I imagine it comes from a region with a swamp, but I can’t swear to it. All I know is it’s a perfect soup. Once the temperatures drop, my husband and I happily switch into soup mode. We pull out our favorite recipes, a wide range of creamy, hearty, brothy dishes that get us through the long, dark nights of winter. We can’t get enough of a good soup’s ease—throw in a little crusty bread or a bit of green salad, and you have a meal, as well as its ability to warm you from head to toe. One soup we make over and over again every winter is swamp soup. Does it sound gross? Yes, yes, it does. It gets its name from its appearance: chopped greens floating on top. It doesn’t look as gross as it sounds, and it tastes a million times better.

Servings: 5 to 6

INGREDIENTS

2 bunches turnip greens (or other dark greens like kale or collard greens)
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
2 ( 15- ounce) cans white beans, drained and rinsed
1 ( 15- ounce) can crushed or diced tomatoes
6 cups chicken broth
1 cup water
1 cup small pasta, like ditalini or orzo
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves, optional

STEPS

Prepare the greens:

1) 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:

1) 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:

1) 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.

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:

1) 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.