Portuguese Soup

I said it on facebook, and I will share the sentiment here: I should really be sending Rachael Ray a thank you card for sharing such awesome recipes! This is hands down one of the best soups I have ever eaten in my life and I think it really might just pass Lentil Soup as my absolute favorite!

Rachael’s Recipe:

2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

3/4 lb Portuguese chourico sausage (thanks cwti26!), diced (I think we used closer to 1 lb)

2 carrots, chopped (I used a handful of baby carrots)

1 onion, chopped

2 ribs celery from the heart, chopped (we did not have celery on hand, just left it out)

1 red Fresno chile, seeded and chopped (I did not happen to have a red Fresno chile on hand, just used a plain green pepper)

3-4 cloves garlic, chopped

2 russet potatoes (we like potatoes here, I used 4 small-medium potatoes)

2 (14.5 oz) cans stewed tomatoes

1 (15 oz) can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), rinsed and drained

4 cups chicken stock

2 cups of water

1 small bunch of kale, stemmed and finely chopped

2 Tablespoons chopped fresh thyme (I used a dash or two of ground thyme since we had no fresh thyme on hand)

1 large bay leaf

In a soup pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the chorizo and let it render for about 3 minutes. Add the carrots, celery, onion, garlic, chile, and salt and pepper to taste and let it sweat out a few minutes partially covered (I did an additional 3-4 minutes). Add the potatoes, stir a couple of minutes more, then added the stewed tomatoes, breaking them up a bit with a spoon .

Add the garbanzo beans, stock, and 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Add the kale, thyme, bay leaf and some black pepper. Bring to a bubble, reduce to a simmer and cook 30-40 (I did 40) to thicken. Adjust the seasonings (did not need to) and serve.