This soup is inspired by everyone's neighborhood Italian restaurant (you know the one). Sausage and kale is one of my favorite ingredient combinations ever, and this soup does not disappoint. Other versions of this recipe call for bacon, but in order to lighten it up a bit and eliminate a step, I've omitted it here. To replace the hint of smokiness that the bacon would have added, I use smoked paprika to season the sausage as it cooks.
Feel free to use hot Italian sausage if you want that spiciness from the get-go. I usually use mild and adjust the spice level with some crushed red pepper flakes when serving because of the kiddos. Italian turkey sausage is also a great substitution if your store carries it. It cuts down on the calories and fat without sacrificing the richness and flavor.
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb mild Italian sausage, bulk or removed from casings
1 tsp smoked paprika
2 Tbsp butter
1 medium onion, diced
4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
2 Tbsp flour
4 cups chicken broth
2 large russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes (about 4 cups)
1 cup heavy cream
6 cups kale, stemmed and torn into bite-sized pieces
Kosher salt
Freshly cracked pepper
Crushed red pepper flakes, optional
Directions
Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the sausage, and season with the smoked paprika. Cook the sausage until no longer pink, breaking up the meat into smaller pieces. Turn off the heat and using a slotted spoon, remove the sausage to a paper towel-lined bowl. Carefully wipe the excess grease out of the pot using tongs and paper towels.
In the residual heat of the pan, add the butter. When melted, turn the heat back on to medium. Sauté the onions until they begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté about 30 seconds. Sprinkle in the flour and cook one minute, stirring constantly. Slowly pour in the chicken broth while continuing to stir so that all of the cooked flour is absorbed into the liquid. While stirring, scrape up any bits that have stuck to the bottom of the pot.
Add the potatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are fork-tender. Season with a couple of generous pinches of salt and several scrunches of freshly cracked pepper.
Stir in the cream, return the sausage to the pot, and add the kale. Stir and cook for 5 to 10 more minutes.
Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary. For a little spice, serve with crushed red pepper flakes.
The soup will thicken as it cools. When reheating leftovers, add extra broth or water as needed to thin it out.
Visuals
Prep your ingredients. Strip the stems off the kale and tear the leaves into bite-sized pieces.
Wash, peel, and dice the potatoes.
Remove the casing from the sausages, if you bought them as links. Season with smoked paprika and cook until no longer pink.
Make sure you only use SMOKED paprika. If you don't have it, just omit it. There is really no point in using regular paprika for this recipe.
Transfer the browned sausage to a paper towel-lined bowl to soak up the excess grease. Wipe out the pot.
With the heat off, melt the butter. Turn the heat back on to medium once the butter has melted. Don't worry about those brown bits at the bottom. You'll be deglazing the pan with broth in just a few steps.
Sauté the onion for 3 minutes.
Add the garlic and sauté another 30 seconds.
Sprinkle in the flour and stir for one minute.
Slowly pour in the broth while stirring, making sure any clumps of flour are absorbed into the liquid. Scrape those bits off the bottom of the pan. Then add the potatoes.
Once the potatoes have simmered for about 15 minutes. Season with a couple of generous pinches of salt and a few scrunches of freshly cracked pepper. Stir in the cream. Return the sausage to the pot, and add the kale. Stir and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes.
Taste and season with more salt and pepper, if needed.
Serve immediately. Transfer any leftovers to a separate container and allow to cool. Store in the refrigerator once the container is cool to the touch. The soup thickens as it cools, so thin it out with more broth or water when reheating.
Add crushed red pepper flakes when serving, if desired.
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