Swamp Soup made with smoked sausage, ground beef, onions, garlic, diced tomatoes, kidney beans, white beans, broth, and fresh collard greens.
A Few Ingredient Notes:
- Smoked Sausage: Andouille sausage is a great choice if you want a little extra Cajun flavor, but your favorite smoked sausage will work.
- Cajun Seasoning: Start with 1 teaspoon and add more to taste. Different blends vary in heat and saltiness.
- Kidney Beans & Navy Beans: Using two types of beans gives the soup a nice mix of color and texture. Drain and rinse them if you want to reduce some of the excess sodium.
- Collard Greens: Fresh sliced collards hold up well during simmering and become tender as they cook.
Dietary Swaps:
- Gluten-Free: The soup can be gluten-free, but check your smoked sausage, Cajun seasoning, and chicken broth to make sure they don't contain gluten.
- Lower Carb: Beans and collards contribute most of the carbohydrates here. You can reduce the beans and add extra collards, but the soup will have a different texture and nutritional profile.
- Dairy-Free: Replace the butter with olive oil or another dairy-free cooking fat.
Tips & Recipe Notes:
- Extra Cajun: Use andouille sausage and increase the Cajun seasoning to taste.
- Spicy Swamp Soup: Add cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, or a few dashes of hot sauce.
- Brown the meat first. Let the sausage and ground beef develop a little color before adding the vegetables. Those browned bits add flavor to the broth.
- Mash a few beans. This is an easy way to thicken the soup without adding flour or cornstarch.
- Give the collards enough time. Collard greens can take a little while to become tender. Start checking them around 20 minutes and keep simmering if needed.
- Adjust the broth as it cooks. The beans and greens will absorb some liquid, so add more broth if the soup gets thicker than you like.
- Taste before salting. Smoked sausage, broth, and Cajun seasoning can all bring quite a bit of sodium.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. This soup also freezes well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat on the stovetop.
Recipe
Swamp Soup
Swamp Soup made with smoked sausage, ground beef, onions, garlic, diced tomatoes, kidney beans, white beans, broth, and fresh collard greens.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces smoked sausage sliced and quartered
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ½ white onion diced
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1-2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
- 1 can fire-roasted diced tomatoes drained
- 1 can kidney beans drained
- 1 can navy beans drained
- 8-12 cups chicken broth
- 4 cups fresh collard greens sliced
Instructions
- In a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the smoked sausage and ground beef for about 4 minutes, until the meat begins to brown. Break up the ground beef as it cooks.
- Add the diced onion and sauté for another 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it begins to soften.
- Add the minced garlic and Cajun seasoning. Sauté for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
- Stir in the drained fire-roasted tomatoes, kidney beans, and navy beans.
- Pour in 8 cups of chicken broth and add the sliced collard greens. Stir to combine.
- Use the back of a spoon to gently smash a few beans against the side of the pot. This will help thicken the broth as the soup simmers.
- Bring the soup to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for at least 20 minutes, or up to 40 minutes, until the collards are tender and the broth has thickened slightly.
- Add more chicken broth as needed to reach your preferred consistency.
- Taste and adjust the Cajun seasoning as needed. Serve hot.
Notes
- Find ingredients notes, dietary swaps, recipe variations, and more tips in the notes above.
- Nutrition information is an estimate only.
Nutrition
Calories: 490kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 31gFat: 28gFiber: 8gSugar: 4g
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Must Love Garlic says
One of my favorite soups to make! It's so simple with a bit of meat and canned veggies, but so full of savory cajun flavor!