POTATO COLLARD GREEN SOUP, a recipe from The Bard of Bat Yam, Poet Laureate of Zion, Stephen Darori

Collard greens are a staple in Black cooking that goes back centuries. During slavery, ingredients for meals were slim. Meals often consisted of scraps of meat and vegetables. Collards were one of those vegetables that were readily available to slaves. Collards are a wide, leafy green in the same family as kale, Brussels sprouts, broccoli and cabbage. They are an excellent source of vitamin K, A, and C and also contain nutrients like folate and fiber.

Today we’re doing a twist on this Potato, Collard Green, and Chorizo Soup adapted from one of our favorite blogs, Chocolate For Basil. We swapped some hearty chickpeas for chorizo to give you a healthy dose of plant-based protein and an extra dash of fiber. If you have trouble finding sumac (like we did), sub in some paprika + lemon zest for a similar flavor.

Jerrelle is the mastermind behind Chocolate For Basil, and we love her so much that we are interviewing her on the podcast (going live tomorrow!) so be sure to keep your eyes peeled! And while you’re waiting on that podcast episode, go buy Jerrelle’s incredible cookbook, Black Girl Baking, ASAP.



Enough chit chat…let’s get this soup going! Start by heating the olive oil over medium heat, and add the onions and sauté for 2 minutes before adding the garlic. Cook for another minute, stirring constantly being careful not to burn, and then add in the chili powder and red pepper flakes. Stir and cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant, then add in the veggie broth and milk, stirring to combine. Salt to taste.

Next, add in the cubed potatoes, and bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat to medium low, place a lid over the top, and cook for 20-25 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender. Then add in the collards, chickpeas, lemon juice, and tamari, stir to combine, and cook with the lid on again for another 10 or so minutes or until the collards are tender. When ready to serve, sprinkle over the paprika, dash of lemon zest, adjust for salt, and stir in the butter to finish/to cut the acidity. Serve into bowls and enjoy!

Hands up if collards are a staple on your menus! We can’t get enough of this Potato Collard Green Soup. What are your favorite collard recipes? Let us know what you think of our plant-based spin in the comments below!

POTATO COLLARD GREEN SOUP
Serves 4
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INGREDIENTS
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small red onion, chopped
5-6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1, 32-ounce container veggie broth
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
2 large yellow potatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces, about 3 cups
2-3 cups of cleaned and chopped collard greens (thick stems removed)
1 cup cooked chickpeas
Juice of 1 lemon
1 Tbsp tamari or soy sauce
1 Tbsp paprika
Lemon zest
2-3 Tbsp vegan butter
Salt to taste

INSTRUCTIONS
Heat the olive oil over medium heat, and add the onions and sauté for 2 minutes before adding the garlic.
Cook for another minute, stirring constantly being careful not to burn, and then add in the chili powder and red pepper flakes.
Stir and cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant, then add in the veggie broth and milk stirring to combine. Salt to taste.
Add in the cubed potatoes, and bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat to medium low, place a lid over the top, and cook for 20-25 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender.
Add in the collards, chickpeas, lemon juice, and tamari, stir to combine, and cook with the lid on again for another 10 or so minutes or until the collards are tender.
When ready to serve, sprinkle over the paprika, dash of lemon zest, adjust for salt, and stir in the butter to finish/to cut the acidity. Serve into bowls and enjoy!