Fall Soup With Barley, Kale And Sausage

When it’s not 95° outside, I actually like being in my kitchen. Turning the oven on isn’t akin to inviting the devil to take residence in my studio apartment with only one window AC unit. In the fall, I don’t leave my freezer door open as much to avoid heat flashes in my early 20’s. I am now living in Birmingham, AL and unlike Florida, the weather is super pleasant and is expected to stay that way. Making soup becomes fun! Eating soup becomes even more fun. I even attempted making my own stock for this soup because the weather said I could. And when it’s a cool 70° outside, I’ll make all the soup it tells me to.

Like the weather, changes are a comin’! Stupid Good is undergoing a facelift and I’m adding a few new features like a recipe plugin, complete with printing capabilities. Expect some a series in the next month or so and I will also be posting for Cooking Light’s Simmer and Boil cookbook review. Exciting things are happening in the next few months! Check back for more Stupid Good and be sure to follow on Facebook and Instagram to get all the updates.

Fall Soup with Barley, Kale, and Sausage

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

1 hour, 30 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Hearty, flavorful and anything with kale means “healthy”, right? This soup makes for an awesome lunch; I’ve been taking mine in empty Talenti Gelato containers. For a vegetarian option, omit the sausage and go straight to olive oil to saute the onions.

Ingredients

• 2 ounces sausage, removed from casing
• 1-1/2 cups onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup carrot, skinned and chopped into 1-inch pieces
• 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• 1 potato, peeled and chopped
• 1 cup barley
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 3 cups kale, chopped

Instructions

1. In a large stock pot over medium-high heat, cook the sausage until golden brown and cooked through. Remove from pan.
2. In the sausage drippings, saute the onions until slightly translucent. Add garlic, carrot and celery. Cook for 1 minute. Add salt and pepper.
3. Add stock and potatoes, bring to a boil.
4. In a separate small sauce pot, cook barley to package directions, but leave off a few minutes to avoid cooking thoroughly. When you put the barley back into the soup, the residual heat will do the rest!
5. Drain barley and add to the soup. Place thyme into the soup and cover, cook over medium for 1 hour.
6. Before serving, stir in kale and sausage. Garnish with shaved parmesan and enjoy on a cozy fall night!