Beans and Greens Soup with Pork

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Servings

1 tbsp olive oil
½ lb ground pork (or use any ground meat)*
1 ¼ tsp kosher salt, divided
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, smashed
2 tsp fennel seeds
2 tsp dried oregano or Italian seasoning
¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
1 small/medium sweet potato, peeled, cut into small ½-inch cubes (about 1 ½ cups)
6 cups water
1 (15 oz) can pinto beans (drained and rinsed)
5-7 cups loosely packed chopped leafy greens (1 large bunch kale, chard, spinach, etc...or use 2-3 cups frozen)
2 tbsp tbsp mellow white miso paste
1 tbsp lemon juice
Fresh herbs, for topping
*To up the protein, just use a full pound of ground meat here and increase the salt to ½ teaspoon. You can also top the soup with a fried egg or two.

In a large pot, warm 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add the pork and ¼ teaspoon salt, then break into chunks. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring halfway through, so that the pork gets nice and browned. Continue to break into smaller chunks and cook until cooked through and deeply browned. Use a slotted spoon or spatula to transfer the pork into a paper towel lined bowl or plate.
In the same pot over medium heat, add the onion, celery, and ½ teaspoon salt and cook until softened, about 5 minutes, scraping up any porky bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Add the garlic, fennel seeds, oregano, and red pepper flakes (if using) and cook for 30 more seconds.
Stir in the sweet potatoes, water, beans, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer about ½ cup of the broth to a small bowl. Add the miso paste and use a fork to mash/dissolve it.
Stir the greens and cooked sausage into the soup and simmer for 2 more minutes, or until greens are tender/wilted (you can also just top the soup with the browned pork instead of stirring it in). Remove from heat and stir in the miso water and lemon juice. Served topped with fresh herbs and drizzle with olive oil and some black pepper, if you’d like (recommended!).

Substitutions:

To make vegetarian/vegan, skip the pork and add an extra can of beans.
Substitute the sweet potato with any root veggie and use any leafy green you’d like.
You can use any can of beans - cannellini, garbanzo, navy, etc…

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 6 days or freeze for up to 2 months.

Warm up leftover soup on the stove or in the microwave until warmed through. Top with a squeeze of lemon and fresh herbs. If you kept the pork separate, just add it to the