Posted Oct 14, 2018, Updated May 20, 2024 There is something about the cooler fall weather that compels me to break out my slow cooker and make hearty, cozy soups. This Sausage Kale Soup recipe is a cold-weather staple in our house. It’s loaded with seasonal vegetables, bursting with flavor and is my favorite, fix-it-and-forget-it, kind of recipe. It only takes 15 minutes to prepare, then you get to enjoy the aroma all day long while it cooks in the crockpot. My kids even love this sausage potato and kale soup. No joke – my son refers to this sausage kale soup as, “that one soup that looks gross but tastes really good.”
Sausage Kale Soup: Ingredients & Substituions
So, let’s chat about the ingredients I used in this Sausage Kale Soup recipe, and possible substitutions that can be made!
Smoked sausage. I use a 14 ounce package of smoked sausage. Choose your favorite variety, but smokes gives a great flavor. Olive Oil. Avocado oil and canola oil are great substitutes. The oil browns the sausage which also adds flavor. Vegetable Broth. chicken broth is a good substitute. Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes. Use any variety of canned diced tomatoes that you like. Kale. Spinach is a good substitute, although kale is my favorite green to use in this sausage & kale soup! Sweet Potatoes. You could substitute red potatoes, Yukon gold potatoes, Russet potatoes or butternut squash for sweet potatoes. Celery, Carrots & Green Beans. We loved this combination of vegetables, you can choose your favorites. Or you can buy a bag of frozen mixed vegetables and toss it in the crockpot. I used frozen green beans (for the sake of ease and time), but you could use chopped fresh green beans. Italian Seasoning. Use fresh herbs and spices instead of dried Italian seasoning if desired.
How To Make Sausage Kale Soup
As always, we will walk through the tips and tricks for making this recipe.
Brown the Sausage & Onion
Add olive oil, diced sausage, onion and minced garlic to a skillet and cook until it the sausage is browned (about 10 minutes).
Add Ingredients to Slow Cooker
While the sausage is browning, add the rest of the ingredients in this Sausage Kale Soup recipe to the container of your slow cooker. Stir until everything is evenly distributed. Once the sausage is finished browning, add the contents of the skillet to the ingredients in the slow cooker and stir again. Try to scrape all the little bits of oil, onion, and garlic out of the skillet for maximum flavor!
Cook
Next, cook the soup until the sweet potatoes are tender. There are two different settings/cook times that can be used to make this Sausage Kale Soup Recipe:
Serve
Serve the sausage kale soup warm with a garnish of fresh herbs, cheese, etc. I suggest making bread (especially no knead bread or cornbread) or a salad to serve alongside this soup.
Store/Freeze
Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop. If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can see your creations!
