Creamy Tuscan Sausage Kale Soup (Printable version)
Creamy Tuscan-style soup with Italian sausage, sliced potatoes, and wilted kale in a rich broth.
# What you need:
→ Meats
01 - 14 oz Italian sausage (mild or spicy), casing removed
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 4 medium russet potatoes, scrubbed and thinly sliced
05 - 3.5 oz curly kale, stems removed and chopped
→ Broth & Dairy
06 - 4.2 cups chicken broth
07 - 1 cup heavy cream
→ Oils & Seasonings
08 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
09 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
10 - 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, for heat)
11 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
→ Garnish
12 - Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
13 - Chopped fresh parsley (optional)
# How To:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the sausage, breaking it apart with a spoon, and cook until browned throughout, about 5–6 minutes.
02 - Add the diced onion and sauté until translucent, 3–4 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
03 - Add the sliced potatoes, dried oregano, red pepper flakes, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are fork-tender, about 12–15 minutes.
04 - Stir in the chopped kale and simmer until wilted and tender, about 3–4 minutes.
05 - Lower the heat and stir in the heavy cream. Warm through without bringing to a boil. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
06 - Ladle into bowls and garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley if desired. Serve hot.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It tastes like something you would eat at a tiny trattoria tucked into a Florentine side street, but it comes together with grocery store staples in under an hour.
- The creamy broth soaks into the potatoes in a way that makes every spoonful feel like a warm blanket on a cold evening.
02 -
- If the soup boils after you add the cream, it can break and look curdled instead of silky, so keep the heat low and patient.
- Slicing the potatoes uniformly thin is the single most important step for even cooking and a broth that thickens perfectly on its own.
03 -
- Remove the sausage from its casing by slicing down the length with a sharp knife and peeling it away rather than trying to squeeze it out, which always makes a mess.
- Let the soup rest off the heat for ten minutes before serving so the broth has time to thicken slightly and the flavors settle into something richer.