This soup features sliced potatoes, kale, and mild italian sausage in a creamy chicken broth. It's easy and delicious. Here's what you'll need:
- 6 14oz cans of chicken broth
- 1 lb. italian sausage (I used mild, but you can use sweet or hot if you'd prefer!)
- 1 bunch of kale
- 5 medium red potatoes
- 1 white onion
- 5 cloves of garlic
- 1.25 cups half and half (you could also substitute milk or heavy cream)
- 1/2 - 1 tsp red pepper flakes, depending on how spicy you like things
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- salt and pepper to taste.
Step 1: Set a large pot of salted water to boil over high heat. It helps if you wait until the water from the tap is really hot before adding it to your pot - it will come to a boil much faster that way.
Slice your potatoes into very thin discs.
When you've sliced them all, add them to the boiling water.
Step 2: In a large heavy-bottomed pot or dutch oven, brown your sausage over medium heat. Add 1/2 - 1 tsp of red pepper flakes and 1/2 tsp paprika to the sausage while it browns. I would err on the side of caution with the red pepper - you can always add more later on if you'd like more kick, but you can't take it out once it's in there. The paprika doesn't really add spice, just flavor.
Step 3: While the sausage and potatoes are cooking, you should dice your onion and mince your garlic (or squeeze it through a garlic press). Here's the best way to dice an onion: Slice it in half from root to tip and chop off the ends.
Place it cut-side down on a cutting board and slice it into thin half-moons, keeping it all together.
Once you have the whole thing sliced one way, rotate your knife 90 degrees and start chopping it in the opposite direction to yield small pieces. It's easy!
Step 4: Remove the fully cooked sausage with a slotted spoon to a paper-towel lined plate (to absorb excess grease - I forgot to do this, but I'd recommend it) and set aside. If there's a bunch of grease left in the pot, use a paper towel to wipe some up or dump it out in the sink. You don't want oodles of grease in your soup.
Step 5: Add your diced onion and minced garlic to the same pot the sausage cooked in. Let it cook for about 2 minutes, or until it's starting to get translucent. Keep an eye on it - garlic can burn quickly.
Step 6: While the garlic and onions are cooking, quickly drain your potatoes in a colander and give them a quick rinse. You may notice the water the potatoes cooked in is all foamy on top - that's all the starch we are avoiding getting into the soup by cooking them on their own.
Step 8: Rinse and chop your kale into small chunks. They don't have to be perfect tiny pieces - you could even just tear it up with your hands if you wanted. The goal is to get it down to bite size.
Step 9: Add your half and half to the broth and stir it together. Add your cooked sausage and kale to the pot. Allow it to simmer for at least 5 minutes before serving to allow the kale to wilt and cook a bit.
This recipe makes a lot - share it with your friends or family! I like to serve it with herb foccacia bread (stay tuned for the recipe) for dunking.
Yum! I will certainly be making this recipe all winter long. Now, if the weather would just cool down a bit....
Thanks for reading! Feel free to ask any questions in the comments section.
xoxo
JEN