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!
Related: 35 Comforting Soup Recipes and 60 Easy Dinner Recipes
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 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
- 20-Minute Tomato Tortellini Soup
I love making soup as soon as the weather turns cold—it’s the best. And this is a good one. Enjoy! xo. Emma
Get our FREE recipe guide with our most popular recipes of all time!
Free Popular Recipe Guide
Our top 25 recipes of all time!
Get the Recipe
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
Nutrition
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated, using Spoonacular, for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
This soup is delicious- creamy, spicy, and filling. I make it often for meal prep and it always satisfies!
This was so delicious! We also made it vegetarian with beyond sausage. So good! I can’t wait til lunch, so I can eat the leftovers, lol.
So delicious!
Is the amount of kale by volume or by weight (2 cups by volume or 16 ounces)?
Volume. And on this ingredient it’s perfectly OK to do a little more or less based on what you have or preference.
Curious on what makes your soup so orange. I made this tonight following the recipe and mine is much more of a creamy colour. But it is very tasty!
Where are those cute speckled bowls and plates from? ?
My family’s favorite soup! And so easy & fast to make in an instant pot too! 🙂
ooh nice! I’m 100% making this!
Zuppa Toscana is one of my family’s favorites. I use the frozen diced potatoes so the soup can come together quicker.
Great tip! Thanks for sharing.