Spicy Italian Sausage, Kale and Potato Soup

We celebrate the first day of fall with nothing but soup. Oh, soup season, how I have missed you so. This is soup is seriously one of my favorites, mainly because the flavor is just insanely good, but it's also SO fast to make and incredibly filling.

This soup is also known as Zuppa Toscana, and it's a very well known soup here in the US. It requires few ingredients and man could I eat it all day.

I've fallen in love with the spicy Italian sausage from Trader Joe's. It's the only basic grocery store spicy Italian sausage that's actually spicy and the flavoring is amaze. Also, huge heads up, when you're browning this stuff in your sauce pan, it will make you cough lol. It wafts through the house and grabs you by the throat. But it's worth it!

Place a large sauce pan on the stove and heat to medium high. Add in the spicy Italian sausage and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. If you're using the sausage in the casings, just squeeze the sausage out into the pan.

Once the sausage is browned, add the chicken stock into the sauce pan and bring to simmer.

While the broth is coming to a simmer, chop your potatoes. I used russet potatoes, but you can use small red or yellow potatoes as well. Cut the potatoes in half, then slice the the halves into 1/4 inch pieces. Prepare the kale. Pinch the stem with your thumb and pointer finger, and with your other hand slide the kale off of the stem. Roughly chop the kale into bout 1 inch pieces.

Add the potatoes to the broth and cook for about 10 minutes, just until they are tender.

Place the kale in the soup and cook for another 2 minutes.

Add cream and season with salt and pepper to taste. Top with chili flakes and parmesan cheese and you're done!

You can keep this in the fridge for up to 5 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Notes:

* If you are dairy free, you can substitute almond milk.

* If you're looking for a lower carb option, you can sub cauliflower florets for the potatoes

* Feel free to substitute regular or mild Italian sausage for spicy if you don't like the heat

Ingredients:

• 1 lb spicy Italian sausage

• 3 large russet potatoes, cut into 1/4 inch slices (or any other potato works too)

• 1 bunch of kale, chopped

• 6 cups chicken stock

• 1/4 cup heavy cream

• 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes

• 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese

• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Place a large sauce pan on the stove and heat to medium high. Add in the spicy Italian sausage and cook until browned, about 5 minutes.

2. Once the sausage is browned, add the chicken stock into the sauce pan and bring to simmer, uncovered.

3. Add potatoes to the broth and cook for about 10 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.

4. Add the kale and cook for another two minutes.

5. Pour in the cream and stir. Season with salt and pepper to taste along with the chili flakes.

6. Top with parmesan cheese.