Hearty Sausage and Kale Soup

Hearty Sausage and Kale Soup

Magnolia Table is one of my favorite cookbooks to cook from lately.  We love almost every recipe in there, but the things I love most in this recipe book are all the soups!  This soup is a good and easy soup to make in a pinch and always good on a rainy day.  The brothy soup is a good balance between broth and the other ingredients so you get an even bite every time!  Plus if there is some broth left, it is a good bread sopper!

Sausage and Kale Soup (from Magnolia Table)

1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil (I used Coconut and it was fine!)

14 oz smoked sausage cut into 1/2 inch medallions

8 tablespoons of salted butter

1 large white onion

1 pound red new potatoes cut into 1/2 inch dice (I used regular red potatoes)

4 celery stalks cut into 1/2 inch dice

2 carrots peeled and cut into 1/2 inch dice

1/4 cup all purpose flour

Two 32 oz boxes vegetable broth

Salt

1 tsp ground black pepper

1 pound baby kale (I have family members who aren't kale fans, so I definitely use only a few cups)

1. In a large pot or dutch oven, heat the oil (vegetable or coconut) over medium high heat.  Add the sausage and fry until browned (5-7 minutes).  Transfer the browned sausage to a bowl leaving behind any oil used or any fat that abandoned the sausage.

2. Add the butter to the pot and melt (don't brown the butter!).  Add the onions, potatoes, celery, and carrots and cook until the onions are translucent and the vegetables are softened.  

3. Stir in the flour and mix for about a minute.

4.  Add the broth a little at a time and mix until incorporated completely (almost how you'd add liquid to a roux).  After all the vegetable broth is in, add the sausage back and add pepper and salt to taste.  Increase the heat until you get a boil. 

5. Reduce the heat to a simmer and simmer the soup for about 30 minutes.

6.  Next add the kale and simmer until wilted.  I like my kale kinda bright green still, but you can wilt longer if needed. 

7.  Guess what..... your soup is ready!  ENJOY!

Sous Chef loves to help with this soup!