I was really excited to make this soup because it uses so many fresh vegetables. When the soup was finished Ella suggested we put it in a blender to get it down to a finer consistency, which turned out to be a great idea. Once it was blended we added a little bit of sour cream to bring all the ingredients together and add some richness.

Note that it is best to not use too much kale!

Serves 6-8, ready in 45 minutes

2 bunches of kale
1 onion
4 garlic cloves
2 medium carrots
1 medium zucchini
1 can chopped tomatoes
6 cups chicken stock
1 tbsp butter or olive oil
1 Parmesan cheese rind (optional)
2 bay leaves
1 tsp of basil
1 tsp of oregano
sour cream for serving

Dice onion, press the garlic, and chop kale, carrots, and zucchini into bite-sized portions

In a pot or Dutch oven, brown onions and garlic in butter or olive oil. Once onions become transparent add the chopped carrots and zucchini. When the carrots and zucchini have had a chance to soften and brown, add the stock, chopped tomatoes, Parmesan cheese rind (optional), kale and spices. It will seem like a lot of kale but it will shrink when it cooks down.

Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until carrots are tender.

Once the soup has cooled down pour it into a blender and puree. Before serving add a dollop of sour cream.

Adapted from Laura Grund’s delicious Italian Kale Soup recipe at The Cream of the Crop blog