Sausage and Sweet Potato Soup

I saw some version of a sausage and kale soup floating around on Pinterest. Last week I wanted soup one night instead of whatever was planned*. The soup was so good it became something that I had to be able to replicate. Around here, soups are made willy let’s throw everything we want into a pot, and then we can never have it again. Last week I paid attention, and this week I replicated it and wrote down the recipe.

Loaded with kale and garlic, I plan on breaking out versions of this anytime I hear a sniffle from the kids. Oh, and if you hate all things hipster and kale, use spinach, just toss it in about a minute before serving. Kale is a much hardier plant, and it takes a little time for the fibrous leaves to soften. The parmesan for garnish is completely optional.

The sausage, onions, and garlic provide enough flavor that you don’t need to fiddle with a lot of seasoning. You may add black pepper if you would like, but I wouldn’t add any more salt unless you are using a low-sodium sausage AND stock.

You are going to need a 6 quart stock pot. Please don’t attempt this in anything smaller; you’ll run out of room. I love that there are plenty of freezable leftovers.

If you don’t like brothy soups, feel free to reduce the beef stock by a quart.

*If I change the menu, my mental guideline is that I need to have everything on hand. This helps reduce extra trips to the grocery store.

Sausage, Kale, and Sweet Potato Soup

• 1 lb bulk sausage -you may use Italian, but I don’t.
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 bell pepper, diced
• 2 ribs celery, chopped
• 1 sweet potato, peeled and diced into 1/2″ inch cubes
• 3 quarts beef stock (I use Better Than Bouillon)
• 3 cans white beans (Cannellini or Great Northern)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced *increase or decrease depending on the likelihood of vampires
• 5 large handfuls of kale
• shredded or grated Parmesan cheese *optional

Instructions

• Brown the sausage over medium-low heat and add the onion, bell pepper, and celery. (You may substitute 2 cups of frozen seasoning blend). Continue to stir frequently until the onions are translucent)
• Add the diced sweet potato and just enough stock to cover the potatoes in liquid. Turn the heat up a little and cover tightly. (This allows the sweet potatoes to cook quickly.)
• As soon as the sweet potatoes are fork-tender, add the beef stock, beans, and garlic. Depending on your stove and cookware, you may turn up the heat if your stock pot isn’t thin. ( Thin cookware increases the likelihood of scorching).
• When the soup reaches a simmer, add the kale and cook until the greens are as tender as you prefer. (About ten minutes)
• Ladle into bowls and garnish with Parmesan.

*Slow cooker variation – brown the sausage and then add it to the crock. Add all of the ingredients except the kale and cook on low for at least 5 hours. Turn the setting to high, add the kale and cook for an additional 45 minutes.

Enjoy!