes. Add the broth, 4 cups of water, the kale, and potatoes and bring it to a boil.
- Cover and simmer it for 10 minutes.
- Add the beans and stir it until it is heated through.
- Serve it immediately or refrigerate it for up to 3 days. Stir in the sour cream for a creamier taste, or add it at the table to individual bowls, if desired.
Slow Cooker Directions
- Remove the casings from the sausage (or dice the pre-cooked sausage) and brown it in a large skillet following the directions above. Place the sausage in the slow cooker. Add the onions, garlic, kale, potatoes, and beans. Cover it with as much broth as will comfortably fit in your slow cooker (if there is still room, add the water). Stir well, cover and cook 8 - 10 hours on low or 6 - 7 hours on high. Add extra broth as needed to get desired consistency. Stir in the sour cream just before serving, or add it at the table, if desired. (Slow cooker cooking times may vary—Get to know your slow cooker and, if necessary, adjust cooking times accordingly.)
Notes
Do Ahead or Delegate: Quarter and slice the onion, peel the garlic, chop the kale, halve and slice the potatoes and store submerged in water for up to 24 hours to prevent browning, or fully prepare and refrigerate the soup.
Scramble Flavor Booster: Serve the soup with freshly ground black pepper.
Tip: If you have enough leftover soup, send it to school with your kids the following day. When I send my kids to school with a thermos of soup, I warm up the inside of the thermos first by filling it with hot water and letting it sit for a few minutes before replacing it with the soup.
Nutritional Information Per Serving (% based upon daily values):Calories 200, Total Fat: 5g, 8%; Saturated Fat: 2g, 8%; Cholesterol: 20mg, 7%; Sodium: 590mg, 25%; Total Carbohydrate: 27g, 9%; Dietary Fiber: 5g, 20%; Sugar: 2g; Protein: 13g
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