New Menu Monday: It’s Soup Season

Frigid temps arrived this weekend. No snow here, but plenty up in the mountains so the view should be pretty once the clouds disperse. I spent the weekend cooking and packaging meals so I wouldn’t have to do much during the week.

Tax time is my busy season, and I still want to put in a few hours of writing each day, so prepped meals give me a bit of extra time each day. It is definitely soup time. I made a nice Spinach-Tomato Soup and will probably make this recipe mid-week.

Spicy Potato Soup (Zuppa Toscana)

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp cayenne
• ½ lb spicy ground sausage (or ground beef)
• ¼ tsp crushed red pepper (opt)
• 1 bay leaf (remove before serving)
• 1 tsp crushed garlic
• 32 oz chicken broth
• 6 potatoes, well scrubbed, unpeeled – cubed or thinly sliced
• 2 cups milk
• salt and pepper to taste
• 8 oz shredded cheese – I like parmesan myself)

saucepan or instant pot

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onions, celery, salt, and saute, stirring, until the onions are soft and lightly golden, about five minutes. Add sausage, crushed red pepper, cayenne, bay leaf, garlic, broth, & potatoes. Add milk Bring to a boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and let simmer, stirring occasionally for 30 minutes until potatoes are soft.  Add additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve topped with grated cheese.

Instant pot directions:  on the saute setting, melt the butter, add the onions, celery, salt, and saute, stirring, until the onions are soft and lightly golden, about five minutes. Add sausage, crushed red pepper, cayenne, bay leaf, garlic, broth, & potatoes. Cover and use the soup setting for 20 minutes.

Let depressurize, open, stir, and add milk. Using the saute setting, bring to a quick boil, stirring constantly, then turn to the Keep Warm setting and let everything simmer for about 5 minutes. Add additional salt and pepper to taste.  Serve topped with grated cheese.