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Loaded with spicy Italian sausage, tender kale, creamy potatoes, and cannellini beans, this Italian sausage and kale soup comes together in just one pot and 30 minutes. A splash of coconut milk makes the broth silky and rich without weighing it down.
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What makes this dish special
As much as I love my soups, I just realized that I have only shared 1 or 2 on this blog - for shame! I usually have soup at least 2 or 3 times a week, either as the main course or as a side for dinner. One of my favorites, along with creamy Tuscan lemon artichoke soup, chickpea sofrito soup with sausage, and tomato soup with grilled cheese croutons, is this Italian sausage and kale soup. Inspired by the classic soup at Olive Garden, this version swaps out the heavy cream for coconut milk and adds cannellini beans for extra heartiness. The result is a lighter but equally satisfying bowl that feels just as comforting on a cold weeknight.
As far as soups go, this one requires minimal prep work but delivers maximum flavor. Brown the sausage, toss in the vegetables and broth, and let everything simmer until the potatoes are tender. The kale and coconut milk go in at the very end, keeping everything fresh and vibrant. It's the kind of recipe you'll find yourself coming back to again and again.
Recipe
Italian Sausage and Kale Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 8 ounces bulk spicy Italian sausage
- ½ red onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 medium potatoes cut into ¼-inch thick matchsticks
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 14 ounce cannellini beans rinsed and drained
- 2 cups kale roughly chopped
- ½ cup coconut milk
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium sauce pot over medium-high heat. Add sausage and saute until browned, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon as it cooks.
- Add chopped red onion and cook until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes and saute for 30 seconds or until aromatic.
- Add the potato, chicken stock, and cannellini beans. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are cooked.
- Add chopped kale and coconut milk and cook for 2 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.
Notes
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Brown sausage
One of the things I love about this Italian sausage and kale soup is that it's incredibly easy to prepare. As far as soups go, I think this may be one of the easiest ones to make. There is minimal prep work, and yet the result is fantastic.
Ready to give it a try?
Start by browning the bulk sausage. I prepared this soup with spicy Italian sausage, sweet Italian sausage, and regular pork sausage, and all were fantastic. You can choose which you prefer. If you like spice, I recommend going with the spicy Italian sausage.
No matter which sausage you use, it's important to use one that is not cured.
Once the meat is browned and crumbled, add the chopped red onion. You can also use regular yellow onion, but red onion has a milder, sweeter flavor once cooked, which pairs wonderfully with the spicy notes.
Add garlic and red chili flakes and saute for 30 more seconds or until aromatic. Adjust the amount of chili flakes depending on the heat level you desire.
Step 2: Simmer
Add the potatoes, cannellini beans, and chicken stock to the pot and cook until the potatoes are tender. If you want a thicker soup, you can keep the juices from the canned beans and add them directly to the soup.
Once the potatoes are tender, add the kale and coconut milk. Feel free to swap out coconut milk for heavy cream or half and half for a creamier soup.
Continue to simmer the Italian sausage and kale soup for another couple of minutes or until the kale is tender.
Normally, I like to season my food as it cooks, but in this case, I season it at the very end. Depending on the type of sausage you use, you may or may not need to add more salt and pepper.
Give the soup a final taste and get ready to dig in.
I kid you not, I devoured this Italian sausage and kale soup in ten minutes because it was so delicious! Although I used coconut milk, the coconut flavor was not as overpowering as expected. The flavorful spicy sausage and bitter kale balance each other, while the potato adds extra creaminess.
I like to enjoy this soup with crusty bread and sun-dried tomato olive oil bread dip, or if I'm feeling fancy, with cheesy chive biscuits or Cajun butter rolls.
Whenever I cook this soup for my private chef clients, someone always asks for the recipe. And being the generous chef that I am, I now have it available for everyone to use!
Make-ahead and storage
- Make-ahead: Like all soups, this one holds well and tastes even better the following day. Prepare the soup ahead of time and reheat gently on the stove until hot.
- Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
More Italian soup recipes
Looking for more delicious Italian soups? Try these:
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All images shot and styled by Christine Ma. Available for food photography, styling, and recipe development.
Min says
Hi Christine! I saw this on Instagram and just had to make my way over here! Gorgeous photos! I, too, love soups, and spicy tuscan soup is def one of my fav. I've never had it with coconut milk before. Thank you for the inspiration!
cma0425 says
Thanks for visiting!
Lydia Dunch says
Hi ! Looks as though there is milk in ingredients photo but not listed in print. Will wing it. Making this today and thinking it will be a hit.. Thanks
Cherry on My Sundae says
Sorry about that! I edited the recipe to include the milk (in step 3). Hope you enjoy the soup!
Kevin Anderson says
I just made this with Venison Italian Sausage from my fall harvest. I subbed the coconut milk for heavy cream since I had it on hand. This is so simple and delicious. Thank you so much. You have awesome recipes.
Christine Ma says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
Carlise says
I like the Panera tuscan soup just fine but this version is way better. I loved it so much, I made it several times this month!
Christine Ma says
That's amazing, thanks so mcuh!