Sausage & Kale Soup with your choice of sausage and filler (Potatoes, Pasta, Rice). Have it with some freshly baked buttered dinner rolls.
This version is my own style on the classic Portuguese Chorizo & Kale Soup, AKA Caldo Verde. Which is made from Portuguese Chorizo & Kale with added vegetables and aromatics. This recipe is inspired by that dish. Although in this recipe, any kind of good quality Sausage can be used. I used Spicy Portuguese Chorizo Sausage. What a Fantastic Soup! Perfect for the fall.
It’s surprising just how many places use the Classic Sausage & Kale Soup combination. Every country has its own version of it.
Sausage & Kale Soup Base
The Soup Base consists of Chicken Broth made from Maggi Chicken Bouillon Cubes. Use 4 Bouillon Cubes for 8 Cups of water. Use a few Bay Leaves for additional flavoring.
There are 3 key ingredients that I like to add to my version of Sausage & Kale Soup that I believe elevates this soup into something spectacular.
Cream of Tartar is used to introduce Acidity. It also protects the color of vegetables added to the soup.
Butter Popcorn seasoning is, well I mean come on, Butter and Meat Flavors. It’s a very surprising ingredient that really elevates the flavor of soups, bringing with it a pronounced buttery flavor while at the same time contributing salt. I use it for my Poultry Soup and in a whole bunch of other recipes.
A bit of Barley is added to very slightly thicken the soup. I don’t like watery soup. This can be left out if you don’t mind it. Although, Barley Flour holds some pretty powerful health benefits. For this reason, I like to use Barley Flour as the thickener where it’s applicable.
Sausages
How you prepare the Sausage in preparation for this soup and how small or large you like the sausages is a matter of preference.
Some like it cubed while others like it in large chunks, some won’t even bother removing the skin, and just chop the sausage in 1/4 sections. Either way you do it, It’s important to get a good quality sausage, as this is the main flavoring of the soup base.
For Portuguese Style Soup, use Portuguese Chorizo Sausage. I just slice and strip the meat away from the casing and use it as is. These are phenomenal sausages that you have to try at least once in your life.
Vegetables in Sausage & Kale Soup
Kale is the main vegetable in this dish. With Onion & Garlic added for flavor. For the kale, strip the leaves off the Stem and chop. We only want the leaves in the soup.
The addition of Leek and sometimes peppers in general work really well with Sausages.
Filler Ingredient
Potatoes, Pasta, or Rice are the three main filler ingredients in soups, and it all depends on what you are in the mood for on a particular day.
You can also make the soup without the filler ingredients or in order to freeze it. Then cook the filler ingredients separately and add them to the reheated soup. This is useful if making large quantities of the soup.
Add the Cream & Kale and allow the soup to come back to a boil before covering the pot and removing it from the heat. If you like your Kale a bit softer, then add the Kale during the last 2–5 minutes of the soup simmering before covering and removing from the heat.
Potatoes
Add diced Potatoes after the soup has simmered for 10 minutes. Mix the Potatoes around and continue to cook for 10 minutes. Then add the Cream & Kale. Remove the soup from the heat once it starts to boil, cover, and let rest 20 minutes.
Pasta
Add the short Pasta with the Cream & Kale, mix and take the soup off the heat once it starts to boil, cover and let rest 20 minutes.
Rice
Add Rice after the soup has simmered for 10 minutes. Mix and continue to cook for 10 minutes. Then add the Cream & Kale. Remove the soup from the heat once it starts to boil, cover, and let rest 20 minutes.
Sausage & Kale Soup Side Dish
Serve this soup up with some fresh oven baked buttered dinner rolls or slather some butter on bread.
Sausage & Kale Variations
All of the variations can be made with the Sausage and common ingredients associated with a given Cuisine. It all comes down to picking your type of sausage and filler ingredient.
Exchange the broth with different kinds or with other liquids like Broth & Tomato Juice, Broth & and a small amount of wine, or a mix of Broths.
Portuguese Sausage & Kale Soup
Use Portuguese Style Spicy Chorizo Sausage with Potatoes as the Filler and some added white beans, if desired.
Italian Sausage & Kale Soup
Use Spicy Italian Sausage. Exchange some of the broth with Tomato Juice if desired, how much is up to you. Use Pasta as the filler. Add Tomatoes and Peppers.
Equipment
- 1 Stockpot or Large Wok
Ingredients
- 1 lb Sausage - Good Quality
- 2 Tbl Butter
- 1/4 C Heavy Cream
Soup Base
- 8 C Chicken Broth - 4 Maggi Chicken Bouillon Cubes with Water
- 3 Bay Leaves
- 1/4 C Barley Flour
- 1 tsp Butter Popcorn Seasoning
- 1/2 tsp Cream of Tartar
Vegetables
- 3 Cloves Garlic - Chopped
- 1 bunch Kale - Chopped
- 1 Med Onion - Diced
- 1/2 C Leek - Chopped
Your Choice of Filler
- 2 C Potatoes - Diced
- 1 C Short Pasta
- 1 C Rice
Instructions
- Prepare the Vegetables set them aside for now. Keep the Kale separate.Measure out your choice of filler and set this aside. In another bowl, combine the Soup Base and set this aside.Remove the Skin from the sausages and chop to desired size.
- In a Stockpot or large wok add 2 Tbl of Butter and Sausages over medium high heat. Cook for about 3 minutes, constantly mixing before adding in Onion, Garlic, Leek, and cooking for an additional 1 minute, while mixing.
- Add the Soup Base Ingredients and bring to a boil over max heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add in your choice of filler :Pasta: Add Pasta, Cream & Kale, mix well. Remove the soup from the heat once it starts to boil, cover and let rest for 20 minutes.Potatoes or Rice: Add diced Potatoes or Rice, mix well. Continue to simmer for 10 minutes, occasionally mixing. Add the Cream & Kale, mix well. Remove the soup from the heat once it starts to boil, cover and let rest for 20 minutes.
- Remove the Bay Leaves, adjust the seasoning and serve with Dinner Rolls or Buttered Sliced Bread.