This easy Sausage Potato Soup Recipe is a total comfort in a bowl! It uses mild or spicy Italian sausage, tender gold potatoes, and a creamy, seasoned broth. The salty, smoky bacon brings out a ton of flavor, and finishing it off with some fresh kale or spinach gives it a nice pop. Plus, everything cooks up in just one pot and is ready in under 30 minutes!
This Tuscan-inspired potato soup is just one of the many potato recipes that's been in our family for years-honestly, we treat potatoes like their own food group around here!
Nothing beats the steam rising from the bowl and that comforting aroma filling the house. It's a great way to set the mood for a cozy evening when the cool air starts rolling in. Soup season gets even better with this tuscan sausage potato soup because it is:
- Easy: One pot, hardly any chopping, and ready in just 30 minutes.
- Delicious: The broth is seriously so good-starts with smoky pork, then gets loaded with seasonings and a splash of cream.
- Hearty: Packed with protein, nutritious potatoes, and some healthy kale.
For even more soup recipes, try our simple Chicken Tortilla Soup or Roasted Tomato Soup with a pesto drizzle.
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Sausage potato soup recipe ingredients
Ingredient amounts are in the recipe card, but here are a few notes.
- Bacon: Thick cut and heavily smoked is our preference.
- Onion: Yellow or sweet are good options for this.
- Garlic: Minced garlic
- Potatoes: Yukon gold potatoes are our favorite because of their buttery flavor, but russet potatoes will work.
- Pork Sausage: Either spicy Italian sausage or sweet Italian sausage which is also known as mild Italian sausage.
- Chicken broth: Homemade or store-bought work well.
- Seasonings: Premade Italian seasoning mix along with kosher salt and black pepper round out the broth.
- Kale: Remove the ribs before using.
- Half-n-half: The perfect thickness to add a touch of creaminess without being too rich.
Helpful tools for making potato soup
6-Quart Round Enameled Dutch OvenLadleApronKitchen TowelsBowl Cozy HuggersSoup Bowls
How to make potato soup with sausage
In large pot or dutch oven, cook diced bacon over medium heat until fat is rendered and bacon is crisp.
Remove to a paper towel lined plate with a slotted spoon to drain. Remove all but 2 tablespoon of bacon drippings.
In the now empty pot, saute onions and in the bacon drippings until translucent.
Add in the ground Italian sausage and cook, crumbling until cooked through. I like to use this ground meat chopper to make it go faster.
Add in minced garlic and Italian seasoning for 30 seconds. This blooms their flavor and helps deepen the flavor.
Add the sliced potatoes into the pot. Pour in the chicken broth.
Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer until the potatoes are soft for 10-15 minutes.
Off the heat, stir in kale and heavy cream. Sprinkle on crispy bacon and serve.
Hint: Do not cook the potatoes too long or they get will get mushy. In this soup we want tender potatoes that hold their shape.
Variations and substitutions
- For a few less calories try turkey sausage.
- Instead of kale, toss in some chopped fresh spinach.
- Try some fresh herbs like thyme or rosemary.
- Heavy cream can be used in place of half and half. Just use a little less dairy and a little more chicken broth. Whole milk could work as well but it won't be quite as thick. I do not recommend using anything less than whole milk.
- Russets can be used in place of gold potatoes.
- Red pepper flakes can be added to increase the heat level.
How to store and reheat leftover soup
To store potato soup with sausage and kale, allow to cool completely, then place in an airtight container. Refrigerate for 5-7 days.
This soup can be reheated in the microwave or gently in a pot on the stovetop.
FAQ
Potatoes can get too mushy if they cook for too long in soup. To keep that from happening, make sure everything else is cooked before adding the potatoes. This way, they'll only need to simmer until they're just tender, staying perfect without turning to mush.
The best potato for soup really depends on the type of soup you're making. If you want a classic, smooth potato soup, russets are your go-to. But for chowder or Tuscan potato soup, gold or red potatoes work great since they hold their shape well and aren't too starchy.
Tips and tricks
- If you use a bunch of kale, clean, cut our ribs, and then chop.
- If you use a bag of kale, rinse and dry. Then look it over and remove any thick ribs. Then do a rough chop.
- You can make your own Italian seasoning my mixing ½ teaspoon each of parsley, thyme, basil, oregano.
Serving ideas
- Pull Apart Bread
- Italian Chopped Salad
- Garden Salad with Red Wine Vinegar Vinaigrette
- Garlic Bread
- BLTs
More potato soup recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
- Easy Potato Soup - Simple recipe!
- Potato Corn Chowder Recipe - Hearty soup!
- Potato Leek Soup Recipe - Family favorite!
- Ham and Potato Soup Recipe - Easy dinner!
- Broccoli Potato Soup Recipe - Filling!
Recipe
Easy Sausage Potato Soup Recipe (One Pot!)
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¼ lb bacon - about 4-5 slices diced
- 1 cup chopped yellow onion
- 1 lb Italian sausage mild or hot, casings removed if needed
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 teaspoon Italian seasonings
- 1 ½ lbs Yukon gold potatoes skin on. *** Washed then sliced in half, halves sliced ¼ inch thin
- 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 cups half and half
- 1 ½ cups packed chopped kale ribs removed first
Instructions
- In large pot or dutch oven, cook bacon over medium heat until fat is rendered and bacon is crisp. Remove to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Remove all but 2 tablespoon of bacon drippings.¼ lb bacon - about 4-5 slices
- Add in onions and saute until translucent.Add in sausage and cook crumbling until cooked through. Add in minced garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper for 30 seconds.1 cup chopped yellow onion, 1 lb Italian sausage, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, 2 teaspoon Italian seasonings, 1 teaspoon kosher salt , ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Add sliced potatoes into the pot. Put in chicken broth. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer until the potatoes are soft for 10-15 minutes.1 ½ lbs Yukon gold potatoes, 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- Off the heat, stir in kale and heavy cream. Sprinkle on crispy bacon.2 cups half and half, 1 ½ cups packed chopped kale
Notes
- If you use a bunch of kale, clean, cut our ribs, and then chop.
- If you use a bag of kale, rinse and dry. Then look it over and remove any thick ribs. Then do a rough chop.
- You can make your own Italian seasoning my mixing ½ teaspoon each of parsley, thyme, basil, oregano.
Add Your Own Notes
Nutrition
All nutrition information is provided by a third party and is an estimate only. Use your own nutritional calculator for more specific measurements.
Danielle says
Needing only one pot for this recipe makes for easy cleanup!