Kale, Potato, Sausage Soup Recipe

There’s something about this kale, potato, sausage soup recipe that warms your soul on a cold day and is satisfying as a complete meal. I watched a cooking demo at the Dallas Arboretum. Then, I came home and made my version. Note that if you want to make it vegan, you can use Temphe, vegetable broth, and vegan creamer.

Recipe for Kale, Potato, Sausage Soup

• 1 pound sausage: three mild, one spicy
• Chicken broth – 7 cups
• Heavy Whipping Cream – 1 cup
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil
• 3 cups of kale — chopped, bite-sized (include the stems; just chop off an inch off the bottom and discard.)
• 3-4 Shallots – sliced
• 3-4 Garlic cloves – chopped
• 4-5 Potatoes – medium-sized, cubed
• 4 Carrots – medium-sized, peeled and chopped
• Spices: Dried Oregano, Chili Flakes, Black Pepper, Thyme

How to make Kale, Potato, Sausage Soup

• In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, crumble and cook sausage until browned. Drain and discard oil. Set aside sausage in a separate container.
• In the same sausage pot, sauté garlic and shallots.
• Add in crumbled, browned sausage.
• Add chicken broth and half of the heavy whipping cream.*
• Add seasonings to taste — start with a 1/2 teaspoon of each. Skip the Chili Flakes if the sausage is spicy enough.
• Add carrots and potatoes.
• Reduce the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes or until carrots and potatoes are tender. Continue to taste and add the remainder of the cream as needed.
• Add more cream if needed.
• Add kale and simmer for another 10 minutes.
• Serve and enjoy right away, but like with most soups, it will taste better the next day or so. Be sure to freeze some for another time.

*Note: sometimes I add more chicken broth and less cream, depending on how rich and thick I want the soup. The starch from the potatoes also helps thicken it. And, if the soup is still not thick enough, instead of adding more cream, you can add a tablespoon of pureed walnuts at a time to thicken the soup to your liking.