This is another one of our favorite meals that friends brought us during the “meal train” they put together just after our son was born. My friend, Michelle, delivered this creamy sausage and kale soup one night alongside a loaf a bread and it was all quickly devoured.
This is a great meal idea if you are looking for a super filling and comforting soup recipe. I’m also going to share a few tweaks I make when I want to make a vegetarian version—it’s simple!
One thing I love about this soup is the juxtaposition of the creamy base alongside chewy kale and soft (but chunky) potatoes. Maybe this creamy sausage and kale soup would qualify as a stew; or at least could easily become one.
When I asked Michelle for the recipe, she let me know that she used the Copycat Zuppa Toscana recipe here. I’ve made a few small tweaks to this. The main thing is I don’t use bacon, as I don’t find it necessary and it just adds more fat (which this soup has plenty of already, ha).
To make this soup vegetarian, you only have to make two substitutions to the recipe below. First, swap the sausage for your favorite vegetarian version. I really like Morning Star breakfast sausage (a mix of original and spicy if you have both options available) and Impossible ground beef. But, any vegetarian sausage you like will work just fine.
And the second is to swap the chicken stock for vegetable stock. Easy! And if you’re curious, here’s a link to the pan I used. It’s my all-time favorite.
And if you’re looking for more comforting soup recipes, check these out:
- Baked Potato & Broccoli Cheddar Soup – a classic
- Gnocchi and Vegetable Soup – sign me up for anything with gnocchi anytime!
- Potato and Cream Cheese Soup – soooooooo creamy and delicious
- Spicy Peanut and Wild Rice Soup – don’t knock it until you try it
- Creamy Cauliflower and Leek Soup – one of my all-time favorites
I love making soup as soon as the weather turns cold—it’s the best. And this is a good one. Enjoy! xo. Emma
Creamy Sausage and Kale Soup
Ingredients
- 1 shallot finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 12 ounces sausage
- 8 ounces potatoes baby dutch yellow preferred
- 1 tablespoon flour all-purpose
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 32 ounces chicken stock
- 1 cup cream heavy
- 2 cups kale veins removed, chopped
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Prep the ingredients by finely chopping the shallot, minced the garlic, and wash and cut the potatoes into bite sized pieces.
- In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the shallot and garlic and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add the sausage and cook until browned. Use a wooden spoon to break up any pieces while cooking.
- Add the potatoes and sprinkle in the flour, cayenne, and red pepper flakes.
- Add the chicken stock to the pot and cover with a lid. Cook for 12-16 minutes until the potatoes are softened enough you can mash them with a wooden spoon.
- Add the cream and season well with salt and pepper.
- During the last 5 minutes of cooking, stir in the kale pieces. Serve hot.
Notes
Credits // Author and Photography: Emma Chapman