Italian Sausage Soup

1 lb uncooked Hot Italian sausage

4 cups chicken broth

1 small onion

3 cloves of garlic

1 tsp fresh rosemary or 1/2 tsp dried rosemary

2 carrots

2-3 small turnips (smaller turnips are better and sweeter, large ones will be bitter)

2-3 small yellow potatoes

1 cup of chopped kale

1 cup of sliced mushrooms

1/2 cup of half and half, cream, or milk

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

red pepper flakes

salt and pepper

olive oil

This soup has so much flavor yet it is so incredibly easy. You can make this in the slow cooker and reserve the cream for the end. I make it on the stove top because unlike many soups that get better over time or even the next day, this one has many layers of deliciousness in under one hour.

Begin by peeling your carrots, potatoes, and turnips and chopping them into bite sized pieces. Slice your onion and place in pot w/ a tbsp of olive oil and a dash of salt (1/2 tsp) and begin to sweat. Next place in your sausage and cook while stirring occasionally and crumble into pieces. When the sausage is 3/4 cooked through, drain the fat. Now add your carrots and mushrooms and soften, about 5 minutes. Add another 1/2 tsp of salt and pepper. Throw in the garlic and rosemary. When you can really smell the garlic aromas pour your chicken broth into the pot and add your root vegetables and kale. Bring everything to a boil and then reduce to medium simmer, stirring occasionally. After about 20-30 minutes your soup should be done. You’ll know when the turnips are soft. Now is the time to add your cream, turn off the heat and slowly stir it in. You do not want to add it in at a boil or it will curdle. You can temper it by warming it in a separate pan before adding but I have found just giving the soup a few minutes to cool works too. Serve with parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes for anyone wanting extra heat.