Here is my favorite crockpot sausage, kale, and potato soup recipe, with Italian sausage, crispy bacon, tender potatoes, and a creamy broth that comes together effortlessly in your slow cooker.
This soup is what I make when I want something warm and filling without spending all day in the kitchen. I just toss everything in the crockpot in the morning, and by dinnertime, the whole house smells amazing and dinner is ready to go.
Why You’ll Love This Crockpot Sausage, Kale, and Potato Soup
- Set it and forget it – Just toss everything in your crockpot in the morning and come home to a hot, ready-to-eat soup that fills your house with amazing aromas.
- Hearty and filling – The combination of Italian sausage, bacon, and potatoes makes this soup satisfying enough to be a complete meal on its own.
- Sneaks in the greens – The spinach blends right into the creamy broth, making it an easy way to add vegetables without anyone complaining.
- Perfect for meal prep – This soup tastes even better the next day and reheats beautifully, so you can enjoy it all week long for quick lunches or dinners.
- Cozy comfort food – The creamy, savory broth with tender potatoes and flavorful sausage is exactly what you need on a chilly day.
What Kind of Italian Sausage Should I Use?
You can use either sweet or hot Italian sausage for this soup, depending on how much heat you like. Sweet Italian sausage will give you a milder, more herb-forward flavor, while hot Italian sausage adds a nice kick that pairs really well with the creaminess of the soup. If you can’t find Italian sausage at your store, regular pork sausage will work in a pinch – just add a bit of extra Italian seasoning or fennel seeds to get that classic flavor. Whether you buy links or bulk sausage doesn’t matter much since you’ll be breaking it up anyway, so just grab whichever is more convenient or on sale.
Options for Substitutions
This soup is pretty forgiving when it comes to swapping ingredients:
- Italian sausage: You can use either mild or hot Italian sausage depending on your preference. Turkey or chicken sausage works too if you want a lighter option, though you’ll lose some of that rich flavor.
- Bacon: If you don’t have bacon, you can skip it entirely or add a bit more sausage. Turkey bacon works as a substitute, but cook it in a pan first since it won’t crisp up the same way.
- Spinach: Despite the recipe name mentioning kale, the ingredient list shows spinach – either works great! Kale will hold up better during long cooking, while spinach wilts quickly. If using kale, add it earlier in the cooking process.
- Potatoes: Russet, Yukon gold, or red potatoes all work fine here. Just keep them in similar-sized chunks so they cook evenly.
- Heavy cream: Half-and-half makes a lighter version, or use whole milk with a tablespoon of flour whisked in to prevent curdling. For dairy-free, coconut milk works surprisingly well.
- Chicken broth: Vegetable broth is an easy swap, or use beef broth if that’s what you have on hand.
Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking
The biggest mistake you can make with this soup is adding the kale too early, which will turn it into a mushy, gray mess instead of keeping it bright green and slightly tender – always wait until the last 15-25 minutes of cooking.
Another common error is cutting your potatoes too small, as they’ll break down and become mushy during the long cooking time, so aim for 1-inch chunks that hold their shape.
Don’t skip browning the sausage and bacon at the beginning, since this step builds flavor and renders out excess fat that would otherwise make your soup greasy.
Finally, add the cream at the end with the kale rather than at the beginning, because dairy can curdle or separate when cooked for hours in the crockpot, leaving you with an unappetizing texture.
What to Serve With Sausage, Kale, and Potato Soup?
This hearty soup is basically a meal in a bowl, but I love serving it with some crusty bread or dinner rolls for soaking up all that creamy broth. A simple side salad with a light vinaigrette helps balance out the richness of the soup, or you could go with some roasted vegetables like carrots or Brussels sprouts. If you want to make it extra filling, garlic bread is always a winner, and the garlic flavor pairs really nicely with the Italian sausage. Sometimes I’ll even sprinkle some extra parmesan cheese on top of the soup and serve it with crackers for a cozy, no-fuss dinner.
Storage Instructions
Store: This soup keeps really well in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container. The flavors actually get even better the next day after everything has had time to meld together. Just keep in mind that the potatoes might soften a bit more as it sits.
Freeze: You can freeze this soup for up to 3 months, but I’d recommend leaving out the cream before freezing since dairy can sometimes separate when thawed. Just add fresh cream when you reheat it and it’ll taste like you just made it.
Reheat: Warm it up on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until heated through. If you’re using the microwave, heat it in 2-minute intervals and give it a good stir between each round to make sure it heats evenly.
| Preparation Time | 15-20 minutes |
| Cooking Time | 225-250 minutes |
| Total Time | 240-270 minutes |
| Level of Difficulty | Easy |
| Servings | 6 servings |
Estimated Nutrition
Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):
- Calories: 2300-2500
- Protein: 70-80 g
- Fat: 170-190 g
- Carbohydrates: 110-130 g
Ingredients
For the soup base:
- 1 lb italian sausage (I prefer Johnsonville mild for its spice blend)
- 6 slices bacon
- 1 large onion (diced into 1/2-inch pieces)
- 6 cloves garlic (freshly minced for best flavor)
- 1.5 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1.25 lb potatoes (cut into 1-inch cubes)
- 4 cups chicken broth (I always use Swanson for the most consistent flavor)
For the finishing stage:
- 1 bunch kale, roughly chopped
- 1 cup cream (room temperature to prevent curdling when added to the slow cooker)
Step 1: Brown the Meat and Build the Flavor Base
- 1 lb italian sausage
- 6 slices bacon
- 1 large onion
Cut the sausage into bite-sized pieces and slice the bacon into 1-inch pieces.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook the bacon until crispy, about 5-7 minutes, then remove and set aside.
In the same skillet with the bacon fat, brown the sausage pieces, breaking them up as they cook, until no pink remains and they’re nicely caramelized, about 8-10 minutes.
Add the diced onion to the sausage and bacon and cook for another 3-4 minutes until the onion softens and becomes translucent.
This browning step creates rich, savory flavors that are the foundation of the soup.
Step 2: Prep the Remaining Ingredients While Meat Cooks
- 1.25 lb potatoes
- 6 cloves garlic
- 1 bunch kale
- 1.5 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
While the meat is browning in the skillet, cut the potatoes into 1-inch cubes and place them in a bowl.
Mince the garlic fresh (this preserves its bright flavor better than pre-minced).
Roughly chop the kale into bite-sized pieces and set aside.
Measure out the chicken broth, oregano, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
Having everything prepped and ready will make the slow cooker assembly quick and efficient.
Step 3: Build the Slow Cooker Base
- meat and bacon mixture from Step 1
- 6 cloves garlic
- 1.5 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1.25 lb potatoes
Transfer the browned sausage, bacon, and onion mixture from Step 1 into your crockpot.
Add the minced garlic, oregano, pepper, and red pepper flakes, stirring to combine and distribute the spices evenly.
Pour in the chicken broth and add the potato cubes, stirring well to ensure the potatoes are submerged and the seasonings are evenly distributed throughout the liquid.
I like to taste a spoonful of the broth at this point to check the seasoning—you can adjust the salt or pepper now if needed.
Step 4: Slow Cook Until Potatoes Are Tender
Cover the crockpot and cook on High for 3.5 hours or Low for 7 hours, depending on your schedule.
The soup is ready when the potatoes are fork-tender and easily break apart.
The longer, low-and-slow cooking allows all the flavors to meld beautifully and creates a rich, hearty broth.
Step 5: Finish with Greens and Cream
- 1 bunch kale
- 1 cup cream
When the cooking time is complete, stir in the chopped kale from Step 2.
Pour in the room-temperature cream slowly while stirring gently to incorporate it evenly—using room-temperature cream prevents it from curdling when it hits the hot soup.
Cover and cook on High for 15 minutes or Low for 25 minutes, until the kale is wilted and tender and the cream is fully heated through.
The finished soup should have a creamy, rich broth with tender vegetables and hearty meat.
Cozy Crockpot Sausage, Kale, and Potato Soup
Ingredients
For the soup base::
- 1 lb italian sausage (I prefer Johnsonville mild for its spice blend)
- 6 slices bacon
- 1 large onion (diced into 1/2-inch pieces)
- 6 cloves garlic (freshly minced for best flavor)
- 1.5 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1.25 lb potatoes (cut into 1-inch cubes)
- 4 cups chicken broth (I always use Swanson for the most consistent flavor)
For the finishing stage::
- 1 bunch kale, roughly chopped
- 1 cup cream (room temperature to prevent curdling when added to the slow cooker)
Instructions
- Cut the sausage into bite-sized pieces and slice the bacon into 1-inch pieces. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook the bacon until crispy, about 5-7 minutes, then remove and set aside. In the same skillet with the bacon fat, brown the sausage pieces, breaking them up as they cook, until no pink remains and they're nicely caramelized, about 8-10 minutes. Add the diced onion to the sausage and bacon and cook for another 3-4 minutes until the onion softens and becomes translucent. This browning step creates rich, savory flavors that are the foundation of the soup.
- While the meat is browning in the skillet, cut the potatoes into 1-inch cubes and place them in a bowl. Mince the garlic fresh (this preserves its bright flavor better than pre-minced). Roughly chop the kale into bite-sized pieces and set aside. Measure out the chicken broth, oregano, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Having everything prepped and ready will make the slow cooker assembly quick and efficient.
- Transfer the browned sausage, bacon, and onion mixture from Step 1 into your crockpot. Add the minced garlic, oregano, pepper, and red pepper flakes, stirring to combine and distribute the spices evenly. Pour in the chicken broth and add the potato cubes, stirring well to ensure the potatoes are submerged and the seasonings are evenly distributed throughout the liquid. I like to taste a spoonful of the broth at this point to check the seasoning—you can adjust the salt or pepper now if needed.
- Cover the crockpot and cook on High for 3.5 hours or Low for 7 hours, depending on your schedule. The soup is ready when the potatoes are fork-tender and easily break apart. The longer, low-and-slow cooking allows all the flavors to meld beautifully and creates a rich, hearty broth.
- When the cooking time is complete, stir in the chopped kale from Step 2. Pour in the room-temperature cream slowly while stirring gently to incorporate it evenly—using room-temperature cream prevents it from curdling when it hits the hot soup. Cover and cook on High for 15 minutes or Low for 25 minutes, until the kale is wilted and tender and the cream is fully heated through. The finished soup should have a creamy, rich broth with tender vegetables and hearty meat.
