This spicy sausage, potato, and kale soup is perfect for those cool nights where you want something to warm your belly and your soul. The spicy sausage warms you from within, and the potatoes, beans, and kale add additional dimensions of flavor and texture. Serve with some crusty bread, a drizzle of good olive oil, and a sprinkle of cheese, and you've got yourself a hearty and satisfying meal.
Some would argue that soup is not a meal, but I can't think of a more complete meal than this nourishing sausage potato and kale soup.
Which is why this is such a hit in our home, especially on weeknights!
That, and it is so simple to make. Almost too simple.
I almost always have sausage in my refrigerator for one reason or another. Similarly, some type of green, such as kale, or spinach is also always there.
The fact that this dish can be made with refrigerator and pantry staples, makes this an easy choice for when we are not quite sure what to eat for dinner.
And this one's a huge hit with everyone in the house, including the kids.
How to make spicy sausage kale potato soup
To make this sausage potato and kale soup, you'll need sausage removed from its casing (sometimes your supermarket will sell it this way), potatoes, kale, cannellini beans, chicken stock, garlic, onion, olive oil, parsley, and salt and pepper.
- Begin by removing the stems from the kale. These should be discarded. Roughly chop the kale leaves into large pieces.
- Dice the onion and mince the garlic cloves.
- Dice the potatoes.
- Heat a large pot to medium-low and saute the onion in about a ¼ cup of olive oil (just coat the bottom of the pot) for about 3 minutes.
- Turn the heat up to medium and add the sausage, sauteing for about 10 minutes. Once the sausage is mostly cooked through, add in the garlic and cook for 2 more minutes.
- Add the chicken stock and turn the heat to high. Bring to boil and allow to cook for 3 more minutes before turning the heat down to medium and adding your potatoes. Allow the potatoes to cook for about 15-20 minutes or until tender.
- Add in the kale and beans and cook for about 10 more minutes over medium-low. Basically, cook the soup at a simmer.
- Taste test the soup and adjust the salt and pepper if needed. If the soup is too thick, add a bit more stock. If too thin, mash some of the beans and potatoes with the back of your spoon and cook for 5-10 more minutes to thicken. Finally, add in the fresh parsley and serve in bowls with grated parmesan cheese, a drizzle of good extra virgin olive oil, and some crusty bread. Enjoy!
Substitutions and variations
This spicy sausage potato and kale soup is quite versatile, so feel free to experiment and tweak with alternate ingredients. Here are a few ideas:
If you don't like spicy food, you can absolutely use a mild or sweet fennel sausage instead of the spicy sausage!
If you do like spice, chorizo would be a fantastic alternative! Also, while we are talking spice, I LOVE to drizzle some super spicy Calabrian chili oil on top of this soup. It adds even more flavor, and the spice factor is killer.
If you can't find kale, you can absolutely use spinach, chard, or even escarole for this soup.
I love cannellini beans, but you could opt for chickpeas, navy beans, or even kidney beans.
Like soup?
If you love soup, we have a few great ones that we turn to time and time again.
Try our Italian lentil soup. It's perfect for busy weeknights and goes great with a loaf of bread for a full meal.
Our Italian wedding soup is like the classic, but we use turkey meatballs to make a slightly healthier version.
Ribollita is a classic Tuscan soup that combines beans, greens, veggies, and day-old bread. One bite of this has an instant calming effect and makes me feel as though all is right with the world.
Sausage, potatoes, greens, and more!
If you're looking at this recipe, it's probably safe to say you enjoy sausage and greens. Here are a few more dishes you'll want to check out.
- Orecchiette with sausage and broccoli rabe
- Roasted broccolini and sausage - sheet pan dinner with fresh mozzarella and cherry peppers
- Potatoes with sausage and cherry peppers
If you’ve enjoyed this spicy sausage potato kale soup recipe or any recipe on this site, give it a 5-star rating and leave a review.
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Ingredients
- 1 pound spicy Italian sausage casing removed
- 1 pound potatoes cubed
- 1 bunch kale stems removed and rough chopped
- 1 15 ounce can of cannellini beans drained
- 9 cups low sodium chicken stock plus more if needed to thin
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 1 medium onion diced
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup parsley minced
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
Instructions
- Remove stems and discard from the kale. Roughly chop the kale into large pieces. Dice 1 medium onion and mince 5 cloves of garlic.
- Heat a large pot to medium-low and saute the onion in a ¼ cup of olive oil. After 3 minutes turn heat to medium and add in the sausage. Sautee for 10 more minutes and use a wooden spoon to break up any large pieces of sausage.
- Once the sausage is mostly cooked through add in the garlic and cook for 2 more minutes. Next, add in the chicken stock and turn heat to high. Bring to a boil for 3 minutes.
- Turn heat to medium and add in the potatoes. Let the potatoes cook for 15-20 minutes until soft.
- Add in the kale and beans and cook for 10 more minutes. Taste test the soup and adjust salt and pepper. If the soup is too thick add a bit more chicken stock. If too thin mash some of the potatoes and beans with the back of a wooden spoon and cook for 5-10 more minutes to thicken.
- Finally, add in the fresh parsley and serve in bowls with parmesan cheese and a drizzle of high-quality extra virgin olive oil. Serve the soup with crusty bread. Enjoy!
Notes
- Soup can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 6 months.
- No extra salt was added due to the inherent saltiness of the sausage, beans, and chicken stock. Adjust according to personal tastes.
- If the soup isn't thick enough just mash the beans and potatoes with a wooden spoon on the side of the pot or use an immersion blender. If too thick just add a cup or more of chicken stock.
- Serve with crusty Italian bread, parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese, and a hefty drizzle of extra virgin olive oil onto each bowl.
Hey Jim,
LOVE this recipe! Sausage and white beans are a beautiful combination and the crusty bread is a must.
Italian food will always hold a special place in my heart!
(Photos are on point too!)
Stay awesome,
Devan
Thank you! Glad you like the recipe and thanks for liking the photos!
Made this for my family last night. Absolutely amazing recipe. Another benefit is that it's pretty easy to make after work.
Hi Colin. Glad it was a hit and thanks for the comment.
Hi James! Thanks for the calculator to adjust the servings! We have a crowd of 18 hungry church people every 2 weeks and I love to cook up your delicious recipes. You save me alot of time and guessing.
Look forward to more one pot meals. You are a gem !
Thank you, Kathleen! I'm so happy you're enjoying the recipes and that you find the calculator helpful when adjusting for a larger group.