sausage and greens noodle soup

Despite that I am a big baby about winter who uses a SAD lamp 12 hours a day and for whom 65°F or lower signals it’s time to wear a fake fur coat inside, I actually do like early fall. It’s a very nest-y season, perfect for cleaning up one’s act and getting back to routines abandoned in May. It’s the one time of year where my house is always clean and my meal plan is immaculate.

But summer is definitely the lower maintenance season as cooking goes. I have gotten used to eating salad with some grilled protein 3-4 nights a week in warm weather. They are the perfect basic, balanced meal that requires minimal prep, no pans, and can be served in a bowl. Salads fulfill an important functional need. Fortunately, soups are just the same template as a salad, plus broth. The components are all there, just traded for their winter alternates: from delicate peppery greens to sturdy thicc leaves, grilled proteins to braised ones. Carbs and cheese still make regular appearances. Bonus: soups can also hang out in the fridge, ready for weekday lunch reheating. Salad is not known for improving over time.

There’s a reason this recipe is fairly non-specific—the margin for error is high, and the threshold for success is low. You can use any leafy dark green you want here; I’ve used chard, escarole, and kale, and all of them are good. The sausage can be hot, sweet, or mild; pork, chicken, or Beyond. The cavatelli can easily be small shells, ditalini, orzo, or ancini de pepe (often sold in the states as Israeli couscous). The chilis aren’t necessary, but they add some welcome pizza parlor oiliness. You can top with cheese, or not. This is your template, and it’s yours to do with as you wish. The flavors I chose here are inspired by my preferred deep dish toppings—sausage, basil, garlic, with lots of dried oregano—just in a form factor you can eat on the sofa with a spoon. Just thinking about it makes me want to put on socks.

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RECIPE

Sausage, greens, noodles, and savory Italian herbs are laced with hot chilis and simmered for just an hour in this cozy, weeknight-friendly one pot soup.

Effortful time: 15 minutes

Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Serves: 4

YOU NEED

  • 1 lb Italian sausages, chicken or pork, mild or hot

  • 1 tbsp. olive oil

  • 1 small onion, chopped

  • 6 cloves garlic, finely sliced

  • 8 cups chicken broth

  • 1 tbsp. oregano

  • 1 tbsp. basil

  • 1 tbsp. parsley

  • 1 tsp. thyme

  • 1 tbsp. chopped Calabrian chilis (you can sub chili flakes if you don’t have these)

  • 4 oz small, short pasta; I used cavatelli

  • 1 bunch kale or other dark leafy green, thick ribs removed if necessary, roughly chopped

  • A drizzle of nice olive oil for finishing

MAKE IT

  1. Cook the sausage. In a large dutch oven (5qt or so), heat olive oil over medium high heat. Slice the sausage skin and remove the meat from the casings. Brown the sausage, breaking up into small pieces as you go, about 5 minutes.

  2. Add the aromatics. When the sausage is brown and has added its grease to the pan, lower the heat to medium-low. Stir in the onions and saute until transluscent, about 5 minutes. Scoot a small space in your dutch oven and let the oil+juices flow in. Toss in the sliced garlic and fry for a minute until fragrant, then stir into the rest of the sausage and onion mixture.

  3. Build the soup. Add the calabrian chilis, oregano, basil, parsley, and thyme and stir to combine. Pour in all of the broth and partially cover. Lower the heat to low and simmer for 45-50 minutes.

  4. Finish the soup. At the 45 minute mark or so, add the pasta and the chopped greens. Cook however long the pasta package directions suggest.

  5. Serve it up. Ladle into bowls and serve, drizzling with the fancy olive oil or topping with cheese if you’re so inclined.

soups & stewsA @ italian enoughhealthyishComment