Description
Swamp Soup is a hearty, comforting dish packed with nutritious turnip greens, smoky kielbasa sausage, white beans, and tender pasta all simmered together in a rich tomato and chicken broth base. Perfect for a cozy meal, this soup balances robust flavors with wholesome ingredients and comes together with simple stovetop cooking.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Greens
- 2 bunches turnip greens (or other dark greens like kale or collard greens)
Aromatics and Meat
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 3 ribs celery, diced
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 3/4 pound kielbasa or other smoked sausage, diced
Beans and Liquids
- 2 (15-ounce) cans white beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15-ounce) can crushed or diced tomatoes
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup water
Pasta and Garnish
- 1 cup small pasta, like ditalini or orzo
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves, optional
Instructions
- Prepare the greens: Trim the stems from the greens and separate into two piles. Trim any dry ends from the stems and finely dice. Chop the leaves and set aside.
- Sauté the aromatics: Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced turnip stems, onion, and celery and sauté until the onion is translucent, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the garlic and kielbasa and sauté for 3 more minutes.
- Add the beans, liquid, and pasta: Add the drained beans, undrained tomatoes, chicken broth, and water. Increase the heat to high and add the lid. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 10 minutes.
- Add pasta and greens: To the simmering soup, stir in the pasta and chopped turnip leaves. Cook the pasta according to the package directions for al dente, stirring occasionally and adjusting the heat as needed to maintain a simmer.
- Add parsley and serve: Once the pasta is cooked, turn off the heat and add the parsley. Taste the soup and season with salt and pepper as needed. Serve warm.
Notes
- Use kale or collard greens as alternatives if turnip greens are unavailable.
- Choose smoked sausage like kielbasa for authentic smoky flavor.
- Adjust salt gradually, especially because broth and sausage are salty.
- For a spicier variation, add a pinch of red pepper flakes when sautéing aromatics.
- Leftovers keep well refrigerated for 3-4 days and can be frozen for up to 2 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (about 1.5 cups)
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 900mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 7g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 45mg
