Trader Joe's Holiday Vegetable Hash and Sausage Stew

This time of year is so busy for me and my family, so convenience items like Trader Joe's holiday vegetable hash are a life-saver. Sure, the blend of chopped sweet potatoes, butternut squash, red onion, and fresh herbs is perfect for sautéing up as-is as an easy side dish for Thanksgiving dinner. But, I thought it would also be the perfect ingredient for making a cozy soup recipe.

Simply by adding some chicken-apple sausages, kale, fresh garlic, and some broth, I've created a hearty soup that's ready in about 20-25 minutes. I like to serve it with crusty bread or whole wheat biscuits, and voilà, a one-pot easy recipe to add to your weeknight repertoire.

As you might guess, Trader Joe's holiday vegetable hash is a seasonal item, available starting in the Fall. If you'd like to make this recipe at other times of the year (and not just during the holiday season), you can make your own by combining chopped butternut squash, sweet potatoes, red onion, parsley, sage, and rosemary.

Looking for other soup ideas? Be sure to check out my One Pot Brunswick Stew and this delicious minestrone soup. Pumpkin Soup is another fall flavor forward option. You'll also love my hearty Mushroom and Noodle Soup.

Or are you in search of another great recipe featuring one of my favorite Trader Joe's items? Be sure to check out my Butternut Squash Ravioli with Sage Browned Butter Sauce recipe, my Chicken Piccata Meatballs, and my Mediterranean Bowls recipes.

Also, when I'm on a Trader Joe's grocery shopping trip, these are my favorite things to pick up to make a complete meal when I don't have time to create a recipe from scratch: Spatchcocked Lemon Rosemary Chicken, a box of rice-orzo pilaf mix, and some fresh green beans. It's one of my go-to easy meals my whole family loves.

Ingredients

Before we get started, let’s gather the ingredients we need for this recipe:

• olive oil
• Trader Joe's holiday vegetable hash
• chicken-apple sausages
• garlic
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Tuscan kale
• chicken broth
• curry powder
• brown sugar
• apple cider vinegar

(See recipe card for quantities.)

Instructions

Now that we’ve got our ingredients, it’s time to get cooking!

First, brown the sliced sausage in olive oil in a Dutch oven or soup pot.

Next, remove the sausage from the Dutch oven to a bowl.

Then, add the holiday vegetable hash to the Dutch oven and cook until golden brown.

Finally, add the brown sugar, vinegar, curry powder, kale, and broth to the Dutch oven and bring to a boil. Add the sausage and simmer until the vegetables are tender.

Substitutions

Here are some easy ingredient alternatives if you'd like to change things up:

• Protein - instead of chicken-apple sausages, you can substitute kielbasa or other smoked sausage. Or, add turkey meatballs or chicken meatballs.
• Greens - chopped curly kale, collard greens, and mustard greens are great alternatives to Tuscan kale. Shaved Brussels sprouts are also a nice option.
• Vegetarian - substitute vegetable broth for chicken broth and plant-based sausage for the chicken-apple sausages to make this a vegetarian meal.

Variations

Looking for other ways to adjust this recipe? I've got you covered.

• Spicy - add crushed red pepper flakes to this sausage and vegetable hash soup to give it a little kick.
• Cheese - I've opted to make this recipe dairy-free, but it would be great topped with your favorite cheese. Grated Parmesan cheese, feta cheese, or crumbled goat cheese would all pair nicely.
• Rice - in addition to a hunk of crusty bread, this soup is great served over brown rice or white rice.

Equipment

Here's what you'll need to make this recipe:

• measuring spoons
• dry measuring cups
• liquid measuring cup
• Dutch oven
• small bowl
• ladle

Storage

To store any leftovers, let the stew come to room temperature and then transfer to an airtight container. Refrigerate for 2 to 3 days.

Freeze any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

Frequently asked questions

Recipe guidelines and test kitchen tips

When developing and testing recipes, here are some key things that I do for more success in the kitchen:

• Be sure to use dry measuring cups for things like flour, sugar, and mayonnaise and a liquid measuring cup for things like water, milk, and broth.
• When measuring dry ingredients like flour and powdered sugar that can pack down, spoon the ingredient into a dry measuring cup and level with a knife as opposed to scooping the measuring cup into the ingredient.
• I test and develop recipes using a standard electric oven and standard gas stovetop. Be aware that if you use an electric stovetop or convection oven, your bake times will be different.
• When recipes call for kosher salt, I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt.

Food safety

Finally, don't forget to keep these food safety tips in mind when making this recipe.

• Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods.
• Never leave cooking food unattended.
• Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove.

See more guidelines at USDA.gov.