Creamy Potato Sausage and Kale Soup

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This blog first appeared in A Life Delicious

The weather always seems weird here! It’s so true that Colorado is known for yoyo weather. One day it can be hot and sunny, and the next it can be cold and rainy, or snowy…and because of that fact, it can be hard to enjoy any given season for what it’s worth. But in the end, I would not change it for anything. Colorado definitely has it all!

And since December 1st — when all things cold and snowy have really kicked in — I have to share this divine soup with all of you. It’s so good, that it has been dubbed “Christmas Soup” by our extended family! Oh, that makes me so happy!

How This Soup Became Famous:

To be honest, the credit for this one goes to my hubs! He’s the one that brought this special dish to life in our house.

One day, we were out and about running a ton of errands, and for a quick lunch we stopped at the Olive Garden. We both had the Zuppa Toscana soup, which is cream based with sausage and potatoes. While eating, my husband recalled a soup he had made many times that he wanted to revamp.

His suggestion was that we change the soup he has made by omitting the chicken, and replacing it with our favorite lean, spicy sausage, and add tons of kale and asparagus. He wanted it to be loaded with tons of flavor. And, in the end, we perfected his vision and got exactly what we wanted!

We even tested this recipe out on our family at Christmas. I had planned to cook a couple of different meals for 15 people, and I was pretty nervous about it too, because I had heard some of the older kids were very picky. I was told if they didn’t eat my cooking to not be offended. HA! Not only did they LOVE this soup, they dubbed it as “Christmas Soup” and requested the recipe from their mom. And ever since then, this soup is highly favored and talked about!

Creamy Potato, Sausage and Kale Soup:

This soup is phenomenal with and without dairy. So, if need be, here are some substitutions.

  • Milk – Use oat milk or milk of choice. (I make my own oat milk, because it is so much better for me).
  • Flour – A great alternative is oat flour or this paleo baking flour combination blend. Both work well.
  • Cream – You can use 1 cup heavy whipping cream, 1 cup half and half, or 1/4-1/2 cup coconut cream. (If you use coconut cream, start with 1/4 cup first and then go from there).

Creamy Potato, Sausage and Kale Soup

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 1/2 lb. Canino’s Hot Italian Sausage, crumbled
  • 3 Garlic Cloves, minced (or more to taste)
  • 8 cups Chicken Stock, low sodium
  • Fresh Parsley, chopped
  • 1 bundle Kale, diced (around 9 whole leaves)
  • 3 lb. Red Potatoes, cubed (some skin on for texture)
  • 1 tsp Himalayan Pink Salt
  • 1 1/2 – 2 tsps Freshly Ground Black Pepper
  • 1 cup Oat Milk, or milk of choice
  • 4 tbsp Bob’s Red Mill® Gluten-Free Whole Grain Oat Flour
  • 8 Scallions, diced (reserve 3 for topping)
  • 1 lb. Asparagus, trimmed and diced
  • 1/4–1/2 cup Savoy Coconut Cream
  • Optional: Parmigiano Reggiano Rind
  • 1 loaf Crusty Garlic Bread

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Cook the sausage: On medium high heat, brown the sausage until it looses its pink color; about 5-7 minutes. Drain the meat on a paper towel lined plate.
  2. Veggies: Prep all your veggies and set aside.
  3. Sauté the garlic: On medium high heat, sauté the garlic in a large pot until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Then add the chicken stock and let it come to a gentle boil.
  4. Cook the veggies: Add kale, potatoes, salt and pepper then cover and cook for about 12-15 mins, or until the vegetables become somewhat tender. Stir occasionally.
  5. Stir in the milk mixture: In a separate dish, whisk together the milk and flour. Stir the mixture into the pot, and let it come to a boil. Boil gently for 5 mins until it thickens, stirring frequently. (Add the parmesan rind once the flour mixture has been incorporated thoroughly).
  6. Add remaining veggies & sausage: Next, add the diced scallions, asparagus and sausage. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for about 10 mins, or until all the vegetables are tender. Stir occasionally.
  7. Stir in cream of choice: Lastly, stir in the cream until nicely incorporated.
  8. Garnish: Top off each bowl with fresh parsley and the remaining scallions.
  9. Serve: Enjoy with a side of crusty garlic bread.

 

NOTES

  • Prep Time: I always cook this with my husband! If I prep the ingredients by myself, it takes me 45 minutes. If my husband helps with prep, it takes about 35 minutes.
  • Kale: I get the large bundle that isn’t pre-packaged. (Remove the rib because it tends to be very fibrous).
  • Trimming Asparagus: Grab several spears, grasping the stems in one hand and the bottoms in the other, and bend the asparagus in half. It’ll snap where the tough stalk meets the tender spear.
  • Flour: A great alternative is oat flour or this paleo baking flour combination blend. Both work well.
  • Parmesan Rind: I love this addition, because it adds such a nice flavor that you can’t get from other ingredients. (Remove the rind before serving, or you can actually eat it).
  • Cream: Use 1 cup heavy whipping cream, 1 cup half and half, or 1/4-1/2 cup coconut cream. (If you use coconut cream, start with 1/4 cup first and then go from there).
  • Quantity: This makes 6 very large bowls.

And, for more soup recipes, please give these a try: