Mushrooms are one of my absolute favorites. This soup is flavorful and good anytime of the year. Feel free to use whatever variety of mushrooms you have on hand, and to substitute Kale, collards, arugula, mustard greens, or any other green leafy vegetable you prefer.
Ingredients
All ingredients approximate. Adjust to what you have on hand and what you prefer.
1 pound cremini mushrooms, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
3 to 4 cloves garlic
5 or 6 large handfuls of bagged spinach (around 1 clamshell package worth). Best if chopped, but not a problem if you cook it whole.
1 pound Jimmy Dean or Italian Sausage (optional)
1 32 oz container of beef broth or chicken broth
1 cup 1/2 and 1/2 (can substitute your preferred variety of milk).
Black pepper to taste
Optional:
croutons or stuffing mix to top when serving
even better with a mix of mushrooms: use whatever variety you have on hand!
Instructions
Remove sausage from casing, chop up, cook in a large saucepan until done. Keep chopping up the sausage while cooking until it is a mix of crumbles and bite sized chunks.
Remove sausage from pan and set aside. Leave the drippings in the pan.
Add chopped mushrooms, onions, and garlic to saucepan and cook until onions are slightly translucent. Remove from pan and set aside.
Add spinach to pan and cook for a few minutes until limp. Remove from pan and set aside.
In a dutch oven or soup pot, add broth, sausage, mushrooms, onions, garlic, and pepper. Bring to brief boil and reduce to simmer. Cook at a low simmer for around 10 minutes to blend the flavors.
Add spinach, stir to thoroughly mix the spinach in with the other ingredients. Simmer for another few minutes.
Add 1/2 and 1/2 or milk right before serving.
Serving ideas:
Top with croutons or cubed stuffing mix.
Serve with homemade bread on the side.