Kale and Bean Winter Soup

8 steps · 45 min total

1. 01

   Cook the Bacon

   Cook the bacon pieces in a large pot over medium heat until they're crisp and have rendered their fat. Remove the bacon to a plate, leaving the fat in the pot.
2. 02

   Brown Brussels Sprouts

   While the bacon cooks, melt a little butter in a separate skillet over medium heat.

   Add the Brussels sprouts and cook, stirring occasionally, until they start to brown and soften slightly. Set them aside with the cooked bacon.

3. 03

   Sauté Aromatics

   Add the chopped garlic and onion to the pot with the bacon fat. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens and becomes translucent, about 5 minutes.
4. 04

   Add Carrot

   Stir in the diced carrot and continue to cook for another few minutes until it starts to soften slightly.
5. 05

   Wilt Kale and Sprouts

   Add the kale and the browned Brussels sprouts to the pot. Stir everything together, letting the kale wilt down into the other vegetables as it heats through.
6. 06

   Add Water, Simmer

   Pour in the 4 cups of water and bring the mixture up to a slow simmer.
7. 07

   Add Stock and Beans

   To build more depth of flavor, pour in enough vegetable stock until you have a good liquid-to-solid ratio for a soup. Let this simmer gently until the vegetables are tender and the flavors have had a chance to meld.

   Season the soup with salt to taste, then stir in the black-eyed peas and kidney beans. Continue to simmer for another 10 minutes to warm the beans through.

8. 08

   Remove from Heat

   Take the pot off the heat.