Ingredients
Meat and Proteins
- 1 pound Italian sausage
- 4 slices bacon, chopped
Vegetables
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3–4 medium potatoes, thinly sliced
- 2 cups chopped kale
Liquids
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
Seasonings
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Cook Sausage: In a large pot over medium heat, cook the Italian sausage thoroughly until browned and fully cooked. Remove the sausage from the pot and set aside.
- Cook Bacon: In the same pot, add the chopped bacon and cook until it becomes crispy, rendering its fat which will add flavor to the soup.
- Sauté Onion and Garlic: Add the diced onion to the bacon fat and cook until the onion softens and becomes translucent. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute until fragrant.
- Add Potatoes and Broth: Add the thinly sliced potatoes to the pot and pour in the chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a boil to start cooking the potatoes thoroughly.
- Simmer Potatoes: Reduce the heat to low and let the soup simmer for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.
- Return Sausage: Add the cooked sausage back into the pot, evenly distributing it through the soup.
- Add Cream and Kale: Stir in the heavy cream and chopped kale. Simmer for an additional 5 minutes, allowing the kale to wilt and the flavors to meld.
- Season and Serve: Season the soup with salt, pepper, and optionally red pepper flakes to taste. Serve the soup warm and enjoy.
Notes
- Use turkey sausage for a lighter, lower-fat version of the soup.
- Half-and-half can be used instead of heavy cream for a lighter creamy texture.
- Thinly slicing potatoes helps them cook evenly and absorb the broth flavors.
- For extra heat, increase the amount of red pepper flakes to your preference.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated on the stovetop.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American
- Diet: Gluten Free
