Kielbasa Soup with Kale
Made with smoked kielbasa sausage, tender veggies, kale, and rice in a warm pesto broth.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter divided
- 12 oz kielbasa sausage sliced (I love turkey kielbasa!)
- 1½ cups carrots sliced
- 1 cup yellow onion diced
- 1 rib celery sliced
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 6 cups chicken broth
- ½ cup long grain white rice
- 4 cups kale destemmed and rinsed
- 1 –2 tablespoon pesto
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Shredded Parmesan cheese for serving
Instructions
- In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, melt ½ tablespoon butter over medium heat.
- Add kielbasa and cook 6–8 minutes until browned and crispy on the edges. Remove kielbasa from the pot and set aside.
- Melt remaining ½ tablespoon butter in the same pot. Add carrots, onion, and celery. Sauté 5–7 minutes until softened.
- Stir in garlic and cook 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
- Pour in chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits. Bring to a simmer and cook 5–10 minutes until carrots begin to soften.
- Stir in rice and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add kale and simmer another 5–10 minutes until kale and rice are tender.
- Return kielbasa to the pot. Stir in pesto, starting with 1 tbsp. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Ladle into bowls and top with shredded Parmesan cheese.
Notes
- Brown the kielbasa before adding it to the soup. Most smoked sausages are labeled pre-cooked, but browning adds so much flavor and texture.
- If soup thickens too much as it simmers, add more broth.
- Store leftover soup in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Rice will absorb some of the broth as it sits. Add more broth when reheating.
- Nutrition values are an approximate only.
Nutrition
Calories: 380kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 22gFat: 18gSodium: 890mgFiber: 4gSugar: 5g
Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!