Deliciously Simple Slow Cooker Sausage and Potato Soup Recipe!

My love for autumn soups is one of the top reasons fall is my favorite time of the year. When the temperature in Alabama dips below 70 degrees, you’ll find me enjoying Nat King Cole, with the windows thrown wide open, prepping vegetables to throw into my slow cooker for a savory soup.

While this sausage, kale, and potato soup can be made any time, it feels particularly comforting to whip it up when the weather cools down.

Here’s how I do it: I let Italian sausage and frozen diced hash brown potatoes simmer away in chicken broth in the slow cooker. For the final 30 minutes of cooking, I add heavy cream and kale. After browning the sausage, the slow cooker takes over, simplifying the process of making this warm, hearty dish that you’ll want to enjoy over and over.

Advice for Crafting My 5-Ingredient Sausage, Kale, and Potato Soup

• Start by cooking the sausage: You could put raw sausage directly into the slow cooker, but I find it releases too much grease, which is easier to dispose of if you cook it in a pan first. This also results in a cleaner, tastier soup.
• Choose between frozen or fresh potatoes: I typically use a bag of frozen diced hash brown potatoes for convenience. However, freshly chopped potatoes are also great and if you choose to use them, I’d suggest either peeled russet potatoes or red potatoes with the skin left on.
• Opt for pre-chopped kale to save time: If you prefer to skip chopping entirely, buy a bag of pre-chopped kale. Although these bags sometimes contain stem pieces, they soften nicely as the soup cooks.
• Be gentle when stirring: Mixing the soup too vigorously can break up the potatoes too much. While some breakdown of the potatoes thickens the soup nicely, I prefer most of them to stay intact, so I stir carefully before serving.
• Add extra flavors: The soup is wonderful as it is, but adding a teaspoon of Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, or dried oregano can enhance the flavor. Consider using hot Italian sausage instead of mild for a spicier kick.

Stovetop Instructions for This Soup

To prepare this soup on the stovetop, first cook and drain the sausage as outlined in step one. Then, add the sausage, frozen potatoes, and chicken broth to a large pot. Cook over medium heat until the soup begins to simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue simmering until the potatoes start to soften, about 10 minutes. Finally, lower the heat to low and mix in the kale and heavy cream. Once the kale is soft, about 10 minutes later, take the pot off the stove and serve.

Serving Tips

Enhance this soup with toppings like grated parmesan cheese, fresh basil, or red pepper flakes. It pairs wonderfully with crusty bread or a flavorful grilled cheese sandwich.

Other Recipes for Your Slow Cooker

• Butternut Squash and Sausage Soup
• Mississippi Chicken
• Cider Pulled Pork
• Tomato Sauce Meatballs