Sausage Potato and Kale Soup
This Sausage Potato and Kale Soup is a one-pot comfort dinner that tastes like it simmered all day but comes together in about an hour. Browned Italian sausage builds a creamy, peppery broth around tender red potatoes and ribbons of kale for a hearty, deeply flavorful bowl.
Equipment
- Dutch Oven or Large Stockpot at least 5 quarts
- Sharp chef's knife
- Sturdy cutting board
- Wooden spoon or sturdy spatula for breaking up the sausage
- Ladle for serving
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Vegetable peeler (optional, if you prefer peeled potatoes)
- Salad spinner (optional, for washing and drying kale)
- Immersion blender (optional, for a thicker soup)
Ingredients
- 1 pound bulk Italian sausage mild or hot; 450g
- 1 medium yellow onion about 1 cup or 150g, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 1/2 pounds baby red potatoes about 680g or 4 cups, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth about 720ml
- 1 cup whole milk about 240ml
- 1 cup half-and-half about 240ml
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes plus more to taste
- 4 cups kale packed chopped, thick stems removed; about 1 small bunch
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For Serving
- freshly grated Parmesan cheese optional, for serving
Instructions
- Rinse and scrub the potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch cubes, and set aside. Finely dice the onion, mince the garlic, and remove the thick ribs from the kale before chopping and drying it well.
- Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add the sausage, and crumble it while cooking 8 to 10 minutes until browned. Spoon out most of the grease, leaving about 1 tablespoon.
- Add the diced onion and cook 4 to 5 minutes until soft and translucent. Stir in the garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes and cook about 1 minute until fragrant.
- Pour in the broth and scrape up the browned bits, then stir in the milk, half-and-half, and potatoes. Bring to a gentle boil, then immediately reduce the heat to low.
- Partially cover and simmer gently for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring every 5 to 10 minutes, until a fork slides easily into the potatoes.
- Stir in the chopped kale a handful at a time and simmer uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes until tender and bright green.
- Stir in the salt and pepper, taste and adjust seasoning, then remove from the heat and rest 5 minutes. Ladle into bowls and top with Parmesan if desired.
Notes
- Choose mild Italian sausage for a gentle flavor or hot Italian sausage for real heat, and taste before adding extra salt since both sausage and broth bring sodium.
- Drain most of the grease, keeping only about 1 tablespoon in the pot so the soup is not greasy.
- Cut the potatoes into even 1/2 inch cubes so they cook at the same rate.
- Keep the simmer gentle; a hard rolling boil can cause the milk and half-and-half to separate.
- Add the kale at the end and cook only 10 to 15 minutes so it stays tender and bright green.
- Let the soup rest 5 minutes off the heat before serving to help the broth thicken and the flavors come together.
- For a thicker soup, mash a few potato cubes against the side of the pot or pulse briefly with an immersion blender.
- Store leftovers in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 2 months; the potatoes may soften after freezing.
- Reheat slowly over low to medium-low heat, stirring often, and thin with a splash of milk or broth if the soup has thickened.
- Slow cooker option: brown the sausage and onion first, then cook with broth, potatoes, oregano, and red pepper flakes on low 6 to 7 hours, stirring in the milk, half-and-half, and kale during the last 30 minutes.
Nutrition
Serving: 1BowlCalories: 410kcalCarbohydrates: 29gProtein: 19gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 10gSodium: 920mgFiber: 3gSugar: 7g
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