Broccoli Sausage Soup (with Italian Sausage)

Step 1

Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed pot, such as a Dutch oven. Brown the sausage on all sides (~3 minutes). (If the pot you're using doesn't fit all the meat in a single layer, do this step in batches.) Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage to a plate lined with a paper towel and set aside.

Step 2

Spoon out and discard all but 1 teaspoon of the fat that's in the pot, then add onion and celery and saute until starting to soften (~3 minutes). Add garlic and smoked paprika and stir around.

Step 3

Add chicken broth and water, cover and bring to a simmer. Add the broccoli and the browned meat, cover and simmer until the broccoli is tender and the meat is fully cooked (~5 minutes).

Step 4

Stir in oregano, cream and Parmesan. Stir in liquid smoke to taste.