The high the other day was 1°…… 1 FREAKIN’ °!
Now don’t get me wrong, I’ve lived in the northeast for most of my life. But I will NEVER get used to the bitter -25° with wind chill bullcrap we deal with every damn year.
BUT – being the optimist I am (eye roll), I cannot help but look at the bright side….
Cold weather = warm food AND Warm food = SOUP!
Heckkkkk. Yesssss. Do I love soup. So warm and toasty and cozy, yet so flavorful and bold yet balanced. And best of all…EASY. (for the most part – although I did get a hand blender for Xmas so ya’ll about to see some creamed soups so get ready, bitches).
Anyway, for episode one of the “It’s too cold outside and I have nothing better to do” series, we’ve got…
Sausage, Kale and Orzo Soup.
That’s right – freakin’ delicious, tomato-based soup with orzo and pork, but it’s still HELLAAA healthy because there’s kale in it. Duhh.
AND I HAVEN’T GOTTEN TO THE BEST PART!! – the whole thing takes like 30minutes total.
Say what?! Vic’s gotta be drunk again….
Ok… fine… so what if I am?! I’m also serious. 30. Freakin. Minutes.
Over medium-high heat, brown the ground pork (or sausage out of the casing) in a large soup pot. Once browned, remove to a separate bowl or plate.
Add your onions and garlic to the same pan and cook until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Or until your entire home is aggressively overwhelmed by the pungent, garlicky, erotic scent…
Woah. I’m sorry. I let myself get carried away there…
ANYWAY – once the onions and garlic start to soften (and I’ve calmed down a bit), add the orzo and combine. Toasting the orzo a bit gives it a nice texture before we submerge it in deliciousness 🙂
From there, you just about throw everything right on in.
Chicken broth, water, tomatoes, beans, Italian seasoning, red pepper, oregano. Bring it up to a boil until the orzo is mostly cooked – about another 5 minutes.
Add back your pork or sausage and your kale and cook for another 2-3 minutes or until the kale is wilted to your liking, madame.
And BOOM. You’re ready to go.
I FREAKIN’ LOVE SOUP.
Vic's Tricks To...Sausage, Kale, and Orzo Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 lb of ground pork or sausage links out of the casings, chopped
- 1 small yellow onion
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 cup orzo pasta
- 16 oz low-sodium chicken broth
- 3 cups of water
- 2 15-oz cans of diced tomatoes
- 1 can of cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
- 4 stalks of kale, roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon of dried oregano
- 1/2 tablespoon of red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in large soup pot and brown ground pork/sausage
- Remove cooked piece to a plate a set aside
- To the same pan, add onions and garlic and cook until tender, 3-4 mins
- Add orzo to pot and toast lightly for about 2-3 mins
- Add chicken broth, water, tomatoes (with juices), beans, and seasonings
- Bring to a boil and continue to boil and to cook the pasta for about 5 minutes
- Add back the sausage and cook for another 3-5 minutes
- Let the PIPING HOT soup cool, then serve and enjoy!
Happy Eating!
