Where we sit as we write this article, the calendar reads January. A chill permeates the air. The skies look dull and dreary. The day darkens too early. It’s winter. The dead of winter.

We could use a boost—something to warm our bellies and cheer our souls. Luckily, we know the remedy. Soup. Is there anything more comforting on a midwinter’s evening than a warm bowl of soup. You needn’t answer. The question was rhetorical.

Good soup requires time and devotion. Flavor doesn’t just appear. It develops over hours. Unfortunately, we’re amateurs. This blog doesn’t pay the bills. It’s a lark, a hobby, a distraction. Instead of spending our days manning a wooden spoon in the kitchen, we sit at a computer in an office. Our point is this: we don’t have the soup-making kind of time.

Last year, we bought our mother an Instant Pot. We promptly stole it and refused to return it. The Instant Pot is an electric pressure cooker. It condenses hours of labor into mere minutes. You’d be surprised by its variety of uses. It does a lot well. It makes phenomenal soup.

We’ve tinkered and tested. Until this moment, our favorite recipe was for chicken sausage and cheese tortellini soup. It’s reign, though, must end. A new king has ridden into town. This turkey sausage sweet potato spinach soup is amazing. The red pepper provides a kick that the sweet potato mellows out. It delivers bold and rich flavor. Yet, it’s also healthy.

Nothing lasts forever. The day will come when we discover an even better recipe. Until then, make this soup.

Turkey Sausage Sweet Potato Spinach Soup

Ingredients

• One pound of Italian turkey sausage
• One yellow onion, chopped
• Two celery stocks, chopped
• Two carrots, peeled and chopped
• One large sweet potato, peeled and cubed
• Five cups of turkey stock
• Two cloves of garlic, pressed
• One teaspoon of red pepper flakes
• One teaspoon of dried basil
• One teaspoon of dried oregano
• One teaspoon of dried thyme
• Five ounces of fresh spinach
• Two bay leaves

Directions

Turn pressure cooker to “Sauté” function. Brown sausage. Remove to separate bowl, and set aside. Sauté onion, celery and carrots until onion becomes translucent. Mix in sweet potato, and cook for two minutes. Pour in turkey stock, browned sausage, garlic, red pepper, basil, oregano, and thyme. Stir. Add spinach. Place bay leaves on top.

Close lid. Cook on “High Pressure” for four minutes. Preform quick pressure release.

Discard bay leaves. Stir soup and serve.

If you’d prefer a creamer experience, mix in 1/4 cup of sour cream immediately before serving.