Swamp Soup
Browning the sausage first is the whole move here — searing coins of andouille leaves behind a smoky, savory fond that seasons the broth from the bottom up, so every spoonful tastes like the pot simmered for hours. Collard greens and a trio of beans turn the broth thick and murky, the deep green-brown that gives swamp soup its name, while a splash of apple-cider vinegar at the end brightens the richness. It's a one-pot, high-protein, fiber-packed bowl of comfort in under an hour, and it begs for a wedge of our Skillet Cornbread to mop up the bowl.
Dinner · American, Southern, High-Protein, Fiber-Rich • 50 min
Nutrition (per serving)330Calories·12gFat·29gCarbs·21gProtein
Per serving. Values are approximate and calculated from USDA FoodData Central.
Ingredients
- For the soup:
- 12 ounces smoked andouille sausage, sliced into ¼-inch half-moons
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 14.5-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, with their juices
- 1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 15-ounce can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 15-ounce can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 large bunch collard greens, stems removed and leaves chopped (about 8 cups)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- For serving:
- hot sauce (such as Louisiana-style)
- chopped fresh parsley
Get Our Free 5-Ingredient Summer Dinners PDF
10 effortless recipes with 5 ingredients or fewer — delivered to your inbox, plus one thoughtful recipe every week.
Steps
- Brown the sausage: Set a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, stirring occasionally, until the coins are deeply browned and have rendered some of their fat, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the sausage to a plate with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat in the pot.
- Sauté the aromatics: If the pot looks dry, add the olive oil, then the onion, celery, and bell pepper. Cook, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom, until the vegetables have softened, about 6 minutes. Stir in the garlic, smoked paprika, thyme, and cayenne (if using) and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Build the broth: Pour in the chicken broth, scraping up any remaining fond from the bottom of the pot. Add the fire-roasted tomatoes, all three beans, the bay leaf, and the browned sausage (with any juices). Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 10 minutes to let the flavors meld.
- Add the greens: Stir in the collard greens a few handfuls at a time, letting each addition wilt before adding the next. Simmer, uncovered, until the greens are tender but still have a little bite, 10 to 12 minutes.
- Finish: Remove and discard the bay leaf. Stir in the apple cider vinegar and Worcestershire sauce, then taste and season with salt and pepper.
- Serve: Ladle into bowls and finish with a few shakes of hot sauce and a sprinkle of parsley. Pass cornbread on the side.
Tips & Variations
Make Ahead
The whole soup can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated — it's one of those pots that deepens overnight. Cool it completely before refrigerating. If making ahead, hold the apple cider vinegar and Worcestershire and stir them in just before serving so their brightness stays intact; reheat gently over medium-low until heated through to 165°F, adding a splash of broth if it has thickened.
Storage
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days, or freeze in portions for up to 3 months. Reheat gently in a pot over medium-low heat, adding a splash of broth or water to loosen, until heated through to 165°F. The beans and greens absorb liquid as the soup sits, so expect it to be thicker the next day — loosen it to the consistency you like.
Substitutions
Andouille, smoked sausage, or kielbasa all work — what matters is a sausage with real smoke and enough fat to build the fond. For a leaner pot, use smoked turkey sausage. Collard greens can be swapped for kale (which needs less simmering), mustard greens, or turnip greens. Any mix of beans works: trade the kidney beans or black-eyed peas for pinto, navy, or great northern beans. For a meatless version, use vegetable broth and swap the sausage for 8 ounces of sliced cremini mushrooms browned in 2 tablespoons of olive oil, plus an extra teaspoon of smoked paprika. No fire-roasted tomatoes? Regular diced tomatoes with a pinch of smoked paprika do the job.
Nutrition
Per serving: ⅙ of the recipe (about 1⅔ cups)
Reviews
Reviews coming soon! In the meantime, let us know what you think of this recipe.
