It’s seems odd to have soup for dinner in August… am I right?
Here’s how it happened: On Saturday, Mr. EN and I had planned to attend our annual summer family birthday party when one of our family members texted to tell us she had been exposed to Covid on Friday at work. B-U-M-M-E-R.
Needless to say, even though the party was going to be held outside, with appropriate social distancing measures in place, we collectively decided it would be in everyone’s best interest to reschedule our party for another date.
Guess who got stuck holding a big bag of kale??? Yours truly! Now I definitely consider myself a kale-lover, but I don’t love kale enough to eat four large bunches of it in a week! So, after making a giant Kale Caesar – that will last Mr. EN and me for 3 or 4 days – I decided to make this killer, freezer friendly, Instant Pot Spicy Kale and Sausage Bean Soup.
This Instant Pot Spicy Kale and Sausage Soup is…
- Cancer-fighting, antioxidant-rich and phytochemical packed –look at all those colors!
- A good source of sat-fat free, vegetarian protein from the garbanzo beans
- Loaded with flavor – just a little sausage goes a long way in this soup!
- High in fiber – all those veggies!
- Extremely easy to make
Are you already dreaming about Soup Season? Do you need a freezer-friendly soup for some day in October when you just don’t feel like cooking? Do YOU have four extra bunches of kale lying around your kitchen? (I hope not!) Haul out your Instant Pot and get cooking! Michigan Soup Season is right around the corner.
Trending in the EN Kitchen – Alessi Red Wine Vinegar purchased at our local Wal-Mart store
Peace, love, and good eats from our Empty Nest to yours.
Instant Pot Spicy Kale and Sausage Soup
Yield 6 servings
Ingredients
- ½ pound hot ground sausage
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 large cloves garlic, minced or pressed
- Pinch red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds (chop or crush them a bit)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1 cup chopped carrots
- 1 (14 oz) cans Italian-style diced tomatoes, with juice
- 1 (15 oz) cans garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
- 3 cups chicken broth, low sodium
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 cups washed and chopped kale
- 2-3 teaspoons red wine vinegar
- Optional - 1 teaspoon red miso paste
- Optional- chopped fresh basil or parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Turn on the Sauté setting on the Instant Pot. Add the sausage and break it up. Let it cook, stirring occasionally, for a few minutes.
- Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for a few minutes, until onion slightly softens.
- Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, crushed fennel seeds, oregano and basil. Cook, stirring frequently, until garlic is fragrant (about 1 minute). Don’t let it burn!
- Add the bay leaf, celery, carrots, diced tomatoes with juice, and garbanzo beans. Stir.
- Add chicken broth, salt, pepper, and miso paste if using. Stir.
- Cancel the Sauté setting. Close the lid and set the steam release knob to the Sealing position.
- Set the Instant Pot to High Pressure. Set the timer for 3 minutes. The pot will take several minutes to come to pressure.
- When the cook cycle has finished, turn off the pot and let it sit undisturbed for 10 minutes (a 10 minute natural release). Then turn the steam release knob to the Venting position to release the remaining steam/pressure.
- When the pin in the lid drops back down, open the lid. Carefully stir the soup. Then taste and adjust salt if needed.
- Add the vinegar and kale into the hot soup. Stir and submerge the kale. Put the lid back on the pot. Do not seal it or turn it on. The heat from the soup will wilt the kale. Let sit 5 minutes. Remove the lid and serve with grated Parmesan.
Notes
- To freeze ladle soup into freezer-safe plastic bags or containers. Remove excess air. This soup will keep in the freezer up to six months.
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