Name: Sausage, Kale, and Potato Soup
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 3 slices Bacon (chopped); 1 lb kielbasa or smoked sausage (sliced); 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 onion (chopped); 1 bunch Kale (chopped); 8 cups good chicken stock; 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper; salt and pepper to taste; 5 medium potatoes

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This Sausage, Potato and Kale Soup is absolutely delicious and the perfect soup to warm up and winter night. This can be made in 45 minutes and is Whole30 friendly!

Two white bowls of soup topped with bacon — *This was originally posted on November 16, 2018 and republished on February 5th, 2020 with much fancier pictures and better content, you’re welcome.*

This soup is fantastic in these cold winter months when you’re looking for something simple and delicious.

Here’s why you’ll love this:

The natural fats of the bacon and sausage cook down to make a really rich broth, which adds the perfect amount of flavor.
It’s completely Whole30 friendly! Just make sure you get compliant ingredients.
This soup is done in 45 minutes to an hour (depending on how much time you have) so it’s a perfect weeknight dinner!
It’s healthy! Filled with great ingredients like kale, potato and natural sausage, you’re skipping unhealthy fats like excessive cream or additives.

Ingredients:

Ingredient Notes:

Make sure to use Whole30 compliant sausage, bacon and chicken stock if you’re sticking to the diet! I use Pedersen Farms bacon and sausage, and Costco brand chicken broth. Here’s a link to Olive You Whole’s list of compliant broth options!
I use Lacinato kale here, but Tuscan kale would be great here too!

Step-By-Step

Heat a dutch oven (or a saute pan if you don’t have a dutch oven) over medium high and add in chopped bacon. Cook until bacon is crispy (I’m serious, it needs to be crispy).
Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and add in the chopped onion. Cook down the onion until translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Remove onion with slotted spoon.
Make sure there is still fat/oil in the pot. If there isn’t, add in the sausage and sear about 1 minute on each side. DO NOT overcook, you’re just getting a little golden brown on each side.
Add in all remaining raw ingredients, as well as the onion and stir. Don’t add the bacon yet. Cook for 20-40 minutes (however much time you have).
Ladel into a soup bowl and top with that crispy bacon and enjoy!
Optional toppings: add parmesan or mozzarella cheese!

You’ve got questions? We’ve got answers!

Is this soup gluten free? YES! It IS gluten free, just double check the ingredients you’re buying (your chicken broth and sausage specifically).
Can I freeze this and eat it later? Yes, you definitely can this will freeze very well. Though if you plan on freezing, I would cook the bacon, then onions, hold on the sausage and freeze. Then add the sausage in when you’re cooking back up to temp (about 20-30 minutes).
What kind of sausage do I need for this recipe? I use kielbasa or smoked sausage, but an italian sausage would also be really great here! Just make sure you cook that all the way through because unlike smoked sausage, it is not fully cooked ahead of time.

Soup with kale potato and bacon in white bowl on napkin

More cold-weather recipes to enjoy:

Follow along with my recipes!