Hearty Sausage, Potato & Kale Soup
Nothing beats a comforting bowl of soup that fills your kitchen with amazing smells and warms you right up! This hearty sausage, potato and kale soup is perfect for busy families who want something delicious and healthy on the table fast. You’ll love how this one-pot wonder makes dinner so easy while giving everyone the comfort food they’re craving.
Recipe Details
Timing & Servings: Prep Time: 25 minutes, Additional Time: 25 minutes, Total Time: 50 minutes, Serves: 6 people.
Nutrition Profile: Nut-Free, Soy-Free, Egg-Free, Gluten-Free.
Nutrition Facts (per serving): 237 Calories, 12g Fat, 22g Carbs, 10g Protein.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Italian Sausage: You’ll need 8 ounces of mild Italian sausage with the casings removed. This gives the soup that rich, savory flavor that makes everyone ask for seconds!
Yellow Onion: 2 cups of chopped yellow onion adds sweetness and depth. One large onion usually does the trick perfectly.
Celery: 1½ cups of chopped celery plus some leaves for garnish. I love how celery adds that perfect crunch and fresh flavor to balance everything out.
Garlic: 4 cloves of minced garlic because everything tastes better with garlic! Fresh is best, but the pre-minced stuff works great too.
Tomato Paste: Just 1 tablespoon of tomato paste adds amazing richness. This little ingredient makes such a big difference in flavor!
Diced Tomatoes: One 14-ounce can of no-salt-added diced tomatoes brings brightness and body to the soup.
Baby Red Potatoes: 12 ounces of baby red potatoes, halved. These little gems hold their shape perfectly and taste so creamy!
Chicken Broth: 4 cups of unsalted chicken broth creates the perfect soup base. Low-sodium works great too if that’s what you have.
Seasonings: ¾ teaspoon ground pepper and ¼ teaspoon salt to bring all the flavors together just right.
Fresh Kale: 3 cups of stemmed and coarsely chopped kale adds nutrition and beautiful color. Baby kale works wonderfully too!
Lemon Juice: 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice brightens everything up at the end. Trust me, this makes all the difference!
Parmesan Cheese: Shaved Parmesan for garnish because cheese makes everything better, right?
How to Make Sausage, Potato & Kale Soup
Step 1: Cook the sausage in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Stir often to crumble it up nicely until it’s browned, about 5 minutes. Add your chopped onion, celery, and minced garlic to the pot. Cook everything together, stirring often, until the veggies get soft and smell amazing, about 6 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly so it doesn’t stick.
Step 2: Stir in the diced tomatoes, halved potatoes, chicken broth, pepper, and salt. Bring everything to a nice simmer over medium-high heat. Cover the pot, then reduce heat to medium and let it simmer until those potatoes are fork-tender, about 20 minutes.
Step 3: Stir the chopped kale right into the soup. Keep simmering over medium heat, stirring now and then, until the kale wilts down and gets tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in that fresh lemon juice at the very end.
Step 4: Divide the soup between 6 bowls and garnish with those pretty celery leaves and shaved Parmesan if you want. Serve it up right away while it’s nice and hot!
Easy and Quick Sausage, Potato & Kale Soup Version
Want to make this even faster? You’ve got this! Use pre-cooked chicken sausage and cut it into slices instead of browning raw sausage. Grab a bag of pre-chopped soup vegetables from the store to skip all that chopping. You can also use baby spinach instead of kale since it wilts in just 2 minutes. This cuts your prep time down to just 10 minutes!
Serving Ideas
This soup is pretty much a complete meal all by itself! Serve it with some crusty whole-wheat bread or warm dinner rolls for dipping. A simple green salad with vinaigrette makes a nice fresh side. For extra comfort, add a grilled cheese sandwich on the side – kids especially love this combo!
Storage
Store leftover soup in the fridge for up to 4 days in covered containers. To reheat, just warm it up on the stove over medium heat, stirring occasionally. You can also microwave individual bowls for 1-2 minutes. The soup freezes well for up to 3 months – just thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Substitutions
No Italian sausage? Try ground turkey or chicken with some Italian seasoning mixed in. You can swap the kale for spinach, chard, or even cabbage. Regular potatoes work great if you don’t have baby reds – just cut them into small chunks. Vegetable broth makes this soup vegetarian if you skip the sausage and add extra beans instead.
Pro Tips
• Don’t Skip the Tomato Paste: Cooking it for that full minute really deepens the flavor and prevents any raw taste.
• Keep Potatoes Small: Cut them into similar sizes so they cook evenly. Nobody wants some mushy and some hard!
• Add Kale at the End: This keeps it bright green and prevents it from getting too mushy.
• Save Some Celery Leaves: They make the prettiest garnish and taste great too!
• Taste Before Serving: Add a pinch more salt or pepper if needed – every pot is a little different.
FAQs
Can I make this soup ahead of time?
You bet! This soup actually tastes even better the next day. Just make the whole recipe and store it in the fridge. The flavors get more delicious as they sit together. Reheat gently on the stove and you’re all set!
What if I can’t find baby red potatoes?
No worries at all! Regular red potatoes or even Yukon Gold potatoes work perfectly. Just cut them into bite-sized chunks, about 1-inch pieces. They’ll cook in the same amount of time and taste just as good.
Can I use frozen kale instead of fresh?
Sure! Frozen kale works great in this soup. You don’t even need to thaw it first – just add it straight from the freezer. It might take an extra minute or two to heat through, but it’ll taste delicious.
Is this soup spicy?
Not at all! Mild Italian sausage is very gentle and family-friendly. If you want more heat, you can always use hot Italian sausage or add some red pepper flakes. Start with just a pinch and taste as you go!
Final Thoughts
I hope your family loves this cozy soup as much as mine does! It’s become one of our go-to dinners when we want something warm and satisfying. Let me know how it turns out for you – I always love hearing about your cooking adventures!
