Description
Dive into a bowl of comfort with this Hearty Cajun Beef Sausage, Tomato & Okra Soup, a vibrant dish infused with Southern flavors. This soup is a complete meal that warms you from the inside out, perfect for cozy evenings or feeding a crowd.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound beef-based Cajun sausage
- 1 cup fresh or frozen okra, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 stalk celery, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups beef broth
- 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prep Your Ingredients: Gather and chop everything. Slice your beef-based Cajun sausage into 1/2-inch rounds. Dice your onion, celery, and green bell pepper. Mince your garlic. If using fresh okra, slice it into 1/2-inch pieces.
- Brown the Sausage: Heat a tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven. Add your sliced beef-based Cajun sausage and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned on both sides, about 5-7 minutes. Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon and set it aside.
- Sauté the Holy Trinity: Reduce the heat to medium. Add the diced onion, celery, and green bell pepper to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften and become translucent, about 8-10 minutes.
- Add Garlic and Okra: Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant. Then, add the sliced okra to the pot. Sauté the okra with the vegetables for about 5-7 minutes.
- Incorporate Tomatoes and Seasonings: Pour in the canned diced tomatoes and crushed tomatoes. Stir well. Add the Cajun seasoning, dried thyme, and bay leaf. Stir to combine.
- Add Broth and Simmer: Pour in the beef broth. Return the reserved browned Cajun sausage to the pot. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and let it simmer for at least 30 minutes.
- Adjust and Serve: After simmering, taste the soup and adjust the seasonings as needed. Remove and discard the bay leaf before serving. Ladle the hot soup into bowls and serve immediately.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 45 mins
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Southern
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg
Keywords: To reduce okra's natural sliminess, sauté it initially and use acidic tomatoes. Allow the soup to simmer longer for deeper flavors. Serve with fluffy white rice or cornbread for a heartier meal.