Friday Lunch Recipes
On the first Friday of every month, our very own Chandra T volunteers her time to prepare meals for the Freeport Community Services “First Friday Free Lunch Program.” Her meals are so delicious, that we often receive requests for her recipes. Please enjoy!
SAUSAGE, KALE, & POTATO SOUP
This is a familiar favorite made popular by a certain chain restaurant known for their breadsticks and never-ending pasta bowls. My version omits the dairy, because frankly, you don’t need it. As the days get cooler, this soup is on heavy rotation in my house because it’s easy, inexpensive to make, hearty, and healthy! The sausage is the flavor super star of this dish, so wait until the end to adjust your salt and pepper.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lb ground sausage, casings removed, or sliced into coins if pre-cooked (you can use any sausage you like! I prefer hot Italian sausage, but any flavor will do fine.)
- 1 medium chopped yellow onion
- 2 celery ribs, chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 1 lb potatoes diced into bite-sized pieces ( the smaller they are, the faster they’ll cook)
- 8 cups chicken stock or broth (or beef, or veggie, or water if that’s all you’ve got)
- 1 large bunch green kale stems and ribs removed, chopped (bagged kale greens make the soup come together even faster)
- Salt & pepper to taste
Method
- Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot set over medium heat and add the sausage. Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring often, until browned. You can choose to drain the cooked sausage, but I prefer to reserve at least some of the rendered fat for cooking the rest of the vegetables.
- Add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery and cook for about 8 minutes, until softened.
- Add the potatoes and chicken stock, then cover the pot with a lid, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook until the potatoes are tender.
- Add the kale and cook for 2 minutes, until the kale has wilted. You may need to add the kale in batches depending on the size of your pot, but trust me, it will all fit!
- Make any final seasoning adjustments with salt and pepper and tell the family dinner is ready!
Notes
- I like to serve the soup with rolls or crusty bread and a side of fresh fruit.
- Seriously, any sausage will work.
- I’m lazy and don’t peel my potatoes, but you do you.
- This soup is REALLY good the next day, so don’t worry about having leftovers.