This past week, the ladies in my neighborhood had a luncheon social, and seeing that it was the first day of fall, we figured what could be better to hail in the season but soup, so that was the theme of our gathering.
There were many wonderful soups, along with breads, cheeses, and (of course) desserts. It was a great turnout, and we had a wonderful time visiting and catching-up with each other.
One of the soups I really, really liked was Turnip Green Soup. I know – it sounds kind of raunchy, huh? I think that’s because turnip greens have always gotten such a bad rap from the “yuk” rating, but this is some seriously good soup!
It’s so good, I think I need to share it with you this week. Before you turn up your nose, hear me out. I made it for my Bible Study group Sunday evening. The results – it was all gone! Well, actually, it wasn’t all eaten at the time because I’d made some of my ever favorite Lasagna Soup, so there were two soups to choose from; however, what was left of the turnip greens was divvied out for others to take home. It’s that good.
Of course, “you know who” didn’t eat any. He wouldn’t even try it. In fact, when I was cooking it at home (and he thought I was making the Lasagna Soup), he commented that it smelled like I was putting something weird in the soup. I told him to relax, I wasn’t making his Lasagna soup yet. He still threw a worried and cautious look my way before he sat down to watch the Razorbacks.
The flavor of the turnip greens is very mild in this soup. It also has kielbasa sausage, onions, and navy beans, which go a long way in taming the taste of the greens.
My grandmother and mother have always cooked turnip greens. They were a staple in our house. I remember having to pick them, which I didn’t care for, but that was beside the point. We all had to do our share of raising the garden. I guess I disliked picking okra the most because of the little, hairy stickers that cover them. But looking back, I can say I have some wonderful memories that I wouldn’t take anything for.
But I digress. The original soup recipe I received didn’t call for bacon of any kind, but I’ve never eaten turnip greens without bacon, so I changed it up a bit. My mom and granny taught me that it was just the way you cook turnip greens. Also, it calls for Polish Kielbasa sausage. I suppose you can use the kind that comes in the package from Hillshire Farms for this; however, I used the handmade market type. I simply skillet-browned it until it was almost done, let it cool down, and then cut it into thin slices. It made a really tasty soup. Especially with the bacon!
I’ve since seen a few other recipes. Some use black-eyed peas instead of great northern beans, some use ham from a leftover ham bone instead of the sausage, and some even add a can of corn. It seems this soup is very adaptable. I might make it again using a hambone and some black-eyed peas.
I also made some mini-corn muffins (just out of Jiffy Mix) to serve with the soup. The recipe says to put a few in the bottom of your bowl then ladle the soup on top of them. This is a GREAT way to eat them, but I would think that cornbread sticks or just regular skillet cornbread served alongside the soup would be equally as good. I guess it’s just a matter of how you want to eat your cornbread.
One more thing before I quit writing. This soup is super easy and fast. If you look at the recipe, most of the task is put into making the cornbread. The soup is all made of canned goods so that you just open and dump it into the pan. Super easy and good!
Anyway, have fun with this soup. It’s really deceiving in its taste – and a wonderful fall dinner.
Turnip Green Soup
4 slices bacon
1 medium onion, chopped
2 large cans chopped, seasoned turnip greens
2 small cans Great Northern Beans
2 pkgs. Knorr Vegetable Soup Mix
1-1/2 lbs. Polish Kielbasa sausage
(or store bought kielbasa you can brown)
4 cups water
2 teaspoons Tabasco sauce (or to taste – I used more)
Salt and pepper to taste
Fry bacon and then sauté chopped onion in drippings. Slice sausage thin and combine all ingredients, including onion and drippings. Cook at least one hour, or simmer longer to further enhance flavor.
Serve in a bowl over mini cornbread muffins or just with the cornbread. Freezes well!