Sausage and Red Russian Kale Soup Recipe with Tomatoes, Chickpeas, and Herbs

This week it snowed in Salt Lake and I was home sick with that coughing thing teachers get each year from being around too many small people with germs. I didn't feel much like cooking, so I was very glad to have soup in the freezer that I'd made in August when my garden was overflowing with Red Russian Kale. In the soup I used Colosimo's Tuscan Sausage, made by a local Utah company, and also added some fresh herbs from my garden. There must be a thousand variations on soups like this with sausage, kale, and beans, but I thought this version was delicious.

Weekend Herb Blogging is focused on cooking with herbs and unusual vegetables, and this soup with Red Russian Kale and the added bonus of rosemary and sage is my entry for this week. WHB is now sponsored by Haalo from Cook (almost) Anything At Least Once, and this week it's traveling to Singapore where the host is Wiffy from Noob Cook. Here are the rules for Weekend Herb Blogging if you'd like to participate.

Start by sauteeing chopped onion in olive oil for a few minutes, then add garlic, finely chopped fresh rosemary, and sage and saute a few minutes more.

I squeezed the sausage out of the casings and browned well before adding it to the soup. Any type of flavorful sausage would work.

Red Russian Kale might have been my favorite garden crop this year. I don't like long stringy pieces of greens in soup, so I chopped it fairly well. You could use any variety of kale, but some of the more curly types will require a bit longer cooking time.

The soup simmered for about 30 minutes with the onions, herbs, sausage, chicken stock, and tomatoes. Then I added the chopped kale and garbanzos and simmered for about 45 minutes more.

Sausage and Red Russian Kale Soup with Tomatoes, Chickpeas, and Herbs
(Makes about 6 servings, recipe created by Kalyn)

1 large onion, chopped
2-3 tsp. olive oil (depending on your pan)
2 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary (or use 1 tsp. dried rosemary, crushed)
3 tsp. finely chopped fresh sage (or use 1 1/2 tsp. dried rubbed sage)
1 T finely minced garlic
12 oz. Colosimo's Tuscan Sausage (3 links) or use other sausage type of your choice
10 cups chicken stock (I use homemade chicken stock but you can use canned or bottled chicken broth)
2 cans diced tomatoes with juice (14.5 oz. can)
1/4 cup tomato sauce (freeze the rest if you're opening a can)
1 tsp. Vegeta seasoning (optional, but good in soups like this)
fresh ground black pepper to taste
1 large bunch Red Russian Kale or other type kale, washed well and finely chopped
2 cans chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed well (15 oz. can)
freshly grated parmesan for serving (optional)

Heat 2 tsp. olive oil in heavy frying pan over medium heat, then add chopped onion and saute 3-4 minutes, until onion is soft. Lower heat a little and add garlic, chopped rosemary, and chopped sage, and saute 2-3 minutes more. Put onion-herb mixture into large soup pot with 10 cups chicken stock and start to simmer.

Add 1 more tsp. olive oil to frying pan if needed and turn heat back to medium. Squeeze sausage out of casings and cook, breaking apart with metal turner, until sausage is browned and well broken apart. Add sausage to pot with simmering chicken stock. Add canned tomatoes and juice, tomato sauce, black pepper, and Vegeta seasoning if using. Simmer about 30 minutes over low heat.

While soup simmers, wash kale, spin or shake dry, and finely chop into ribbons, then turn cutting board and chop again going the opposite way. Drain chickpeas (garbanzos) into metal colander placed in the sink and rinse with cold water until no more foam appears.

After about 30 minutes, add kale and garbanzos to simmering soup mixture. Simmer about 45 minutes more, until kale is completely softened, and all flavors are well blended. Serve hot. This would be great with freshly grated parmesan.

South Beach Suggestions:

Every ingredient in this soup would be a great choice for the South Beach Diet or any other low-glycemic eating plan.

More Ideas for Cooking with Red Russian Kale:
(Recipes from other blogs may not always be South Beach Diet friendly; check ingredients.)
Red Russian Kale and Red Cabbage Slaw
Red Russian Kale and Red Onion Savory Breakfast Squares
Red Kale and Cheese Omelet for Two
Autumn Harvest Soup with Kale, Butternut Squash and Farro
Rustic Red Kale and White Bean Soup from Fat Free Vegan Kitchen
Kale Pesto from I (heart) Kale
Kale Frittata from Too Many Chefs
Kale and Sweet Pea Soup with Mint from She's in the Kitchen

(Find even more Red Russian Kale Recipes with Food Blog Search.)

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