As I mentioned the other day, it had been awhile since I’d been in my kitchen. For my homecoming meal, I wanted soup. There’s something about soup. Of course I love that it’s warm and comforting. I also love that it’s cheap and easy. And I really love that it can be made in one pot and keeps well in the fridge and freezer.

Luckily, I had some really good homemade chicken stock in my fridge…though I didn’t have much else. So I went to the market, and wandered around looking for something to build a tasty soup around. I found it – really good andouille at the meat counter. I snatched it up – and rushed home.

I used aromatics to build the base, added potatoes and kale for some substance, and used tomatoes to balance it out (plus I love tomato based soups). But all in all – it’s a simple soup, because andouille is strongly flavored, and it didn’t need much help from me.

Andouille Soup with Tomatoes, Kale, and Potatoes
Makes 2 quarts

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 sweet onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (28 oz) can whole San Marzano tomatoes, roughly chopped and juices reserved
4 cups homemade chicken stock, or more as needed
8 new potatoes, diced
1 bay leaf
4 cooked andouille sausages, diced
1 bunch kale, roughly torn
salt and pepper, to taste

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and sweat until tender, about 7-9 minutes.
2. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
3. Add the tomatoes, reserved juices, and stock to the pot, and bring to a simmer.
4. Add the potatoes, bay leaf, and sausage and stir to combine. Continue to simmer until the potatoes are tender and the soup develops good flavor, about 15-20 minutes.
5. Add the kale and cook until wilted, about 5 minutes. Remove the bay leaf, and season with salt and pepper. Serve with crusty bread.