Greens of Minster: Sausage Soup with Peppers and Spinach

This delicious sausage soup doesn’t need to simmer for hours to develop great flavor. Thanks to a satisfying combination of spicy Poblano pepper, classic herbs, and an interesting blend of spices, this soup delivers lots of fantastic flavor in just over half an hour.

This soup is great as a hearty appetizer or as a satisfying light meal when paired with a green salad. As an added bonus, it tastes even better as leftovers for lunch the next day!

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 35-40 minutes
Serves: 6

Ingredients:

2 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 lb. pork sausage
1 medium red pepper, diced
½ medium Poblano pepper, diced
3 celery stalks, diced
1 t. dried basil
1 t. dried oregano

1 t. dried rosemary
1½ t. chili powder
1 t. ground cumin
½ t. ground cinnamon
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
6 c. chicken stock
2 c. baby spinach
1 c. Cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions:

1.    Heat olive oil in a large pan over a medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sausage is no longer pink inside, approximately 5 minutes. As the sausage cooks, break it into small pieces with a wooden spoon.

2.    Add the red and Poblano pepper, celery, basil, oregano, rosemary, chili powder, cumin, and cinnamon to the pot. Generously season with salt and black pepper, to taste, and stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the veggies have softened, around 5-6 minutes.

3.    Add the chicken stock and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the spinach and cook for another 4-5 minutes, or just until the spinach wilts.

4.    Remove from heat and serve immediately, topped with shredded Cheddar cheese and some additional diced Poblano pepper, if desired.

Enjoy!