Turkey Sausage Meatball Soup with Kale & Rice

Heat a large frying pan over medium high heat. Use your hands to squeeze the sausage out of the casings in portions a little less than an inch long. Roll each portion into a round ball, and transfer the sausage balls to the hot pan. Cook until nicely browned on all sides. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the meatballs to a separate plate. Depending on the size of your pan, you may need to do this in batches.

While the sausage is cooking, chop the kale cross-wise into strips about half an inch or so wide, then chop again the other way if the strips look too long. As soon as you’ve removed the last of the sausage meatballs from the frying pan, add the kale into the pan and stir. It will soften a bit, and pick up the flavor and juices left from the sausage. After a minute or so, squeeze the lemon juice over the kale and continue to cook for a few more minutes. Turn off the heat and let that sit.

If you have an immersion blender, grab a stock pot or larger soup pan, and add the chicken stock, the canned beans, and the oregano. Warm over medium heat, just until you see a few bubbles beginning to form at the edges. Use the immersion blender to combine until no more whole beans remain and the broth is a lovely creamy color. It will not become thick.

If you don’t have an immersion blender, combine the beans, half of the chicken stock and the oregano in a regular blender until smooth. Then transfer the mixture to the stock pot with the rest of the stock and heat until warm.

After you’ve prepped the broth and it is beginning to bubble nicely, add the meatballs, the kale, and the cooked rice. Reduce heat to low and simmer for a few minutes, just to allow the flavors to blend. Season with salt and pepper to taste. You can add more lemon juice if you like.

Serve immediately with crusty bread on the side. This soup is full of fiber, protein and vitamins, and is low fat, too!