Sausage and Kale Soup

1. 1
   prep

   Prep the vegetables and sausage.

   1.Dice the onion, carrot, and celery into small, even pieces.

   2.Peel and cube the potatoes into bite-sized chunks.

   3.Remove stems from kale and roughly chop the leaves.

   4.Remove casings from the sausage and crumble the meat.
2. 2
   saute · ~7 min

   Brown the sausage.

   1.Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.

   2.Add crumbled sausage and cook, breaking it up, until browned (5-7 minutes).

   3.Transfer sausage to a plate with a slotted spoon, leaving drippings in the pot.

   TIPDon't crowd the pot—browning the sausage in batches gives deeper flavor.
3. 3
   saute · ~7 min

   Sauté the aromatics and vegetables.

   1.Add onion, carrot, and celery to the pot with a pinch of salt.

   2.Cook until softened and onion is translucent (5-6 minutes).

   3.Stir in garlic and red chili flakes, cooking until fragrant (30 seconds).
4. 4
   simmer · ~15 min

   Add potatoes and water, then simmer.

   1.Return the browned sausage to the pot.

   2.Add cubed potatoes and pour in the water.

   3.Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low.

   4.Cover and simmer until potatoes are fork-tender (12-15 minutes).

   TIPKeep the lid slightly askew to maintain a gentle simmer.
5. 5
   simmer · ~5 min

   Wilt the kale into the soup.

   1.Add the chopped kale in handfuls, stirring to submerge.

   2.Simmer uncovered until kale is tender but still bright green (4-5 minutes).

   3.Season with salt and black pepper.

   TIPDon't overcook the kale—it should be tender with a slight bite.
6. 6
   mix

   Finish with lemon juice.

   Remove the pot from heat. Stir in the fresh lemon juice to brighten the flavors.

   TIPLemon juice balances the richness of the sausage—don't skip it.
7. 7
   serve

   Ladle into bowls and garnish with parmesan.

   Divide the soup among serving bowls. Top each with a generous sprinkle of grated parmesan cheese and a crack of black pepper.

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