Quick Sausage and Kale Soup



Like just about everybody else, I was hit with the flu this past month. The first couple of days, I had absolutely no appetite. Just grapefruit and orange juice and tea, thank you very much. Well, maybe some chocolate ice cream, too. But then, I wanted soup. And not just plain old chicken noodle. I wanted a soup with heft, but not one that was too heavy. This sausage and kale soup fits the bill. I’ve made it many times in the past and it’s easy to modify. Add diced potatoes instead of beans. Or tortellini. Not a fan of kale? Try Swiss chard or spinach.


Ingredients

Olive oil
1 lb. kielbasa or other smoked sausage, cut on the bias into ½-inch rounds
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups chopped kale
1 can Great Northern beans, rinsed
Freshly ground black pepper
Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano



Preparation

• Swirl some olive oil in a large saucepan. Heat the oil over medium heat and then brown the sausage in batches. Remove sausage to a bowl and reserve.

• Add the onion to the pan and sauté, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. When the onion is translucent, add the garlic and stir for a few moments until the garlic is fragrant.

• Add the sausage and any accumulated juices back to the pan and stir.

• Pour in the chicken broth and bring the soup to a simmer, then add the kale. Allow the soup to simmer until the kale is tender, about 15 minutes, or more if you like it softer.

• Add the beans to the soup and simmer until the beans are heated through.

• Ladle the soup into bowls. Top with a few grinds of black pepper and sprinkle with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.

• Serve the soup with crusty bread and good cheese for a hearty, warming meal that will make you feel better from the inside out.



Tags : Beans , Kale , Sausage