Accepting the end of summer is very hard for me, but last week when the night time temperatures dropped into the 40s, I had to relent. Visions of soup started popping into my head and pictures of posole started popping up on the internet. With every picture my craving for posole increased and finally increased to the point where I succumbed to the craving. I knew I had some posole in the freezer, so using other ingredients on hand, I threw together this soup which we’ll call a Mexican-Italian fusion of posole, Italian sausage and kale. I wasn’t quite sure if it was going to work, but it did. The depth of flavor in this posole keeps going and going and going, and the richness of the soup stock … well, just look at it. I could drink the stock and make a meal out it.
If you are not familiar with posole, then check out “What is Posole?” Here in New Mexico it’s relatively easy to get fresh, dried or frozen posole, fresh or frozen being my preference. The smell of posole cooking on the stovetop spreads throughout the house, warming the body and comforting the soul. If you don’t have access to posole, you can always substitute with canned hominy which is the same thing, but already cooked. Canned hominy does shorten the cooking time for this recipe from 1.5 hours to less than 45 minutes, and the final flavor of the soup is very close to the same, especially if you start with a good stock. Therefore, if you can’t find posole in your area, don’t hesitate to use hominy for this recipe. It will still be very tasty!
Posole, Italian Sausage and Kale
A non-traditional posole made with Italian sausage, kale, a variety of spices. Like all posole – it’s comfort food!
“*” See Kitchen Notes for more information or links to special ingredients.
- 2 cups fresh or frozen posole (1 lb or canned hominy)*
- 6 cups+ liquid (3 cups chicken stock and 3 cups water is what I use*)
- ½ large onion, chopped
- 5-6 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ pound Italian sausage, bulk or link, crumbled or sliced*
- 2 small chile peppers, diced (~ ¼ cup)*
- ½ pound fresh tomatoes, chopped (~2 cups)
- 4 to 5 large kale leaves, destemmed and chopped
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp ground mustard powder
- ¼ tsp fennel seed, ground
- ½ tsp salt or to taste
- ½ tsp ground pepper or to taste
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Bring the liquid to a boil and add the posole, onion and garlic. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 to 45 minutes or until the posole is almost tender.
- Add the sausage, chile, tomatoes, oregano, mustard powder, ground fennel, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for another 15 minutes. If the soup starts to get too thick add more liquid. I usually add 1 cup at a time, as needed.
- Add the chopped kale and cook 15 minutes until the kale is tender.
- Taste. Add more salt and pepper if needed.
- If you have time, remove the soup from the heat and let it cool.
- Reheat right before serving. Stir in the fresh parsley and serve.
Bring the liquid to a boil and add the hominy is step 2.
Liquid – You can use any type of stock or broth for this recipe, however, with the Italian sausage, I think chicken stock is best. Because the sausage cooks in the liquid, it will enhance the flavor of the stock even more. I usually use half stock and half water.
The liquid does evaporate as the posole cooks, so don’t hesitate to add more water if it starts getting too thick. I like soup with lots of liquid, so I might end up adding an additional 1 to 2 cups.
Italian Sausage – The sausage and the posole provide the majority of flavor for this soup; therefore, if you change the sausage, you might need to change the seasoning. The fennel is added as a complement to the Italian sausage. If you go with a Bratwurst, you could omit the fennel seed. If you want to use chorizo, then let me suggest you make this Chorizo, Mushrooms and Posole’ Soup instead. As far as whether to use mild or spicy Italian sausage, that’s your choice. I’ve made it with both with great results.
Chile – The chile is to add just a hint of spice to the soup, so try to select a mild to medium chile. For this recipe I used yellow hots from my garden. You could also use 1/4 – 1/2 cup New Mexico or Hatch chile, or, if you don’t want it spicy at all, just use a bell pepper or omit the chile all together.
I’m not sure if you need another reason to eat kale other than enjoying this tasty salad, but just in case here are “26 Science-Backed Health Benefits of Kale“.
This dish shows that posole is not just for Mexican and southwestern cuisines. The flavors of the posole, Italian sausage, and spices meld to create a very unique taste that is quite memorable.
Below are some more non-traditional posole recipes as well as traditional.
Chorizo, Mushrooms and Posole Soup
New Mexico Pork and Green Chile Posole (Traditional)
Vegetarian Posole with Pinto Beans and Poblano Peppers @Oh My Veggies
Butternut Squash & Tomato Posole @Eating Well
Tomatillo, Chicken and Hominy Soup @My Recipes
Spicy Sausage Posole @Pinch of Yum
This is soooo good! I order dry posole on line from Rancho Gordo. Once you have tried theirs you will never go back!
Deborah, Thank you so much for your comment and I’m thrilled that you enjoyed it. It’s one of my favorites. I tried Rancho Gordo’s posole the last time I bought it. I agree. It was quiet good! Cheers, MJ
It’s snowing here to our surprise and this posole is such a comforting dish to make, so bursting with flavours !
Pingback: A New Mexican Holiday Feast | MJ's Kitchen
Normally I am not a fan of kale but this I think would be worth to try
This is a great soup. I think you’d like it! Thanks!
Howdy! This is my first comment here so I just
wanted to give a quick shout out and tell you I really enjoy
reading through your blog posts. Can you recommend any other blogs/websites/forums that deal with the same subjects?
Thank you!
I grew up eating canned hominy and I was only so-so about it then. After eating posole in a soup I’m crazy about it. I just want to curl up in front of a fire with a big bowl of this soup!
I’m the same way about canned hominy – ho hum…:) But, yes, posole is awesome as you well know! Thanks!
It’s funny that I grew up eating hominy in small town Mississippi. My mother served us canned hominy fairly regularly. I hadn’t had it since childhood until I did a Posole recipe last year. I’m a total convert and I love your idea of putting it in a soup like this. This sounds like the perfect thing on a cool autumn night! Good revisit posole in this recipe. Great post, MJ!
My southern mom feed us hominy as well, but you’d be surprised how different it is from fresh posole. Once I tried posole here in NM I haven’t been able to use hominy, but then I don’t have to. 🙂 I remember your posole. It was yummy!
I remember your Posole post! Hmmm, both recipes look so delicious! 40F is really cold. We haven’t hit 40F yet, but I miss the feeling of warm food being cooked over stove and outside is so cold… such a comforting feeling to have a meal like this waiting. I love that you added kale and Italian sausage – sounds perfect!
Thanks So much Nami! Yep, fall is here. At least we haven’t had a freeze yet.
I have never come across either posole or hominy where I live, maybe I should go hunting for it more. This looks wonderful and hearty for the cold weather. The sausage must give the broth an great intensity. I am in fall denial too.
Thanks Evelyne! Even within the U.S. posole and hominy can be hard to find. If you have any ethnic stores in your area, you might check them out. Well, today, I finally had to accept fall. We got wind and the first rain in a couple of months. The temperature is dropping fast! Tomorrow might be another soup day because 50 might be our high. 🙂
So making this. I was looking for recipes with kale in it. Sounds divine!!
Thanks! I hope you do get a chance to make it.
One of our favorite restaurants [now, sadly, closed] had the most amazing posole’ soups, all filled with spicy pork and other veggies. I think I’ll give your version a try, as soon as I get back to the local market to pick up some posole’ which is actually produced quite a lot around here. thanks!
Don’t you just hate it when a good restaurant closes and so many bad ones stay open. Hope you can find some posole and get a chance to make this. It’s different from the traditional pork and chile version, but still very, very good! Thanks!
Yep, that’s cold. And definitely soup weather. I love this combination of sausage and kale and this would be very warming as the temperatures drop xx
Glad someone else thinks it’s cold! 🙂 Thanks Charlie!
Ok, I am not sure I can find posole in Greece but indeed your soup/stew looks so inviting I was just watching it for a few moments admiring it!
Thanks Katerina! I bet it is hard to find posole in Greece. Not a common ingredients over there. 🙂
Ive been looking for hominy here in NZ but no luck after more that 5 years of searching. I grew up with it as a kid as this was sold on street by street vendors on bike. They sell it for morning snack or breakfast with coconut and coconut meat. Hopefully I can find it otherwise I can just imagine how this recipe of yours would taste.
That’s a very interesting thing to know Raymund. I had no idea that hominy was a street snack in the Philippines. I love the idea of the coconut and hominy breakfast. That sounds awesome! Hopefully, you’ll find it soon in NZ, but then there is always online ordering. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!
Well, I will admit that I feel squarely in my element in the summer as well however, I also relish seasonal change and autumn has just got to be one of our greatest planetary pleasures 😉 — not quite the colors I’m accustomed too but I adore the feeling of chillier nights and mornings, cuddling up in a wool blanket, a crackling fire, the smell of cinnamon wafting through the air and a warm cup of tea. Love it! And this delightful posole is the definition of fall comfort… it fits right in to my picture :D. Beautiful MJ (and I know of at least 2 boards I’m pinning it to!) xx.
Thanks so much Kelly! To be honest I think the colors of the fall are prettier than the colored blooms of the spring, unfortunately, they don’t seem to last as long. The cooler nights are wonderful, and I, too, love cuddling under warm blankets, but I’d love to wake up to warm mornings which is environmentally impossible, I know, but…:). Thanks for the pins!
Thats new to me. Sounds hearty and delicious though 🙂
Definitely! Thanks!
Your soup broth looks so rich and delicious. This soup looks hearty and hopefully with a little crust bread on the side would keep my teenagers happy for at least a couple of hours… My husband loves hominy so can’t wait to give this recipe a try. Going to sub out spinach for kale as that is really hard to come by in HK, still ok? Just pinned so I can make later this week. Wishing you a super Monday!
Thanks Bam! It is definitely a hearty soup that should fill up those boys of yours. Yes, spinach or even Swiss chard would work as a substitute. Thank you for pinning!
This sounds so delicious and so comforting! I love posole, and it sounds perfect with the italian sausage and kale.
Thanks so much Rachel! It’s good to find another posole lover. 🙂
Now that’s what I call a substantial soup! Cheers from Carole’s Chatter!
Thanks Carole!
I have never heard of posole before! I think I have been missing out on something seriously delicious, you definitely have inspired me to recreate the recipe for dinner tonight!
Thanks Thalia! Oh yes, posole is seriously delicious! 🙂 Of course if you can’t find posole nor hominy you could always use corn. I hope you enjoy it if you do make it.
Posole is one of those products discovered thanks to your blog that I cannot get here, but I always observe your adventures with this corn product with big curiosity (and appetite!). It looks like a perfect autumn comforting dish!
Thanks Sissi! I need to start putting together a list of New Mexico products to send you for the holidays! Dry posole would ship very nicely and I know you would love it. You already have the chiles to go with it. 🙂
You are so sweet, MJ… The only possible way I could agree would be if you allow me to send you some French and Swiss surprises 🙂
I think I could agree to that. 🙂
Posole is the only way my bunch will eat hominy and they do love my/a version of your posole. This new version sounds delicious. Once again, Italian sausage and kale are not their favorite things (I love both) but I can see how this would work beautifully, like a New Mexico version of Italian wedding soup. We are getting some cool mornings here, before it hits the mid-90’s in the afternoon. The cool morning are getting me thinking in terms of fall and winter soups and this one will definitely be on the menu.
Oh…mid 90’s! I wish I could split the difference between yours and ours. It’s already too cold for me. 🙂 Italian wedding soup…that’s what I have been trying to think of! Thanks! Yes, this is similar, but with the posole’. Have I ever made you my traditional posole’? I don’t remember. Hope you all have had a great weekend! XOXOX
Yes, you have made it for us. I think the first time was at Mother’s and at least one time since. That’s how I got onto it in the first place. I fell in love with it as soon as I ate it.
I thought so. 🙂 Thanks!
I wish I could get to taste posole, it looks and sounds intriguing MJ. Here, we are still waiting for the temperatures to drop, hopefully soon because I am starting to crave for winter dishes. Thank for sharing!
Thanks Helene. It’s interesting that posole isn’t found worldwide since it’s just a corn product, but I guess the process is what keeps it localized. I’m just glad I’m in an area where it’s readily available. 🙂
I’m not sure I’ve ever eaten posole, but I would never object to a big bowl of your flavorful dish!
Thanks Liz!
Never had posole dish before,
sounds tasty and comforting dish!
Thanks Dedy! I’m not surprised that you can’t find posole in your area. 🙂
I know how you feel about summer. But when it gets cold, I also turn to thoughts of comforting soup, and this soup looks so delicious! I love the ingredients, and it looks so good I wish my spoon could dip right into that picture. Thanks once again, my friend, for sharing such a delicious recipe!
Thanks so much Jodee! And thanks for sharing this post!
I’ve never been a huge posole fan but add the Italian sausage and kale, and I might just learn to love it!
Thanks Debra! It’s quite different from the traditional posole dish.
Pingback: Chorizo, Mushroom and Posole (Hominy) Soup | MJ's Kitchen
I am not really a hominy fan. I need to taste it again and see. My taste buds have been changing like crazy. Who would have thought I would ever eat beets. One of the few things that didn’t ring my chimes. So I would like to try the real thing Posole.
It is interesting the melding of Italian and SW flavors. Fusion food is often out of this world. I love soup and all the ingredients. So I suspect I would like this—a LOT
Thanks Carol! To be honest, I’m not that big of a fan of hominy unless it’s used in a soup/stew type dish. However, fresh, frozen, or dry posole is a different story, especially the fresh type. Hope you get to try it some day. Hope I learn to like beets some day. I try every year, but still not a big fan. 🙂
This soup is definitely perfect for the cooler fall weather. It looks like a bowl of comfort!
Comfort food – you’ve got that right. 🙂 Posole is definitely our comfort. Thanks!
Your posole looks warming and very delicious, MJ.
Thanks Angie!
MJ, I missed some of your recipes and I am glad that I stopped by! Yummy combination and perfect for the weather here.
Hey Nisa! So glad you dropped by! Just saw your Indian chicken with rice dish. YUM!
Oh, I so love posole! Yours looks warm and wonderful 🙂
Glad to find another posole’ lover!! Thanks Carrie!
This looks perfect for a chilly fall evening. I’m loving all of your recipes! Pinned!
Thanks for much Jen and thanks for pinning this!
As always you introduce me to posole and I have no idea what it is 😛
Thanks for teaching me and making me hungry – your dish looks wonderful!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Thanks Uru! So glad to introduce you to something new. 🙂
It is still hot here in our part of the jungle and I envy that temperature you are having. My goodness this posole is very hearty. I mean it is a meal by itself. Looks so delicious and must have an interesting flavor with Italian sausage. I hope you are having a good week! 🙂
Sorry you guys are in a heat wave over there. I’d like some of that heat back. It got too cold too fast this fall. Yes, this is definitely a meal by itself; however, Bobby wanted cornbread with the leftovers which made a huge meal. 🙂 I did have a great week Ray. Have a great weekend!
I don’t think I’ve tried posole yet. It’s one interesting dish. It’s getting a bit chilly in here too…. I think it’s soup season!
It’s definitely soup season! Posole is probably hard to find where you are, but if you ever see it, you should pick it up. It’s quite delicious!
I’ve been reading your blog for a couple of years now. Made a few recipes and love your style, but this…THIS, my friend sounds amazing!! First off, I’m a local girl…I live in Albuquerque. I love posole, but also like to change it up a bit. This recipe sounds similar to the ONLY thing memorable from an “Italian” chain restaurant that will go un-named (you know the one with soup, salad and breadsticks), but substituting posole for the potatoes. Can’t wait to try it!
Oh Diana…thank you SO much for your comments! It’s great knowing that a local gal reads my posts. You made my day! I do hope you get a chance to make this soup. It’s really, really good if I do say so myself. 🙂 And I think I know the unnamed restaurant. 🙂
I know it’s tough to accept that fall has arrived. Once you do, I can accept that it’s nearly summer here. While I love summer, it’s this time of year that I remember that Christmas in the summer is weird. 🙂
This soup is beautifully photographed. Those colors don’t often look too hot in a picture. I’m sure it tastes fantastic too.
It would be very hard for me as well to get use to Christmas being in the summer. So many of the Christmas songs just wouldn’t work…like “Let it snow, let it snow…” 🙂 Thanks so much for the comment on the photos! It was difficult getting a decent looking soup. I switched the color of the bowl 3 times. 🙂
What a perfect, warming soup for these early fall days! And of course, it wouldn’t be an MJ recipe without that particular spice that comes from your neck of the woods 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Viviane! You know I can’t help but add a little bit of chile. 🙂
Posole is wonderful stuff! And I love how you’ve used it in this recipe — such a great flavor combo. Italian sausage is such good stuff, isn’t it? Inspired recipe — thanks.
Thanks John! How can one go wrong with these two wonderful ingredients? 🙂