Italian sausage and potato soup

Italian sausage and potato soup is pure comfort in a bowl – hearty, warming, and absolutely irresistible! This soul-satisfying recipe combines savory Italian sausage, tender potatoes, and vibrant kale in a rich, creamy broth that’ll have your family gathering around the table faster than you can say “seconds, please!” With simple ingredients like pancetta, garlic, and a splash of heavy cream, this soup transforms ordinary weeknight ingredients into something truly special.

Love More Soup Recipes? Try My Loaded Baked Potato Soup or this Broccoli Cheddar Soup next.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• One-pot wonder – Everything cooks in a single Dutch oven, making cleanup a breeze
• Ready in just over an hour – Perfect for busy weeknights when you need comfort fast
• Incredibly satisfying – The combination of protein, potatoes, and greens makes this a complete meal
• Freezer-friendly – Make a big batch and enjoy cozy bowls all season long
• Family favorite – Even picky eaters will ask for seconds of this hearty, flavorful soup

Ingredients You’ll Need

For the Base:

• 1 pound Italian sausage (I grab whatever’s on sale – sweet or hot both work)
• ¾ cup chopped onion (the yellow ones from the bag work fine)
• 1 slice pancetta bacon, diced (or just use regular bacon if that’s what you have)
• 1¼ teaspoons minced garlic (the stuff in the jar is totally fine)

For the Broth:

• 1 cube chicken bouillon
• 4 cups water (I know, I know – you can use fancy broth if you want)

For the Good Stuff:

• 2 potatoes, cubed (Yukon or russet, whatever you’ve got)
• 2 cups kale, chopped up (stems removed because nobody wants chewy bits)
• ⅓ cup heavy cream (don’t you dare try to substitute this with milk)

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Why These Ingredients Work

Look, I’m not a chef or anything, but I’ve made this soup about fifty times and here’s what I’ve figured out. The sausage is obviously the star – I usually grab whatever’s on sale at Kroger, but the spicy kind makes my teenagers actually excited about dinner. That little bit of pancetta might seem extra, but my sister-in-law taught me this trick and wow, it makes such a difference. Like, you can taste it but you can’t figure out what it is.

The potatoes are tricky though. I learned the hard way that russets get too mushy, so now I stick with the waxy ones that don’t fall apart when you stir. And don’t even get me started on the kale – my kids used to pick it out, but now they actually eat it because it gets all soft and just tastes like the soup. The cream at the end is non-negotiable. I tried milk once when I ran out and my husband noticed immediately.

Essential Tools and Equipment

• My big Dutch oven (honestly any large pot works)
• Regular chef’s knife
• Cutting board that’s not falling apart
• Wooden spoon for stirring
• Measuring cups (the plastic ones from Target)
• A ladle that doesn’t drip everywhere

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Brown the Sausage

Get your big pot nice and hot, then toss in that sausage. I break it up with my wooden spoon as it cooks – not too small though, you want actual chunks to bite into. Let it get really brown and crispy in spots. If there’s a ton of grease, drain some off, but leave a little for flavor.

Step 2: Add the Aromatics

Throw in your chopped onion and that diced pancetta. This part smells incredible – my kids always come running to the kitchen asking what’s for dinner. Cook it until the onion gets soft and see-through, maybe 5 minutes or so.

Step 3: Bloom the Garlic

Add the garlic and stir it around for just a minute. Don’t walk away during this part – I’ve burned the garlic more times than I care to admit and it makes everything taste bitter.

Pro Tip: If you mess up and burn the garlic, just start over. I know it sucks but there’s no saving it once it’s bitter.

Step 4: Build the Broth

I just dissolve that bouillon cube right in the water and pour it all in. Some people use fancy broth but honestly, this works perfectly fine and saves me five bucks.

Step 5: Add the Potatoes

Drop in your potato chunks and bring everything to a bubble, then turn it down to a gentle simmer. They need about 15 minutes to get tender. I test them with a fork – they should give a little but not fall apart completely.

Step 6: Wilt the Kale

The kale looks like way too much at first, but don’t worry – it shrinks down like crazy. Just stir it in and let it cook for about 5 minutes until it’s soft.

Step 7: Finish with Cream

Turn the heat down low and pour in that cream, stirring gently. Don’t let it boil or it’ll curdle and look gross. Taste it now and add salt and pepper – it probably needs more salt than you think.

Pro Tip: I always have my husband taste it at this point because my palate is shot from cooking all day. Fresh taste buds don’t lie.

You Must Know

Here’s the thing nobody tells you – the browning step actually matters. I used to just throw everything in the pot because I was in a hurry, and the soup was fine but not amazing. Once I started taking the time to really brown the sausage and get those onions properly cooked, everything changed. It takes an extra 10 minutes but makes all the difference in flavor.

Also, don’t add the cream too early or when the soup is boiling hard. I learned this lesson the messy way when I had curdled cream floating around like little cottage cheese bits. Not appetizing.

Personal Secret: I taste the soup before adding the cream and season it then. The cream mellows everything out, so you want it pretty well-seasoned before that final step.

Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks

I always buy the sweet Italian sausage because my kids are wimps, but if your family likes heat, go for the hot stuff. Sometimes I can’t find pancetta at my regular grocery store, so I just use thick bacon cut up small – works perfectly fine and costs less.

When I prep the kale, I rip out those thick stems because they’re chewy and weird. My kids are already suspicious of green things, so I don’t need to give them more ammunition. If the soup seems thin, I just smash some of the potatoes against the side of the pot with my spoon. Instant thickener.

Oh, and here’s something I figured out by accident – if you let the cream sit on the counter while you’re cooking, it won’t shock the soup when you add it. Cold cream straight from the fridge can sometimes cause problems.

Flavor Variations & Suggestions

Sometimes I get bored and switch things up. If I want it spicy, I use hot sausage and throw in some red pepper flakes when I add the garlic. My husband loves when I add mushrooms – I just slice up whatever I have and toss them in with the onions.

Last month I tried it with turkey sausage because I was trying to be healthy, and honestly? It was still really good. Just not as rich. I’ve also made it with spinach instead of kale when that’s what I had on hand – you just add it at the very end because spinach wilts in like 30 seconds.

My neighbor always adds white beans to hers, which makes it even more filling. And if I’m feeling fancy, I’ll grate some Parmesan on top when I serve it. Makes it look like I actually know what I’m doing.

Make-Ahead Options

This is perfect for meal prep – I actually think it tastes better the next day after all the flavors have had time to get to know each other. I make it on Sunday and we eat it throughout the week.

If I’m planning ahead, I make everything except I don’t add the cream until I reheat it. The cream can get weird if it sits too long, so I just stir it in when I warm up each portion.

I’ve frozen this soup tons of times, though I have to warn you – the potatoes get a little mushy when you thaw it out. Still tastes great, just different texture. I usually freeze it without the cream and add that when I reheat it.

What to Serve With Italian Sausage and Potato Soup

I usually just serve this with some crusty bread from the bakery section at the grocery store. Nothing fancy – just something to dunk in the soup. My kids like grilled cheese sandwiches with it, which is basically a kid’s dream meal.

Sometimes I’ll make a simple salad if I’m feeling like we need vegetables that aren’t cooked to death, but honestly, this soup is pretty filling on its own. If we’re having people over, I might grab a bottle of wine, but for a regular Tuesday night, it’s just soup and bread and everyone’s happy.

Allergy Information

This has dairy because of the cream, obviously. If you need dairy-free, I’ve heard coconut cream works but I’ve never tried it myself. Most Italian sausage doesn’t have gluten but check the package if that’s important to you.

Storage & Reheating

Leftover soup stays good in the fridge for maybe 4 days, though it never lasts that long in my house. When I reheat it, I just warm it up slowly on the stove and add a splash of water if it got too thick.

I freeze this all the time. Just know the potatoes get kind of mushy when you thaw it out. Still tastes good, just different. I usually don’t add the cream before freezing – I wait and stir it in when I reheat.

FAQs

Can I use a different type of sausage?

Sure! I’ve used turkey sausage when I was trying to be healthier, and chicken sausage works too. Just keep in mind they’re not as flavorful as regular Italian sausage, so you might need to add more salt and pepper.

My soup turned out too thin – how can I thicken it?

This happens to me sometimes. Just mash some of the potatoes against the side of the pot with your spoon, or take out a cup of the soup, blend it up, and stir it back in. Works every time.

Can I make this in a slow cooker?

I’ve never tried it, but my friend does it all the time. She browns the sausage first, then throws everything except the cream in her slow cooker for like 6 hours on low. She adds the cream at the end.

What if I can’t find pancetta?

Just use bacon! I actually prefer it sometimes because it’s easier to find and usually cheaper. Just cut it up small and cook it the same way.

Can I use frozen kale?

I wouldn’t recommend it – frozen kale gets all mushy and weird. Fresh spinach works better as a substitute if you can’t find fresh kale.

Give this recipe a try and let me know what you think! I’m always curious to hear how other people’s families react to it, and if you make any changes that work well, I’d love to hear about those too.

💬 Made this soup? Drop a comment below and tell me how it went! And if your kids actually ate the kale without complaining, I need to know your secret.