Southern Swamp Soup Recipe

Once the temperatures drop, my husband and I happily switch into soup mode. We pull out our favorite recipes, a wide range of creamy, hearty, brothy dishes that get us through the long, dark nights of winter. We can’t get enough of a good soup’s ease—throw in a little crusty bread or a bit of green salad, and you have a meal—as well as its ability to warm you from head to toe.

One soup we make over and over again every winter is swamp soup. Does it sound gross? Yes, yes it does. It gets its name for its appearance: chopped greens floating on top. It doesn’t look as gross as it sounds, and it tastes a million times better. 

The Southern soup features all of the major food groups and tons of flavor, making it a delicious meal unto itself.

What Is Swamp Soup?

One of those dishes without a clear origin, you’ll find swamp soup here and there throughout the southern U.S. I imagine it comes from a region with a swamp, but I can’t swear to it. All I know is it’s a perfect soup.

This soup reminds me of pasta e fagioli with a couple of flavorful and nourishing bonus ingredients. Creamy white beans are combined with a little tomato, smoked sausage like andouille, and small pasta like ditalini or orzo. The finishing touch is lots of chopped greens; turnip greens are the most common, but any hearty green will work.

The smoked sausage and chicken broth along with sautéed aromatics give this soup tons of flavor while keeping it balanced. We tend to eat it on its own since it’s warming and filling, but you can serve it with a fresh salad or bread.

A Very Riffable Recipe

The most common combo you’ll find in swamp soup recipes is turnip greens, smoked sausage, and white beans. And it really is a winning combo. However, it’s easy to tweak this recipe to suit your tastes, your diet, and what you have handy. Here are some ideas:

• Beans: Any kind of white bean works great here, including cannellini, Great Northern, and navy beans. White beans are best since they have the creamiest texture, but you can use your choice of beans instead.
• Veggies: Add more veggies, such as finely diced bell peppers or carrots.
• Greens: While turnip greens are popular, other dark greens work just as well, like lacinato kale, collard greens, or Swiss chard. You can even use spinach—add it in the last few minutes of cooking so it doesn’t overcook.
• Smoked sausage: Kielbasa gives this soup great flavor. Any non-smoked sausage works too. Just know that it won’t infuse the soup with quite as much flavor as a smoked sausage.

Soup’s Up!