This Chickpea Soup is easy to make with turkey or chicken sausage along with kale, a hint of lemon, herbs, and vegetables. It's a cozy soup that also makes a great freezer meal!
Measure out ingredients before beginning. Remove the casings from the chicken/turkey sausage if you purchased links.
Preheat a large pot over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook and crumble to break it apart. (Add a splash of olive oil if needed.) Stir occasionally until cooked through, 7-10 minutes. Drain grease. Remove and set aside.
Turn heat off. Add the wine and set the heat to medium. Use a silicone spatula to “clean” the brown bits from the bottom/sides of the pot, this will add more flavor to the soup. Bubble gently and reduce by half, 4-5 minutes.
Add the butter, onions, celery, carrots, and garlic to the same pot over medium heat. Cook until softened, 4-5 minutes. Stir in the flour, if using, and cook for 1-2 more minutes.
Add the lemon juice, soy sauce, hot sauce, and seasonings. Stir to combine.
Optional: Reserve up to 1 cup of chickpeas and transfer them to a bowl with some broth. Use an immersion blender to puree it. This will thicken the broth. (A regular blender may also be used.)
Add the chickpeas to the pot (including the pureed ones, if using).
Add the chicken broth in small splashes, stirring continuously.
Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
Add the meat back. Cover partially and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the kale and cook until wilted, about 5 minutes. Stir in the Parmesan cheese over low heat. Remove the bay leaf and serve!
Notes
Pro Tips:
Sausage:
I purchase links of uncooked turkey sausage and remove them from the casings prior to cooking. (Hot or mild may be used. I use hot as I like a little heat.)
Regular sausage or chicken sausage may also be used.
If needed, ground chicken or turkey may be used, although they won’t be quite as flavorful and should be seasoned with salt/pepper prior to cooking.
Wine: Pinot grigio, chardonnay, or sauvignon blanc are perfect for deglazing the pot in this recipe. Chicken broth may also be used.
The soy sauce, hot sauce, and mustard powder can’t be tasted outright but act as flavor enhancers in this soup. The hot sauce is optional, I use Frank’s Hot Sauce.
Spinach can be used instead of Kale if preferred.
Frozen corn, peas, green beans, zucchini, and cabbage make great additions to this soup.
To control the sodium: Use low or no sodium broth. You can also look for beans that have no salt added.
Storage:
Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. This soup freezes and reheats very well!
The nutritional information provided is an estimate and is per cup. There approximately 12 cups in this recipe.