This Creamy Italian Sausage Potato Kale Soup is hearty and so yummy. It combines sweet Italian sausage, tender potatoes, and fresh lacinato kale in a rich, creamy broth. Infused with fragrant thyme, it's a comforting blend of savory, earthy, and herbal flavors.
I love a comforting bowl of this soup on chilly days! Be sure to try my Tuscan Chickpea Soup with Kale, my Sausage and Bean Soup or my Easy Hamburger Soup. It's delicious served with a side of garlic bread or a buttered slice of my Gluten Free White Bread if you want to make it from scratch.
Ingredients
- Sweet Italian sausage: Use pork sausage for classic flavor or substitute chicken or turkey sausage if preferred.
- Salted butter: Used for sautéing the aromatics and creating the roux base.
- Sweet onion: I love the mellow flavor.
- Garlic: Use fresh garlic.
- Flour: To thicken the soup with.
- Low-sodium chicken broth: Using low-sodium lets you control the final seasoning.
- Heavy cream: Adds delicious creaminess with the kale and sausage base.
- Worcestershire sauce or liquid smoke: I love the smoky, tanginess it adds.
- Fresh thyme: Fresh is better than dried, but you can use dried in a pinch. Just use a bit less.
- Crushed red pepper flakes: For some spice, leave them out if you don't like spicy food.
- Golden potatoes: Buttery, tender potatoes add texture and some bulk to the soup.
- Lacinato kale: AKA dinosaur kale. I like it because it's a little sweeter and more tender than curly kale.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
This is precisely how I made my soup:
- Step 1: In a large pot or Dutch oven, brown the sausage. Remove the sausage from the pot and set aside.
- Add the butter and melt it. Add the onion and cook for a few minutes.
- Step 3: Sprinkle in the flour, garlic, thyme, and red pepper flakes (if using). Stir until the flour turns golden. Add the chicken broth and whisk to avoid lumps.
- Step 4: Add the diced potatoes, and Worcestershire sauce bring to a boil, and turn down the heat to simmer. Cover with a lid and cook until the potatoes are fork tender. Return the cooked sausage to the pot and stir to combine. Pour in the heavy cream and stir in the chopped kale.
- Step 3: Simmer for 5-10 more minutes, or until the kale is tender and the soup slightly thickens. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve hot.
Substitutions
Worcestershire sauce: Soy sauce or a dash of balsamic vinegar works well.
Golden potatoes: Swap with russet or red potatoes - Red potatoes hold their shape well, while russets break down more for a creamier texture.
Lacinato kale: Baby spinach or Swiss chard are great alternatives.
Top Tip About Kale Choices
If you can find it, use Tuscan kale (also called lacinato or dinosaur kale) in this soup. It's thinner and more tender than curly kale, so it cooks quickly while keeping a pleasant chewy texture. Remove the tough stems, slice the leaves into strips, and stir them in toward the end of cooking so they don't become overcooked.
Variations
This recipe lends itself to a few variations, so here are my favorites:
- Swap the greens: Not a fan of kale? Baby spinach or Swiss chard is an easy substitute. Add spinach right at the end since it wilts quickly.
- Change the sausage: Use hot Italian sausage for more heat, or swap the pork for chicken or turkey sausage for a lighter option. Smoked sausage also works well and adds a deeper, smoky flavor.
- Add bacon: Cook a few slices of chopped bacon or pancetta first, then use some of the rendered fat to sauté the onions and garlic.
- Try sweet potatoes: Replace regular potatoes with peeled, cubed sweet potatoes for a slightly sweeter version.
- Add beans: Cannellini or Great Northern beans make the soup even heartier and add extra protein and fiber.
- Add more vegetables: Carrots, celery, or parsnips can be sautéed with the onions for extra flavor and texture.
- Low-dairy version: Replace heavy cream with canned coconut milk or a splash of oat cream. It keeps the soup creamy while reducing dairy content.
- Brighten the flavor: A squeeze of fresh lemon juice just before serving helps balance the richness of the creamy broth and sausage.
Top tip
You can adjust the dish's spice level by adding more or fewer red pepper flakes. Chipotle or cayenne is a nice addition for extra heat.
Equipment
To make this creamy Italian sausage soup, you'll need a soup pot or Dutch oven. I used a knife, cutting board, spoon, and whisk to remove the lumps!
Storage
This soup will be kept in an airtight refrigerator container for up to 4 days.
Reheat it on the stove or in the microwave. You can freeze the leftovers, but I prefer not to. The potato turns grainy after thawing.
FAQ
If your soup is too thick, add a little more chicken broth.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Creamy Italian Sausage Potato and Kale Soup
Ingredients
- 16 ounces sweet Italian sausage
- ¼ cup ½ stick salted butter
- ½ medium sweet onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 6 tablespoons flour *gluten-free flour may be used
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce or liquid smoke
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional
- 1 pound golden potatoes diced small
- 1 large bunch of Lacinato Kale chopped
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a soup pot or dutch oven, brown the sausage and then remove it and set aside.
- Remove most (but not all) of the grease from the pot.
- In the same pot, melt ½ stick of butter. Add in the onion and cook for a few minutes or until soft.
- Sprinkle in the flour, garlic, red pepper flakes and thyme. Stir until it dissolves and starts to slightly brown.
- Using a whisk, slowly add the chicken broth and Worcestershire sauce to the pot. Whisk until all of the flour mix dissolves and no lumps remain.
- Add the diced potatoes and bring the liquid to a boil. Once it's boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer (medium to medium-low heat) and partially cover with a lid. Simmer for about 10 minutes or until the potatoes become soft. The smaller you diced your potatoes, the more quickly they will become soft.
- As soon as the potatoes start to soften, add back in sausage.
- Stir in the heavy cream and chopped kale. Simmer on low for at least 5 more minutes or until the soup has thickened a bit and the kale is soft.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!
Equipment
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
All nutritional information provided is an estimate. For specific dietary needs or concerns, we recommend consulting a nutrition calculator or a qualified expert.
Karen Kelly
Karen Kelly is a nationally syndicated food and travel writer, founder of Seasonal Cravings, and co-founder of The Roam Report. She develops approachable seasonal recipes and covers travel and lifestyle trends. Her work has appeared in numerous media outlets, including Yahoo, Taste of Home, Apple News, NBC, FOX, and other national and regional publications.
Gis says
When do we add the Worcestershire sauce?
Thanks,
G
Karen Kelly says
Sorry about that, I fixed it!