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One-pot sausage, potato and kale soup in a creamy broth, my at-home take on Olive Garden’s Zuppa Toscana. Ready in 30 minutes, with slow cooker, Instant Pot and low-carb options.
Serve this soup with my delicious Crusty No Knead Dutch Oven Bread of as a side for these Gnocchi With Creamy Tomato Sauce.
This kale potato sausage soup is my version of the Zuppa Toscana everyone orders at Olive Garden. I’ve been making it at home since 2018, and it’s still the soup I cook the first week it turns cold.
Italian sausage browned until crumbly, onion and garlic, tender potatoes, a big bunch of kale, and a splash of cream to finish. It all happens in one pot in about 30 minutes, and it makes 6 bowls for roughly the price of one at the restaurant.
It’s filling enough to call dinner, with 15 grams of protein per serving, and it’s even better the next day, which makes it one of my favorite meal-prep soups.
Why This Zuppa Toscana Works
Flexible. Stovetop, slow cooker, Instant Pot or low-carb, all from the same ingredient list.
One pot, 30 minutes. No browning in batches and no blender.
Real protein. The sausage makes it a full meal, not a starter.
Cream is optional. A quarter cup for the whole pot is enough. I often skip it to keep it lighter.
Built for leftovers. It keeps 5 days in the fridge and freezes well.
Ingredients for Sausage Potato Kale Soup
- Mild Italian sausage: buy it without casings, or squeeze it out of the links. Use hot Italian sausage if you like heat.
- Potatoes: small new potatoes or red potatoes hold their shape. No need to peel.
- Kale: curly or lacinato. Strip the stems and chop.
- Onion and garlic.
- Chicken broth: or water with bouillon.
- Dried oregano, salt and pepper.
- Heavy cream (optional): just ¼ cup for 6 servings.
How to Make Kale Potato and Sausage Soup
- Brown the sausage. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat, add the sausage and cook for 5 minutes, breaking it up as it browns.
- Add the aromatics. Stir in the onion, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper and cook for 3–4 minutes.
- Simmer the potatoes. Pour in the broth, bring it to a boil, add the potatoes and cook for 10–15 minutes, until fork-tender.
- Finish with kale and cream. Add the kale and cook for 2 minutes, then stir in the cream. Taste and adjust the salt.
Tips
- Add the kale at the end. Two minutes keeps it bright green with a little bite. If you prefer it softer, give it a few minutes more.
- Cut the potatoes evenly, about ¾ inch, so they cook at the same rate.
- Don’t drain the sausage fat. It flavors the whole pot. If your sausage is very fatty, spoon off a little.
- Season at the end. Sausage and broth are already salty.
- Spinach works too. Stir it in right before serving.
Slow Cooker Zuppa Toscana
Stir in the kale and cream, and cook 30 minutes more if you want the kale softer.
Brown the sausage in a skillet, add the onion and garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Transfer to the slow cooker with the potatoes, broth, oregano, salt and pepper.
Cook on LOW for 6 hours or HIGH for 4 hours.
Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana
On Sauté, cook the sausage in the oil for 3 minutes, then add the onion and garlic for 1–2 minutes.
Add the broth, potatoes and seasoning and close the lid.
Pressure cook on HIGH for 12 minutes, then quick release.
Stir in the kale and cream.
Low-Carb Version
Swap the potatoes for radishes or cauliflower florets, cut into bite-size pieces. Both cook faster than potatoes, so check them after 8–10 minutes. Everything else stays the same.
Dairy-Free Option
Skip the cream entirely (the soup is still rich from the sausage), or use full-fat coconut milk or unsweetened almond milk.
Storage and Meal Prep
- Fridge: up to 5 days in airtight containers.
- Freezer: up to 3 months. The cream holds up fine. For the best texture, freeze it before adding the kale, then add fresh kale when you reheat.
- Reheat gently on the stove and add a splash of broth if it has thickened.
I make a pot on Sunday and portion it into containers. That’s lunch for most of the week.
What to Serve With It
- Crusty No Knead Dutch Oven Bread
- A simple green salad, or the Kale Caesar Salad
- Red Lentil Bread Rolls for a gluten-free option
FAQ
Is this the same as Olive Garden’s Zuppa Toscana? It’s my at-home version. It’s built the same way, with Italian sausage, potatoes, kale and a creamy broth, but it’s lighter on cream and made in one pot in 30 minutes.
Can I make it without cream? Yes. The sausage and potatoes give the broth plenty of body. Coconut milk works for a dairy-free version.
Can I freeze sausage potato kale soup? Yes, for up to 3 months. For the best texture, freeze it without the kale and add fresh kale when you reheat.
What can I use instead of kale? Spinach. Stir it in at the very end.
Is this soup low-carb? Not with potatoes. Swap in radishes or cauliflower for a low-carb version.
How much protein is in a serving? About 15 g per bowl, with 6 servings per pot.
More Soup Recipes
- Cauliflower Kale Soup
- Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
- Crockpot White Bean Soup
- Easy Lentil Potato Soup
- Spicy Pumpkin Soup
- Mushroom Kale Quinoa Soup
EASY KALE POTATO AND SAUSAGE SOUP RECIPE
Ingredients
- 1 lb mild Italian sausage, (casing removed, I buy it with no casing from the store)
- 1 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 small onion, , diced
- 2 garlic cloves, , pressed
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, (optional)
- salt and black pepper to taste, ( I usually use 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper)
- 1 lb small new potatoes or red potatoes, , diced
- 6 cups chicken broth, (alternatively use water and chicken bullion)
- 1 bunch of kale, , washed and chopped
- 1/4 cup heavy cream, (optional, I sometimes omit it to reduce the calories in the soup)
Video
Instructions
- In a deep pot, heat oil over medium heat.
- Add sausage. Cook for 5 minutes, until brown, stirring frequently to crumble it while it cooks.
- Add onion and garlic, stir to combine. Add oregano, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add chicken stock and bring soup to a boil. Add potatoes. Cook for 10-15 minutes, until potatoes are fully cooked.
- Add kale and cook for 2 more minutes, then add cream. Stir.
- Add more salt and pepper if needed.
- Serve hot.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I’m vegetarian, but I’m wondering if this would work with a meat substitute and vegetable broth/stock? I think Tofurkey makes an Italian sausage. I haven’t personally tried it myself. Has anyone tried making a vegetarian or vegan version of this?
Hi Jennifer,
While I have not tried it, I see no reason why it won’t work. It should be ok.
I have been making this soup for many years. Love it. The only thing I do different is to add a few slices of diced and browned thick cut bacon.
I made this for supper tonight. It was easy to make and very delicious! I sprinkled a little Parmesan cheese on it right before serving. My husband said this recipe is a keeper.
I just made this with the following substitutions and it was delicious…
3 chicken bouillon cubes and 6 cups of water (I only had 3 available)
1 head of cauliflower instead of potatoes
extra kale
Thank you for posting this it was fantastic and super simple to make!
I just tried this and used country mild breakfast sausage. I hope it turns out alright. I also used the 32oz no salt added chicken broth with an additional 14.5 33% less sodium chicken broth. Did everything else pretty much the same, except adding the red pepper flakes since my wife’s sensitive to spicy foods. I can always add spices to my individual bowls. She mentioned using ground Turkey meat instead since it’s healthier, and honestly I wasn’t thinking about the sausage. I just grabbed what I thought would work. I guess we’ll see come 6 o’clock!