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You’re gonna love this soup!
This one is so good! One of the few soups that my whole family loves. When I make it, there are no leftovers because even my picky children gobble this up!
BE SURE TO CHECK BELOW FOR A DAIRY-FREE ADAPTATION OR A CAULIFLOWER ADAPTATION!
SERVES SIX. THIS SOUP RECIPE CAN BE HALVED OR DOUBLED.
Let’s talk ingredients
Onion
I use one large white or yellow onion. Two small onions would be fine too!
Sausage
For this recipe you are going to need one pound of TRADITIONAL sausage. If you like things extra spicy, feel free to use spicy Italian sausage. But do not use breakfast or maple sausage.
Garlic
I am a fan of fresh minced garlic, so that’s just what I generally use. But feel free to use whatever garlic you have on hand! It’s easy to add either a small or large amount of garlic depending on your preferences. My only tip with garlic is to be careful not to burn it while cooking! Garlic burns fast, so I wait until the sausage and onion are completely cooked through before I add the garlic. I then cook for only a minute or so until it’s fragrant.
Salt and pepper
Season this soup with salt and pepper to taste. That’s it! No other seasonings or herbs. I generally use about a teaspoon of salt and a few grinds of the pepper shaker.
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Potatoes
I really recommend using YUKON GOLD potatoes for this soup. Those potatoes are so buttery and soft, and they have a fantastic texture for this soup. Of course, other potatoes would be OK too, but Yukon Gold is my preference!
Broth
I generally use chicken bone broth, but you can use chicken broth, beef broth or vegetable broth.
Use a large bunch of fresh, washed kale. Any variety of Kale will do. You just want to gently remove the thick lower stems, then chop the green leafy portion as small as you can. It will seem like quite a bit of Kale but be mindful that the leaves shrink to a fraction of their size once they go into the hot liquid.
Cornstarch slurry
A cornstarch slurry is where you combine cold water and cornstarch and form a bit of a paste. When you add this to a pot of hot liquid, it will thicken the liquid or soup. For this soup, I like to combine 3 tablespoons of cornstarch with 1/4 cup of cold water. Mix it together until there are no clumps, then add it to the boiling liquid right about when the soup is almost done. Once the cornstarch slurry has been added, the mixture needs to come to a boil before it will thicken a bit.
Heavy whipping cream
I love to add a cup of heavy whipping cream to make this soup even extra special and creamy. If you don’t want to add heavy cream, go ahead and add half and half. If you want a dairy free option, go ahead and add one cup of full fat coconut milk.
DIRECTIONS
1. To start out, you are going to want to get out a large pot and over medium high heat, add your sausage and your diced onion.
2. When the sausage and onion are totally cooked through, add the minced garlic and let it cook only a minute or two, or until fragrant.
3. Add your chopped potatoes to the pot.
4. Add the salt, pepper, and broth. Turn up the heat and bring the liquid to a boil
5. Let the pot simmer for about twenty minutes or until the potatoes are soft.
6. Prep your cornstarch slurry by mixing together 3 tablespoons of water and 1/4 cup of water. Add it to the pot and stir.
7. Prep your kale by removing most of the stems and chopping the leaves as much as you can. Add the leaves to the pot and push it down to let the liquid cover it.
8. Add the heavy whipping cream and stir in until just combined.
9. Serve immediately. ENJOY!
CAULIFLOWER ADAPTATION
MY sister-in-law introduced me to a version of this soup that swapped the potatoes for cauliflower. And let me tell you, it is FANTASTIC! I am a huge cauliflower lover, so I’m easy to please in that respect. So if you either don’t have potatoes, or would rather not use potatoes, cauliflower is a perfect substitution. Just use one large head of cauliflower instead of the potatoes.
Dairy-free adaptation
You can absolutely make this soup dairy free by swapping the heavy whipping cream for a cup of full fat coconut milk. (From the can)
Sausage lovers adaptation
If you are particular about the meat-to-kale ratio of your soup, then feel free to double the sausage! If you do this, Be mindful when you add salt and pepper, that you won’t need as much of the salt or pepper.
Make-Ahead tips
MAKE AHEAD: This soup preps well a couple of different ways. If you want to cut down on the prep time, you could absolutely sauté the onion, sausage, and garlic ahead of time. Then you can cool, cover and refrigerate the onion/sausage mixture for up to three days before finishing the soup. To finish, simply add the cooked sausage and onions to a large pot, and pick up where you left off on step 3 above.
FRIDGE FRIENDLY OPTION: You can make the entire soup and then refrigerate! Wether storing leftovers or making the soup a day or two ahead, It can be stored in a glass or plastic container with a well fitting lid. I recommend eating it within three days.
FREEZER FRIENDLY OPTION: This soup actually DOES freeze well, but I recommend leaving the Heavy Whipping Cream out of any portion that is to be frozen. To freeze, add the cooled soup to a large glass or plastic container with a tight fitting lid. Or use a gallon ziplock bag, If using glass, make sure the mixture is completely cooled before putting it into the freezer. It can be frozen for up to 3 months. To thaw, remove from freezer and set at room temperature for a few hours before transferring it to a pot and warming over the stove.
How do I store leftovers?
Refrigerate any leftovers in the fridge for up to three days.
This one is so good! One of the few soups that my whole family loves. When I make it, there are no leftovers because even my picky children gobble this up!
To start out, you are going to want to get out a large pot and over medium high heat, add your sausage and your diced onion.
When the sausage and onion are totally cooked through, add the minced garlic and let it cook only a minute or two, or until fragrant.
Add your chopped potatoes to the pot.
Add the salt, pepper, and broth. Turn up the heat and bring the liquid to a boil.
Let the pot simmer for about twenty minutes or until the potatoes are soft.
Prep your cornstarch slurry by mixing together 3 tablespoons of water and 1/4 cup of water. Add it to the pot and stir.
Prep your kale by removing most of the stems and chopping the leaves as much as you can. Add the leaves to the pot and push it down to let the liquid cover it.
Add the heavy whipping cream and stir in until just combined.
Serve immediately. ENJOY!
Notes
Cauliflower Adaptation: MY sister-in-law introduced me to a version of this soup that swapped the potatoes for cauliflower. And let me tell you, it is FANTASTIC! I am a huge cauliflower lover, so I’m easy to please in that respect. So if you either don’t have potatoes, or would rather not use potatoes, cauliflower is a perfect substitution. Just use one large head of cauliflower instead of the potatoes. Dairy-Free Adaptation: You can absolutely make this soup dairy free by swapping the heavy whipping cream for a cup of full fat coconut milk. (From the can) Sausage Adaptation: If you are particular about the meat-to-kale ratio of your soup, then feel free to double the sausage! If you do this, Be mindful when you add salt and pepper, that you won’t need as much of the salt or pepper. Make-Ahead Tips: This soup preps well a couple of different ways. If you want to cut down on the prep time, you could absolutely sauté the onion, sausage, and garlic ahead of time. Then you can cool, cover and refrigerate the onion/sausage mixture for up to three days before finishing the soup. To finish, simply add the cooked sausage and onions to a large pot, and pick up where you left off on step 3 above. FRIDGE FRIENDLY OPTION: You can make the entire soup and then refrigerate! Wether storing leftovers or making the soup a day or two ahead, It can be stored in a glass or plastic container with a well fitting lid. I recommend eating it within three days. FREEZER FRIENDLY OPTION: This soup actually DOES freeze well, but I recommend leaving the Heavy Whipping Cream out of any portion that is to be frozen. To freeze, add the cooled soup to a large glass or plastic container with a tight fitting lid. Or use a gallon ziplock bag, If using glass, make sure the mixture is completely cooled before putting it into the freezer. It can be frozen for up to 3 months. To thaw, remove from freezer and set at room temperature for a few hours before transferring it to a pot and warming over the stove.
I'm obsessed with all things food and a mom to five. Baking bread and using my instant pot are my favorite things to do in the kitchen, and I can't wait to bring all that I have learned to you! Connect with me on Instagram because there's where I basically live these days.
Loved it!!! I added tortellini and it was delicious.
Yum!