Tuscan Sausage and Kale Soup – with sweet potato

This simple healthy Sausage and Kale Soup combines hearty kale, herby Italian sausage, sweet potato, garlic, Italian spices, and chili powder for a rich and comforting soup you can make in under 30 minutes.

Colder months call for warm comforting soup recipes like this tasty Sausage and Kale Soup that is so quick and easy to make in one pot in less than 30 minutes.

Make it ahead and have it on hand for a fast and healthy lunch or weeknight dinner. This soup is a complete meal packed with lots of protein, veggies and so much flavor. Rich, velvety soup that has tender cooked sweet potatoes, loads of kale, and salty, herby sausage. What’s not to love?

Plus, you can make it on the stovetop, in the slow cooker, or the Instant Pot depending on how much time you have. And it would be so yummy with a side of homemade sourdough (If you follow me on Instagram then you know) or these herby biscuits.

I love that it is also a macro-friendly soup recipe that is low in calories but high in nutrition. Bonus!!!

Why you’ll love this sausage kale soup recipe

• Quick and easy to make – It only requires a few simple ingredients and less than 30 minutes to make it.
• Flavor-packed – it has tons of hearty Italian flavors you will love and tastes very similar to a zuppa toscana soup but is slightly healthier.
• Meal prep recipe – this soup stores and reheats beautifully.
• Healthy – loaded with fiber and protein

If you love sausage then try these Sausage and Pepper Breakfast Egg Muffins, Sausage and Pepper Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes, or this Air Fryer Chicken Sausage and Veggies.

I cannot wait until you try this soup! It’s AMAZING!!!

Ingredients and Substitutions

You only need a few simple ingredients to make this amazing kale and sausage soup. Here is what you’ll need:

• Kale -fresh and not frozen curly or dark kale will work. Make sure to rinse and dry your kale before using it. Here is a tutorial for how to prep kale.
• Sweet potato – fresh cubed sweet potato gives this soup some heartiness and a nice tender, sweet flavor, plus lots of nutrients. You can use any type of potato here but I found that the blend of flavors with the sausage, kale and sweet potatoes was amazing!
• Sausage – I prefer sweet Italian sausage in soups like this but any sausage will work. I have even made this soup using pre-cooked chicken sausage and it was still incredible.
• Chicken stock – any chicken stock will work or bone broth. I prefer low sodium stock so I can control the salt.
• Olive oil – extra virgin olive oil is used to cook the sausage and brings a nice flavor to the soup. You could also use avocado oil.
• Seasoning – Italian seasoning, garlic powder, chili powder, salt and pepper are a wonderful blend of seasonings that tie this entire soup together.

Recommended Kitchen Tools

• Cutting board + knife
• Vegetable peeler
• Soup pot
• Wooden spoon

How to make Italian Sausage Kale Soup With Sweet Potato

You can make this kale and sausage potato soup in a few simple and easy steps all in one pot. Here is a summary with step-by-step photos of how to make it. Get the complete list of recipe ingredients and instructions in the recipe card located at the bottom of this post.

1. Cook the sausage and veggies. Heat a large pot to medium heat and add in some olive oil. Toss in the sausage and cook it until it is nice and golden brown. Then add in the onion, garlic, Italian seasoning and salt and pepper. Let that all cook until the onions and garlic are soft, about 2-3 minutes.
2. Add in the chicken stock and cubed sweet potato. Let that all come to a boil, then cover and simmer until the potatoes are nice and soft. Add in the chopped kale right at the end and let it cook for a few minutes until wilted.
3. Serve hot and enjoy!

This soup is so delicious and one of the best soups ever! Plus you can make it any day of the week and have to eat all week long. I love a good quick and easy meal prep recipe like this one.

It is packed with so much flavor and texture, not to mention the loads of protein and nutrition it has. I just love it! I mean sweet potato and kale all in one soup recipe, you cannot go wrong!

What kind of sausage can you use in kale sausage soup?

Any sausage will work in this sausage and kale soup recipe. I used ground Italian sausage but sausage links also work like Bilinski Robust Italian Sausage. Just be sure to cut the links into sausage slices before you cook them.

Lean ground chicken, ground turkey, or ground beef will also work but will have less flavor and fat than sausage does.

How long will this sausage and kale soup last?

This soup will last about 3-4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It reheats nicely and is great for quick lunches, a light healthy snack, or for dinner.

Can you freeze this Soup?

This soup also freezes very well for up to 2 months. I like to freeze my soup in freezer-friendly ziplock bags and lay it flat in the freezer then defrost it in the fridge overnight and reheat it on the stove.

You can also freeze it in large freezer-friendly containers as well.

Please note that when you freeze this soup it will lose a bit of its taste and texture but it will still be hearty and delicious.

Can you make this soup in the slow cooker?

Yes, you can! To make it in the slow cooker, saute the sausage and onion in some oil in your slow cooker then add the rest of the ingredients, cover, and cook on high for 2-4 hours. Check the soup at 2 hours and continue cooking until the potatoes are tender (you can check this using a fork). Once the soup is done, fold in the chopped kale and place the lid on the slow cooker for 2-3 minutes to allow it to wilt and cook.

How do you make sausage, kale, and potato soup in the Instant Pot?

Short on time? you can easily make this soup in the Instant Pot in minutes. Set the pot to “saute”, and add a bit of oil. Add the sausage and onion and cook it until the sausage is no longer pink and the onions are translucent. Add the rest of the ingredients to the pot, secure the lid, and cook on high in “manual” mode for 5 minutes, with 10 minutes of natural pressure release. Then stir in the kale and half and half for a creamier soup and enjoy!

Is this soup recipe gluten-free?

Yes, this recipe, as written is fully gluten-free.

Recipe Tips and Variations

• You can use any type of chicken or turkey sausage in this soup. If you use raw sausage, just make sure to cook it a little bit longer until it is nice and golden brown on all sides.
• Any kind of kale is great in this recipe. I used curly red kale but Tuscan kale or just regular curly kale all work. Just make sure you clean, de-stem, and chop the kale before adding it to the soup.
• Make sure to clean and peel the potatoes and then chop them up into either 1-inch cubes or smaller ones. The smaller you cut them, the quicker they will cook. I cut mine into 1-inch cubes. You can also purchase sweet potatoes that are already peeled and chopped at most grocery stores to save even more time.
• For a creamier finish to the soup, you can add ⅓ cup of half and half or heavy cream like I did.
• This soup can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can also easily freeze this soup for up to 2 months. See the post for freezing recommendations.
• To make this recipe vegetarian or vegan, use plant-based sausage. It will alter the flavor a little but it will still be super good.

More Healthy Soup Recipes

• Healthy Chicken Soup
• Instant Pot Curry Butternut Squash Soup
• Easy Instant Pot Lentil Soup
• Healthy Creamy Tomato Soup

I hope you try this sausage kale soup recipe. If you do, then please leave a rating and comment below. I would love to hear how your’s turned out!

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