There's something inherently comforting about the combined flavors of sweet potatoes and sage, especially in the fall. Add some tender green beans and a hearty chicken broth into the mix, and you've got a turkey soup that will help make any chilly day cozier.

Common sage (Salvial officinalis) lends its soft, fuzzy leaves and unique forest-like scent to the mint family. Known for its earthy yet slightly spicy taste, this evergreen herb effortlessly complements the sumptuous turkey and sweet potato components of this soup. Fresh sage can be a superb substitute for dried sage in the recipe; however, it offers a more subtle flavor, so consider using about three times as much, finely chopped.

For those running on a tight schedule, one can swap the turkey cutlets for 12 ounces of pre-cooked turkey breast, commonly obtained from a deli. Cut this into 1/2-inch cubes and toss them into the soup just long enough to warm them through. Leftover turkey or chicken can also be a great addition to this versatile soup.

Interestingly, a common belief discredits sweet wines for dining tables. But in this case, where the dish leans towards sweetness, the wine should follow suit. It is suggested that a generous gulp of the succulent Auslese Riesling, sourced from the Rheingau, will prove this point most graciously.

For those curious about servings and recipe scaling, this comforting soup was initially developed for four portions. Though ingredient measures will adjust automatically, cooking times and steps remain unaffected. It's important to note, not all recipes scale up or down perfectly.

In a nutshell, one serving of this delightful soup uses 2 tablespoons of butter, 1 onion, 1.5 teaspoons of dried sage, 1 pound of sweet potatoes, 1.5 quarts of low-sodium chicken broth, 2 teaspoons of kosher salt, 1/4 pound of green beans, and 1 pound of turkey cutlets.

How to prepare the soup? Start by melting the butter in a large pot while concurrently cooking the onion and sage until the onion is transparent, which will take about 5 minutes. Add the sweet potatoes, broth, and 1 teaspoon of the salt and bring it to a boil, followed by simmering until the potatoes are soft. Contrastingly, half of the soup is transferred to a food processor and puréed, then reintroduced to the remaining soup together with the green beans, the remaining salt, and pepper. After that, simmer until the beans are tender, then add the chopped turkey and continue cooking till it's warmed through. Once prepared, the soup can be stored in an airtight container, lasting up to three days in the refrigerator.

This heartwarming recipe was first published in the 1998 Food & Wine's Quick From Scratch One-Dish Meals cookbook, with some text authored by Emily Ziemski.