This soup is incredibly nourishing and packed with lots of veggies and protein. Sweet potatoes, mushrooms, and beans get simmered in a turmeric fennel broth. This simple base gets topped with browned sausage and an egg yolk. The egg yolk is key because it adds body and richness to the broth – watch it turn velvety as you stir the yolk into the soup. It’s magic!
Ingredient higlight
Sweet potatoes (yams)! This popular nutrient-dense root veggie is loaded with fiber and potassium and high in vitamins B1, B6, A and C. They come in many different colors, but my favorite are the orange yams for their sweet and creamy texture and beautiful orange color. Look for sweet potatoes with a firm flesh and smooth skin (and buy local if you can)!
Servings 4
Prep Time 15 minutes 
Cook Time 25 minutes Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 8 oz raw or bulk sausage*
- 1 bell pepper, chopped small**
- 2 stalks celery, chopped small**
- 1 ½ tsp kosher salt, divided
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1-2 cloves garlic, smashed
- 5 cups water
- 12 oz sweet potatoes (about 2 medium), peeled, halved lengthwise and cut into thin (⅛-¼-inch thick) half moons or small bite-sized cubes (about 2.5-3 cups)
- 8 oz mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 1 (15 oz) can black beans (about 1.5 cups)***
- 1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
- 2-3 cups chopped or thinly sliced kale
- 4 egg yolks, for topping****
- Fresh herbs, for topping (any herbs – scallions, cilantro, parsley, etc…)
- *Bulk raw sausage works best, but you can also buy the pre-cooked sausage and slice it thinly before browning (you won’t have to cook it as long either).
- **You could sub the bell pepper and/or celery with onion or carrot. You just want about 2 cups worth of “aromatic veggies”.
- ***Replace the beans with more sausage (1 lb total).
- ****Save your whites! Add them to your morning egg scramble or take it as a sign to make French Chocolate Mousse! Alternatively, you can top the soup with a whole fried egg, so long as the yolk is very runny.
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium-high heat, warm 1 tablespoon oil. Add the sausage, break into chunks, spread them out, and cook undisturbed for about 2-3 minutes or until deeply browned. Then stir it up and continue to cook until cooked through, breaking into bite-sized pieces and reducing the heat as needed. Transfer to a bowl.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pot over medium heat. Stir in the bell pepper, celery, and ½ teaspoon salt and cook for about 5 minutes or until softened. Stir in the fennel, turmeric, pepper, and garlic for 30 seconds, then add the water, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, beans, soy sauce and remaining 1 teaspoon salt.
- Bring to a boil, then simmer rapidly over medium-low heat for about 15 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked through, stirring every 5 minutes to ensure the potatoes are getting cooked evenly.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the kale.
- Serve the soup topped with the sausage, an egg yolk, fresh herbs, and black pepper. Stir the yolk into the hot soup for a velvety broth!
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Chop 1 bell pepper into small pieces
- Chop 2 stalks celery into small pieces
- Peel 12 oz sweet potatoes, cut into thin half moons
- Thinly slice 8 oz mushrooms
- Chop or thinly slice 2-3 cups chopped kale
- Make the soup!
Substitutions:
- To make vegetarian, skip the sausage or replace it with a vegetarian sausage. If skipping sausage all together, I’d suggest adding 2 tbsp tomato paste in with the spices and cook it for a couple minutes to caramelize. Also, add extra garlic and an extra teaspoon of fennel seeds.
- If you’re not into mushrooms, leave them out and reduce the water to 4.5 cups.
Storage:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 6 days or freeze for up to 2 months. Store sausage separately.
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- Warm the soup up on the stove or in the microwave until warmed through. Top with sausage, egg yolk, herbs, etc…
- Put a whole fried egg with a runny yolk on top!
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