Yep, it’s snowing again. Looks like winter is here to stay. Time to hunker down and do the obvious – make some soup. After all, if you’re stuck in your house, it might as well smell good with something simmering on the stove.
Growing up, my dad always made concoctions with beans and greens (and this was back in the day when kale wasn’t cool and trendy and most people thought it was a weed). So whenever I make or eat something with beans and greens, I think of him. This recipe is my effort to make a soup/stew like my dad’s.
Here’s what you’ll need:
1 1/2 pounds sweet Italian sausage
6 cloves garlic
1 medium onion
1 quart chicken stock or broth
2 cups dry ditalini pasta
Big bunch of kale
2 cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
salt and pepper
olive oil
Sharp aged provolone and crusty bread for serving
Heat a little olive oil in a giant pot. Remove the sausage from its casings and crumble into pieces (or you can leave the sausage in its casings and just slice it up). Add it to the pot and brown the sausage.
While the sausage is browning, dice the onion and mince the garlic. Add them to the sausage.
Once the sausage is looking nice and brown and the onions have softened, add the chicken stock along with a couple cups of water to the mixture. Let it heat to a gentle boil.
Now you’ll add your pasta. Isn’t ditalini the cutest pasta ever?
Warning: Only add the pasta at this point if you plan on serving the soup immediately. If you are making this meal ahead, then hold off on the pasta. Instead, cook the pasta separately and add it to the sausage kale soup when you’re ready to serve it. Otherwise, the pasta will suck up all the liquid and turn to mush.
While the pasta is cooking in the pot, chop up the kale. It may seem like a lot, but just like spinach, it’ll cook down.
Then add the kale to the pot.
Then toss in the beans. Mix it all together and let it simmer for a few minutes.
While the soup is simmering, grate some aged sharp provolone. As you might have noticed by now, I add cheese to pretty much everything.
Now tear off a big chunk of crusty bread and start eating!
Makes you feel warm all over. Enjoy!
