I’m pretty sure 2014 is off to a fantastic start, because I’ve somehow gotten very good at math.
For example: eat two bowls of this soup, multiply that by the number of steps from the stove to the table, and you’ve earned that many cookies. Divide the spoonfuls you sneaked from the pot while cooking by the approximate number of red chili flakes in the pot, and that’s how many seconds you should run tomorrow to burn off said cookies. Spoiler: it’s not that many. Welcome to Jessica math.
The square root of the number of little pasta pieces in your bowl? That equals the number of cocktails you’re allowed while preparing the meal.
See? Everyone wins.
If you’d told me three years ago I’d be eating kale at all, I would have laughed. Two years ago and eating raw kale? That would have been even funnier. Even one year ago it felt like a stretch.
Now here I am, eating kale in soup. I almost want to shout it on the street: HEY YOU! I’M EATING KALE! IN SOUP!
I know that sounds obnoxious. Maybe I’m half obnoxious. I don’t quite have the nerve to yell that yet, but it’s tempting.
I’ve also been eating kale in salads sometimes. It’s still a work in progress — I can usually manage about half a kale salad before feeling dramatic — but I’ll take the small victories. In my household, the number of kale salads eaten per week plus flights of stairs climbed equals rewards like mac and cheese, bacon breakfast sandwiches, ice cream sundaes and cheesecake. See? Math is easy.
Some of you might be surprised this soup includes sausage, since I’ve griped about my feelings toward sausage in the past. It’s not my default meat, but I tolerate it when fennel seeds aren’t involved. I used spicy turkey sausage because the brand at my grocery store is lighter on fennel. The original recipe suggests adding fennel seeds with the onion; if you enjoy them, feel free to add them. I’ll think about our friendship if you do — just kidding. Kind of.
Spicy Sausage, Kale and Whole Wheat Orecchiette Soup
Pin Recipe
Leave a Review »
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 sweet onion, diced
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 1 pound spicy Italian turkey sausage
- 1 cup whole wheat orecchiette pasta
- 4 cups fresh kale, remove from stems and torn into pieces
- 1/4 cup freshly grated parmigiano reggiano cheese, plus more for sprinkling
Instructions
-
Heat a large pot over medium-low heat and add the olive oil. Add the diced onion with the salt, pepper and red pepper flakes and cook until the onion softens, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Pour in the chicken stock, increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil.
-
While the stock heats, warm a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Remove sausage from its casing if needed and add to the skillet with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook until browned, about 6 to 8 minutes, breaking into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon. Turn off the heat and set aside.
-
When the stock is boiling, add the orecchiette and cook 8 to 10 minutes until just al dente. Add the kale and stir, cooking for 2 more minutes. Stir in the grated cheese, taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed. Either add all of the sausage into the soup or ladle soup into bowls and top with sausage per serving. Serve with extra cheese for grating. Turn off the heat under the pot to prevent the pasta from becoming too soft.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Be sure to follow @howsweeteats on Instagram and tag #howsweeteats. You can also share a photo on the Facebook page.
I appreciate you so much!
That’s pretty green.