Sausage, potato, and Swiss chard soup

A big pot of hearty soup full of Italian sausage, yellow potatoes, and Swiss chard is a perfect meal for a chilly evening.

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As the weather starts to cool and the daylight begins to get shorter and shorter, soup shows up on our weekly dinner menu more and more. I love soup for many reasons. 

Soup can be an inexpensive meal, it's warming and comforting, it's versatile, and you can add so many different ingredients. There are so many ways to enjoy soup and so many soup recipes.

This soup recipe is a result of our very successful Swiss chard crop in our garden this year. This was my first time growing Swiss chard and I am very pleased with how well it did. We've had this soup a few times now and I've even frozen some chard to use in soups and pastas over the winter. 

I use the leaves only in this recipe. You can discard the stems, or you can save them to chop and cook in a different meal. I haven't added the stems to this soup, but it's certainly possible to incorporate some. I've also made a quick pickle from the stems.

This soup uses bulk Italian sausage. I use mild because I'm cooking for kids as well, but I'm sure hot would be delicious if you like an extra kick of heat. If you use hot you may want to remove the pinch of red pepper flakes from the recipe.

I also use yellow potatoes because they cook up nicely in soups without falling apart too much. Potatoes add a lot of bulk and texture to soups.

For the base I use chicken or vegetable broth with the addition of some milk to add some creaminess. I use just 2% milk with some flour whisked in to keep the soup on the lighter side and because that is what we have in our house. 

Sausage, potato, and Swiss chard soup has been a hit with our whole family. Even the kids enjoy this soup and it's packed full of vegetables like onions, carrots, celery, potatoes, and the Swiss chard. This is a delicious and hearty soup that I'll be making for years to come.

I top this soup with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese for some extra flavor. You can also use some fresh or dried parsley on top for a garnish if you'd like. 

As always, soup makes for delicious leftovers. Soup tends to get more flavorful as it sits for a bit. If you do have leftovers or make it a day ahead, you may need to add a bit more broth or milk when you reheat it as the potatoes will soak up a lot of the liquid as it sits in the refrigerator.

Serve this soup with a loaf of your favorite crusty bread and butter or a loaf of garlic bread for a satisfying chilly weather meal. 

Yield: 4-6 servings

Author: Amy (Savory Moments)

Sausage, Potato, and Swiss Chard Soup

A big pot of hearty soup full of Italian sausage, yellow potatoes, and Swiss chard is perfect for a chilly evening meal.

Ingredients

• 1 pound bulk mild Italian sausage
• pinch of red pepper flakes, optional
  
• 1 small sweet yellow onion, diced
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
• 1 celery rib, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1-1/2 cups milk (2% or whole)
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 yellow potatoes, diced (about 2 heaped cups)
• 3 packed cups finely chopped Swiss chard leaves
• Parmesan cheese, for topping, optional

Instructions

1. In a soup pot or Dutch oven, cook the sausage over medium-low heat, breaking apart with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink. Stir in the red pepper flakes, if using.
   
2. Stir in the onion, carrot, and celery and cook, stirring often, until they just begin to soften. Stir in the garlic and cook for about a minute.
3. At this point, if you notice a lot of fat from the sausage, drain the mixture in a colander. Otherwise, if it looks like there is not a lot of liquid fat, move to the next step.
4. Add the Italian seasoning along with a good pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper.
5. Stir in the broth. In a large glass measuring cup or a medium bowl, whisk together the milk and flour until there are no clumps. Then whisk the milk mixture into the soup.
6. Add the potatoes and Swiss chard to the pot. Let the soup come to a low boil and then cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the soup is slightly thickened and the potatoes are soft. This will be about 15-20 minutes.
   
7. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed. Serve hot in bowls and top with Parmesan and/or parsley, if desired.

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Check out these other soup recipes:

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Cheddar Butternut Squash & Black Bean Chowder

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Roasted Garlic Soup with Kale, Potatoes, & Bacon