Sausage, Kale and White Bean Soup

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 pound bulk sweet or spicy Italian sausage
  • 1 onion, sliced thin (about 1 1/2 cups sliced onions)
  • 2 large cloves garlic, sliced thin
  • 1 pound kale (1 large bunch), stemmed and roughly chopped
  • 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock
  • 1 (15-ounce) can white beans, rinsed and drained, or 1 1/2 cups cooked white beans
  • Salt and pepper
  • Splash of vinegar (cider, red wine, or sherry vinegar)

Method:

  1. Cook the sausage:
  2. Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat and add the bulk sausage; if you can’t find bulk sausage, remove the casings on the links.
  3. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the sausage is mostly cooked. Remove with a slotted spoon to a bowl.
  4. Add the onion slices to the pan and increase the heat to high. Cook until the edges of the onions brown, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
  5. Return the sausage to the pan with the onions.
  6. Add the kale, sprinkle salt over everything, then add the chicken stock. Cover the pan, lower the heat to medium and cook for 2 minutes.
  7. Uncover, mix everything well (the kale will have cooked down by now) and add the beans.
  8. Cover the pot again and lower the heat to low. Cook another 5 minutes, then turn off the heat.
  9. Let stand 5 minutes, sprinkle with a splash of vinegar and serve.

You can use turkey sausage, or ground turkey if you would like. Also you can use spinach, arugula, beet greens or collard greens in place of kale.

You can sprinkle a little cheese on top if you would like as well! Serve with some toasted garlic bread and enjoy!