This simple, comforting stew of flavorful sausage, hearty farro, and fresh kale comes together quickly. It’s also very flexible: you can easily make it vegetarian (just skip the sausage and use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock), you can use any type of fresh greens instead kale, and you can top it with things like a fried egg or a drizzle of chili oil. Plus, it freezes well! For broth, cookbook author Julia Turshen always uses Better Than Bouillon dissolved in boiling water, because it tastes good and is easy.
Storage: Refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Ingredients
Servings: 4–6 (makes about 6 1/2 cups)
Directions
Active: 30 minutes
|Total: 1 hour
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Step 1
In a large, heavy pot, such as a Dutch oven, over medium-high heat, heat the oil until shimmering. Use your hands to break the sausage into small pieces directly in the pot. Add the onion and season everything with a large pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sausage is browned, about 10 minutes, adjusting heat as needed to prevent burning.
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2nd step
Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook, stirring, until very fragrant and most of the moisture in the tomato paste has evaporated, about 1 minute. Add the broth. Increase the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil. While the water is boiling, scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to dislodge any stuck-on bits. (Flavor!) Once the mixture is boiling, reduce the heat to low, season to taste with salt, and stir in the farro and kale.
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Step 3
Partially cover the pot so steam can escape and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the kale and farro are tender, 30 to 35 minutes. Stir in half of the lemon zest and juice and season to taste with more lemon and/or salt, if desired. Serve hot.
Replacements
Can’t eat gluten? >> Use quinoa or brown rice instead (if using brown rice, increase simmering time to 45 minutes).
For a spicier version >> use hot Italian sausage and/or add a pinch of red pepper flakes at the start of cooking.
Want meat but no sausages? >> Substitute a pound for any type of ground meat: beef, pork, turkey, chicken or lamb.
To make this without meat >> skip the sausage and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
Want this vegetarian version but with more weight? >> Add a cup of green lentils and let them simmer with the farro until tender; and/or add a can of drained and rinsed chickpeas.
Don’t like kale? >> Use any type of fresh greens (spinach, chopped cabbage, mustard greens, whatever).
