Sausage and Kale Soup

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, diced
4 whole garlic cloves, minced
1 pound sausage, sliced ¼-inch thick
8 whole carrots, peeled and diced
2 cups cooked white beans
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
2 to 3 quarts chicken broth
1 2- by 3-inch piece Parmigiano-Reggiano rind
½ teaspoon dried marjoram
½ teaspoon coarse salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 whole bay leaf
1 pound kale, stems removed, coarsely chopped
2 small zucchini, halved lengthwise, sliced

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in an 8-quart pot over medium heat; add onions. Cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, cook 1 minute. Add sausage; cook until no longer pink. Add carrots, cooking until just beginning to soften.

2. Add beans, tomatoes, broth, rind, marjoram, salt, pepper and bay leaf to sausage mixture and bring to a boil; reduce to simmer. Cook 15 minutes.

3. Remove cheese rind. Add kale and zucchini, cooking until kale is wilted and fully cooked, about 5 to 10 minutes. Remove bay leaf and serve.

Cook’s Tip: Depending on the sausage you purchase, you may need to remove casing before slicing and cooking. Also, as a time saver, use canned white beans that are drained and rinsed before cooking.

Yield: about 6 quarts or 12 servings