Sausage, Summer Squash & Lamb's Quarters Soup

A hearty summer soup featuring savory sausage, tender summer squash, sweet corn, leafy greens, fresh herbs, and nutty red rice in a light, flavorful broth. This flexible recipe celebrates the abundance of the season and welcomes whatever greens, herbs, or squash are flourishing in your garden.

SERVES

6-8

PREP

20 minutes

COOK

35-40 minutes

Ingredients

1 pound bulk sausage (I used pasture-raised sausage from Many Hands Organic Farm.)
1 tablespoon ghee or olive oil, if needed
1 medium onion, diced
2–3 cloves garlic, minced
4–6 cups homemade chicken broth
2 medium summer squash or zucchini, diced
2 ears fresh sweet corn, kernels removed
1–2 cups chopped Swiss chard stems
3-4 cups chopped lamb's quarters Or substitute with:
- Swiss chard
- Kale
- Spinach
- Beet greens
- Other seasonal cooking greens
1 cup cooked red or brown rice, or any other grain of your choosing

Fresh Herbs (choose several)

Summer savory
Parsley
Basil
Dill
Chives
Green onions

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.

Directions

Brown the sausage in a large soup pot, breaking it into bite-sized pieces. Drain excess fat if needed.
Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook another minute.
Pour in the broth and bring to a gentle simmer.
Add the squash, corn, and chopped chard stems. Simmer 10–15 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
Stir in the lamb's quarters (or other greens) and cook just until wilted, about 3–5 minutes.
Add the cooked red rice and warm through.
Stir in the fresh herbs and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with fresh sourdough bread or your favorite crackers.

Summer vegetables naturally help balance the warmth of the season while providing nourishment without feeling heavy. Sweet corn and squash offer grounding sweetness, leafy greens support healthy digestion and provide the often-missing bitter taste, and fresh herbs awaken the digestive fire while adding vibrant flavor.

The sausage contributes warmth and substance, making the soup satisfying enough to stand as a complete meal. If your digestion runs delicate, simply use a lighter sausage and enjoy the soup warm rather than piping hot.

Warmth, Ladled and Shared

Toddler enjoying a bowl of Sausage, Summer Squash and Lamb's Quarters soup.

One of my favorite ingredients isn't in the soup at all—it's sharing it around the table. Madelyn enjoyed three bowls of this nourishing summer soup made with seasonal vegetables, fresh herbs, and greens from the garden.

JenZen Notes

One of my favorite things about this soup is that it reminds us to cook with what we have rather than what a recipe says we must have. Every bowl can be a little different depending on what's flourishing in the garden.

The colorful chard stems add sweetness, texture, and nutrition that often get composted. Lamb's quarters are one of my favorite wild foods, but Swiss chard, kale, spinach, beet greens, or even young collards are wonderful substitutions.

Explore the Ingredients

Each ingredient in this recipe offers its own unique qualities and actions in the body. In Ayurveda, food is more than nourishment — it is medicine. Click below to learn how these ingredients support balance, digestion, and overall well-being.