Recipe Variations

• Not-Kale Soup. This recipe also works for chard, spinach, and other greens. 
• Make It Vegan. Skip the Parmesan (or add dairy-free Parm) and add the miso. Omit the sausage or replace it with your favorite vegan sausage; crumble it up and add it with the kale.
• Add Butternut Squash. Butternut squash and kale make a great pair, as in my Quinoa Stuffed Butternut Squash with Kale. Cube the squash small and add it to the pot with the beans and broth.
• Add Potatoes. Add small diced potatoes (or sweet potatoes!) with the beans and broth.
• Try Chickpeas. Swap the canned white beans in this kale soup for chickpeas.
• Make It Creamy. After the kale wilts, pour in half-and-half for a creamy finish.

What to Serve with Kale Soup

• Salad. Soup and salad is a classic combo! Serve kale soup with Burrata Salad or a light Arugula Salad.
• Sandwich. Prefer something a little more substantive with your kale and white bean soup? Then try a Chickpea Salad Sandwich or Apple Grilled Cheese with Turkey.
• Bread. You could buy a crusty baguette from the bakery, or if you’re feeling ambitious, make Rosemary Olive Oil Bread or Cornbread Muffins.

Key Ingredients

You’ll find the full list of ingredients in the recipe card below, but here are some notes to keep in mind.

• Sugar Pie Pumpkin. Not a carving pumpkin—while those are edible, the flavor is lacking. You want the small pumpkins that are usually sold alongside the winter squashes. You can also use kabocha squash or butternut squash in this recipe instead of pumpkin.
• Unsalted Butter. For a light, velvety touch.
• Aromatics. Yellow onion and garlic accentuate the savory side of the pumpkin.
• Spices. Ground ginger, cinnamon, allspice, and cayenne pepper.
• Broth. Either vegetable broth or chicken broth. Avoid the tinny canned varieties and opt for a brand that tastes so good, you’d gladly sip it from a mug when you’re under the weather. The broth forms the base of the flavor in this soup, so it’s worth it to spring for the good stuff—or even use homemade. 
• Half-and-Half. The perfect compromise for adding richness and creaminess to the soup without using heavy cream.
• Honey. Plays up the earthy sweetness of the pumpkin.
• Toppings. I like to use either toasted pepitas or Roasted Pumpkin Seeds, along with a swirl of plain Greek yogurt. Chopped fresh herbs like sage or parsley are tasty too.

How to Roast Pumpkin

While you can use pumpkin puree instead of a fresh, whole pumpkin, I think making your own pumpkin puree from roasted pumpkin ranks as one of those culinary adventures you should partake in at least once in your life.

The good news is that it’s incredibly easy and sugar pie pumpkins aren’t any more unwieldy to work with than your average acorn squash—they’re just slightly bigger. 

Prepare. Position a rack in the center of your oven and preheat it to 350ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Cut off the Top and Halve. Use a sharp chef’s knife to slice the top off the pumpkin, then cut the pumpkin in half from the stem to the base.

Scoop. Use a spoon to scoop out seeds and pulp; discard them or save them for making roasted pumpkin seeds.

Oil and Season. Drizzle olive oil all over the pumpkin flesh—the insides, not the skin. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and rub it in evenly.

Pierce. Place the pumpkin halves cut-side-down on the pan. This allows them to steam as they bake and also gets some nice caramelization on the cut sides. Pierce the skin with a fork.

Roast. Cook pumpkin in the oven for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the flesh is tender. Cool a bit, then scoop out the flesh and discard the skin.

What to Serve with Pumpkin Soup

• Chickpeas or Nuts. Toasted pecans or walnuts add a crunchy contrast to the creamy soup, as do my crispy Roasted Chickpeas.
• Sandwiches. We love a soup-and-sandwich duo! You can never go wrong with soup and an Air Fryer Grilled Cheese, but the fall flavors in my Apple Grilled Cheese with Turkey also pair well with this pumpkin soup recipe.
• Bread. You can pick up a crusty loaf of sourdough or a baguette from your favorite bakery, or if you’re feeling ambitious, bake your own Sweet Potato Cornbread or Beer Bread.
• More Toppings. Make the Parmesan sage croutons from my Butternut Squash Soup, crumble up some Air Fryer Bacon, add a spoonful of crème fraîche, grate some aged cheddar over the top—the world is your oyster, friends.

Key Ingredients

You’ll find the full list of ingredients in the recipe card below, but here are some notes to keep in mind.

• Kielbasa. Kielbasa is a smoked Polish sausage. You could use another type of sausage you like, although kielbasa is the go-to for cowboy stew. Swap turkey sausage for a lighter version.
• Ground Beef. I use lean ground beef (90/10) in this recipe.
• Vegetables. Yellow onion, carrots, red bell pepper, and garlic cloves form the base of flavor.
• Seasonings. Chili powder, ground cumin, and kosher salt give cowboy stew a taste reminiscent of chili.
• Low-Sodium Beef Broth. I prefer low-sodium broth because it gives me more control over the finished flavor. If you only have regular, that’s fine but scale back on the salt.
• Crushed Tomatoes. Crushed tomatoes give the base more texture than tomato sauce, but they’re more broken down than diced tomatoes. In other words: a happy medium!
• Butter Potatoes. Potatoes are one of the key differences between chili and cowboy stew. They add extra heartiness to this dish!
• Beans. You can use kidney or pinto beans. 
• Frozen Mixed Peas and Corn. Keeping the stew quick and easy! If you’re not a fan of one of the two, you can just use all peas or all corn.
• Cilantro. For garnish; it adds a pop of color and punches up the flavor.

Recipe Variations

• Make It Spicy. For more heat in your cowboy stew, add hot sauce, cayenne, or jalapeño pepper.
• Add Bacon. Some versions of cowboy stew are made with bacon. Sound intriguing? Cook the bacon after the kielbasa, transfer it to a plate, and break it into pieces once it cools. You can cook the ground beef in the fat from the bacon. Stir the bacon into the stew with the kielbasa and beef.
• Try Some Different Garnishes. Stir in sour cream or Greek yogurt to make it creamy, sprinkle shredded cheddar or crumbly cotija over the top, or add crushed Fritos for a crunchy topper.

What to Serve with Cowboy Stew

• Salad. Cowboy stew is a complete meal in a bowl, but you can stretch it a little further by pairing it with kid-friendly Fruit Salad on the side.
• Bread. Serve your stew with Homemade Dinner Rolls for soaking up the broth.
• Cornbread. If you want to stick with the Southwestern theme, serve your cowboy stew with a side of Jalapeno Cornbread or Mexican Cornbread.
• Rice. For an even heartier meal, serve the stew over white rice or brown rice.

What to Serve with Butternut Squash Curry

While you could serve this curry like a soup or a stew, it’s best enjoyed in a bowl with some grains to soak up that fabulous sauce.

• Rice. Serve your butternut squash curry over brown rice or white rice.
• Cauliflower Rice. For a lower carb alternative, cook some cauliflower rice in a skillet—I cook it with a touch of oil until it’s golden and just starting to lightly brown, then add a drizzle of toasted sesame oil to jazz it up.
• Quinoa. Add some more protein to your meal and serve your curry over cooked quinoa.

More Weeknight Curry Recipes

• Shrimp Curry
• Tofu Curry
• Coconut Curry

What to Serve with Carrot Ginger Soup

You can garnish your carrot ginger soup and serve it as a light meal on its own, or round out your meal with something extra. Here are some ideas!

• Toppings. Add a dollop of Greek yogurt or a swirl of coconut milk, sprinkle in toasted cashews or Air Fryer Chickpeas, or float some leftover roasted vegetables on top (Roasted Cauliflower would be excellent!).
• Salads. This Curry Chicken Salad would be perfection.
• Sandwiches. You can never go wrong with a creamy soup paired with Air Fryer Grilled Cheese. Crispy bread and soup? Yes please!

More Creamy Veggie Soups

• Instant Pot Potato Soup is perfect for jazzing up with cheese, crispy bacon, and croutons!
• My Acorn Squash Soup is another fall favorite, with a sweet, earthy flavor.
• When you’re looking for a veggie soup with comfort food vibes, this Crockpot Tomato Soup is it!

Key Ingredients

You’ll find the full list of ingredients in the recipe card below, but here are some notes to keep in mind.

• Unsalted Butter. Cooking the aromatics in butter rather than oil is a way to add a rich dairy flavor without heavy cream.
• Yellow Onion and Garlic. Flavor builders! As mentioned above, I add a hefty 6 cloves of garlic here. If your cloves are smaller than usual, throw in a few extra; if they’re ginormous garlic cloves, you can add less.
• Russet Potato. I leave the skin on since we’re going to puree the soup anyway. A little extra fiber in the diet never hurts.
• Broccoli. The star of the show! I use heads of broccoli, but you can also use 2 pounds of broccoli with heads and stems; peel the thick skin from the stems then dice them.
• Milk. I use 1% milk, but whatever you have on hand is fine. 
• Lemon Juice. Freshly squeezed, please. It has a more vibrant flavor. Adding acid like citrus juice or vinegar is an easy way to enhance the taste of soups and sauces.
• Grated Parmesan. Freshly grated Parmesan is absolutely essential. The shelf-stable grated Parm sold in the pasta aisle will not melt smoothly into your cream of broccoli soup, which will leave it with an unpleasant texture.