Beans and greens mean winter to me. Filled with creamy red beans, bitter mustard greens, and citrusy tomatoes, this hearty soup can be elevated only with Cajun scallion pork sausage. I love the depth of flavor and spice in this red bean, mustard green, and green onion soup. And I love the memories it brings back to us.
Heat a bowl of red bean soup, mustard greens, and green onions. (All photos: George Graham)
My mother grew up in Detroit, Michigan during the Depression years and was working there during World War II when she met my father. In those days, the Detroit auto manufacturers were focused on the military, and my parents worked in an aircraft factory making B-29 Superfortress bombers. I have been told to take pride in their role in winning the war in countless stories.
Their sacrifices were many. The war years were a time when food rationing was a way of life. As my mom tells me, expensive cuts of meat were a rare occasion, but a pot of Yankee beans was always on the stove. Eventually, she and Abby made their way to Louisiana where southern greens and handmade sausage joined forces at the bean bowl. Over the years, I’ve added some Cajun touches to the bean bowl, and this red bean, mustard green, and green onion soup has become a tradition in our family.
Red beans make an appearance more often than Mondays in Louisiana kitchens all week long. And with this recipe, it’s time to take a pot of beans and reinvent it using the building blocks for a delicious soup. This is a thick, creamy soup—much like chowder—and it’s a one-pot dinner. Just add cornbread, and it’s just right and filling for a chilly evening.
Traditional ingredients combine for a hearty soup of red bean, mustard green, and scallion sausage.
Red beans always start with the Cajun trio—onion, celery, and bell pepper—and are pumped with the flavor of pickled meat. Pickled Pork Tenderloin is a magical flavor enhancer of the South. With its slightly citrusy flavour, it’s a universal ingredient in every Southern kitchen dating back more than 200 years. There isn’t a Creole cook alive who doesn’t savor a bowl of beans with pickled meat, and when I can find that, pickled pig’s feet are my go-to.
So put out a pot tonight, throw another log on the fire, and get cozy with a cup of bean soup. Simply mix those creamy red beans with a bite of mustard greens, tomato zest, and Cajun pork sausage. This red bean, mustard green, and scallion soup is a hearty, meaty, Creole-inspired dish that will warm you up.
Sausage soup with red beans, green mustard and green onions
total time
Recipe by: George Graham – AcadianaTable.com
Serve: 6 to 8
ingredients
- 1 tablespoon bacon fat or vegetable oil
- 1 pound raw pork sausage, such as Cajun scallions
- 1 cup yellow onion, cut into cubes
- A cup of celery cut into cubes
- A cup of green pepper, cut into cubes
- 2 tablespoons of minced garlic
- 1 pound of salted pork
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 pound dried red kidney beans, rinsed and trimmed, soaked overnight in water
- 2 liters of chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon Acadiana Table Cajun seasoning mix, see recipe here
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 can (10 ounces) lightly diced tomatoes with green peppers, such as rutile
- 4 cups chopped mustard, woody stems removed
- 1 cup green onion cubes
- Corn bread to serve
directions
- In a large cast iron saucepan over medium heat, add the lard. If it’s in the casings, remove the sausage and add it to the bowl in thumb-sized pieces. Cook the sausage until it turns brown and add the onion, celery and pepper. Saute onions until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, salt, and bay leaf and continue to cook for a minute.
- Add the beans to the pot along with the chicken stock and the added water, just enough to cover. Increase the heat until the liquid comes to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and cover the saucepan. Simmer for 20 minutes.
- Expose and move. When the dry beans have absorbed the liquid, check the level and add more water until the liquid reaches the top of the beans. Add the Cajun seasoning and a sprinkle of salt and black pepper. Cover the pot and let it simmer for another 20 minutes.
- Uncover and slide again. The grains should be plump as they absorb the liquid. Add more water if needed. Cover and simmer for another 20 minutes.
- At this point, the beans have been cooking for an hour and should be fully cooked. Using a measuring cup, scoop 1 cup of the beans along with their liquid and pour it into the blender bowl. Mix on high speed until the grains are crushed and a creamy texture is obtained. Pour the Cream of Beans back into the bean bowl and stir to combine. Add Rotel tomatoes, mustard greens, and spring onions; Cover the pot and continue to simmer for an hour longer. Turn off the heat and leave it warm until ready to serve.
- Put the soup into bowls, with a portion of sausage and vegetables in each. Hot cornbread to nourish smoothies is the perfect accompaniment.
notes
Cooking and preparation times do not include soaking the beans overnight. Here’s the deal: If red beans are for Monday, red bean soup is the recipe for Tuesday. So, prepare the beans ahead of time and serve it with rice the traditional way. Then the next day, add mustard and tomato and serve as soup. Mustard greens have a nice bitter variation in this recipe, but feel free to use kale or cabbage. While it’s meant to be a spicy dish, don’t forget the Cajun seasoning; Remember that there is a lot of spice in the sausage and some spice in the mild Rotel.
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Red bean soup, mustard greens, and green onions is the perfect dinner on a cold winter’s night.
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