summary

Kale is great in soups, as it stands up well to heat, doesn’t fall apart, and I just love how hardy and almost meaty it is. Though I live in South Florida, and we don’t get cold days often, this is the perfect soup to make when the temperatures start to drop.

ingredients

11⁄2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil 4 cups (500 g) diced onions
2 cups (280 g) diced carrots
2 cups (200 g) diced celery
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 cups (520 g) chopped kale
1 cup (240 ml) Calabrian Chile Sauce or to taste
1⁄2 bunch thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

directions

In a large heavy-bottomed pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, celery, salt, and pepper, and cook, stirring, until the vegetables soften, 7 to 8 minutes. Make sure the vegetables do not put on color.
Add the kale, chile sauce, thyme, bay leaf, and red wine vinegar and 6 cups (1.4 L) water. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, so the soup is at a simmer, and cook until the kale has softened and the soup has a rich vegetable flavor with a hint of chiles, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and discard the bay leaf. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve immediately.