Italian Sausage and Potato Soup (Printable version)

Savory sausage and potatoes simmered with kale in a rich, creamy broth.

# Ingredient List:

→ Meats

01 - 1 pound Italian sausage, mild or spicy, casings removed
02 - 4 slices bacon, chopped

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 4 medium russet potatoes, scrubbed and sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
06 - 4 cups fresh kale, stems removed and chopped

→ Liquids

07 - 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
08 - 1 cup heavy cream

→ Seasonings

09 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
10 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
11 - Salt and black pepper to taste

# How-To Steps:

01 - In a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the chopped bacon until crisp. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside, reserving the drippings in the pot. Add Italian sausage to the pot and cook, breaking it apart with a spoon, until browned. Drain excess fat if necessary.
02 - Add diced onion to the pot and cook until softened, approximately 4 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add sliced potatoes, chicken broth, dried Italian herbs, and red pepper flakes if using. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
04 - Stir in chopped kale and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes until wilted.
05 - Lower heat and pour in heavy cream. Heat gently until warmed through without boiling.
06 - Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls and garnish with reserved bacon.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's the kind of soup that satisfies without weighing you down, thanks to that silky cream stirred in at the end.
  • You'll have dinner ready in under an hour with minimal prep, which means more time actually enjoying it.
  • The bacon-sausage combo creates this umami depth that makes people ask for the recipe before they've even finished their bowl.
02 -
  • Don't skip removing the sausage casings—they'll release as you cook if you leave them on, creating a strange texture instead of that crumbly sausage throughout.
  • The potato thickness matters more than you'd think—too thin and they disappear, too thick and they don't cook through in time, so those quarter-inch slices are actually the sweet spot.
03 -
  • If your cream is cold from the refrigerator, warm it slightly before adding it to the pot so there's no temperature shock that can cause separation.
  • Save a little of the bacon fat to drizzle over the finished soup instead of just mixing it in—those crunchy bits on top add textural contrast that people absolutely notice.
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