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This super simple Smoky Potato and Kale Soup is the perfect cold-weather dinner…great for nights when you’re craving something warming. Spanish sausage simmered in a garlicky smoked paprika broth with potatoes, kale, a touch of lemon, and Manchego cheese. Serve each steaming bowl of soup with crusty bread. It’s hearty, full of greens, and so delicious. Great for just about any night of the week. And the leftovers the next day make for the best lunch!
I am always on the lookout for new and exciting recipes this time of year. Ideally, they should be pretty simple to make and able to feed the family. Because when everyone is in town for the holidays I need dinners they’ll all enjoy. I’m sure many of you can relate. With our family getting bigger there are even more people to feed over the holidays, so new (and simple) dinners are a must.
I’ll make pasta bakes or quick all-in-one skillet dinners, those are easily my go-to kind of recipes. But every other dinner or so, I like to switch it up and throw everyone a curveball…with lots of delicious flavor. Which is kind of where this soup comes in.
It’s inspired a bit by last year’s Pesto Zuppa Toscana, a bit by my love of smoked paprika, and of course by my family. With two of my brothers especially in mind today!
I have seen a lot of sausage, kale, and potato soups over the last few months. Most are made with Italian ingredients like my Zuppa Toscana. But I’ve seen a handful made with Spanish ingredients, one of which was a smoked paprika and garlic soup I saw on Food and Wine. The deep red broth just looked so good that I started googling and doing some research on soups made with smoked paprika.
And that’s when I come across Caldo Verde Soup, the “official” soup of Portugal. It’s a very simple soup made of smoked sausage and potatoes. But it seems to be made in a variety of ways. Some use tomatoes or tomato paste. Some have greens, and no smoked paprika, and then some don’t have any tomatoes at all. Since the smoked paprika in the broth of the soup excited me the most, I decided to go that route. Including smoked sausage, plenty of potatoes, and kale too!
I tried a few variations, but the one I’m sharing today is my obvious favorite. It’s the simplest to put together, but the flavor is still incredible. For me, it’s all about that smoked paprika in the broth.
First off, you can make this one of three ways, on the stove, in the instant pot, or in the slow cooker. Either way is great, but I’m keeping it basic and walking you through the stove-top version.
The awesome thing about this recipe is that it takes no effort to make and requires just one pot.
You’ll want to start with the sausage. When I was testing this, I tried three varieties, but we all enjoyed the smoked Spanish chorizo the best. You can easily find Spanish chorizo at most grocery stores, Whole Foods (which is where I got mine), and I believe Trader Joe’s.
If you can’t get Spanish chorizo, a spicy chorizo or smoky andouille sausage will also be great!
And lastly, with all that said, if you’re a meat-free kind of person, you can omit the sausage all together. Just add more paprika and a touch more cayenne to keep the soup flavorful.
Alright, moving along.
Crisp the sausage up along with an onion. Add in smoked paprika and lots of fresh garlic (very key here, so don’t skimp on the garlic…unless you really don’t love garlic). You really need to use smoked paprika for this. It’s what makes this soup so delicious and gives it that beautiful red color. Cook everything together for a bit to help intensify those flavors. Then toss in the potatoes, add the broth, and simmer until those potatoes get nice and tender.
To thicken the soup, you can puree some of the potatoes or mash them down with a fork. It’s not needed, but if you want a creamy soup, give the potatoes a mash. Then stir in all the kale and just a splash of cream.
I finish each bowl with a sprinkling of sharp Manchego cheese and fresh oregano. Neither are traditional, but both are very delicious additions.
Pretty simple, but they add so much flavor and color to this warming bowl of soup.
I’ve already served this up to my brother Creighton and my dad, they loved every last spoonful. My dad said it’s the smoky broth with the crispy sausage…and the greens…that make this soup perfect.
Oh, and the cheese on top too. If you know my dad, you know he’s always down for some cheese…actually, a lot of cheese.
It’s safe to say, I’m already excited to make this for the rest of my family over the holidays. I know so many of us are celebrating with small groups this year. This is even more reason to try some new recipes like this soup!
My only request is that you serve this with some really good crusty bread. This broth deserves a good bread for dipping and dunking on the side.
Looking for other simple wintery soups? Here are my favorites:
Creamy French Onion and Mushroom Soup
Slow Cooker Chipotle Chicken Tortilla Soup with Salty Lime Chips
Healthier Slow Cooker Creamy Tortellini Vegetable Soup
Lastly, if you make this Smoky Potato and Kale Soup, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
This recipe was absolutely delicious! The flavor is amazing and it’s perfect for a chilly winter night. I used almond milk and vegan cheese as substitutes for the dairy products in the recipe and they worked very well. I will definitely make this again!
Hey Gabby,
I am so glad the recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for trying it out! Happy Sunday! xTieghan
Great recipe, I made it today and it was so good ! I even manage to make my boyfriend eat kale haha I don’t think to recipe is for 6 persons though, or only if you make very small portions…
Hey Valerie,
I am so thrilled that you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for making it! Happy Friday! xTieghan
Tieghan,
My family loved the soup! I made it over the stovetop with soychorizo from Trader Joe’s and added vegan colby/jack cheese to it. It was so yummy spicy and filling. Thanks for sharing your delicious recipes to us. Xxo
Hey Nora,
I am so thrilled that you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for making it! Happy Friday! xTieghan
so simple but honestly SO good!!! got rave reviews from my whole family!
Hey Hilary,
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! xTieghan
Made today at lunch! Sooo good! Great alternative to chili!
Hey Danielle,
Thanks so much for trying the recipe, I am thrilled you enjoyed the soup! Happy New Year! xTieghan
I can’t wait to make this! I want to try coconut milk as a cream substitute in soup, but I’m always hesitant. Will it make the soup taste sweet or coconut flavored? Thanks!
Hey Sarah,
I think using coconut milk would be a great substitute here! I hope you love the recipe. If you have any other questions, please let me know! Happy New Year! xTieghan
Is it possible to freeze this soup with the milk or will it separate?
Hey Erin,
You can freeze the soup with the milk. I hope you love the recipe. If you have any other questions, please let me know! Happy New Year! xTieghan
Really tasty!! I’m pretty efficient when it comes to making recipes and this is not 30 minutes. Well worth the hour spent but I don’t know who can wash peel cut: potatoes, onions, garlic, kale… in 10 minutes. Then there’s the mashing and measuring. Anyways very tasty and would make again!!
Hey Jessie,
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for making it! Happy New Year! xTieghan
Does this recipe call for cooked or raw sausage? I have Trader Joe’s chicken apple sausage in the fridge – will that work?
Hey there,
Sure that will work well! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy New Year! xTieghan
My favorite new soup!! My family loved it so much. Thank you for sharing!
Hey Angie,
I am so glad you have enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
So easy to throw together and delicious! Perfect for a cold MN night!
Hey Jenny,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad you enjoyed! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
I made this the other nite!! It was AMAZING!!
Thank you!!
Merry Christmas
Hey Shaye,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled that it worked out for you. Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Oh my word girl, you nailed it again! This was so delicious. Using what I had on hand I only substituted ground chorizo (drained off the fat after browning), asiago cheese and sour cream, because son of gun, who ate the parm and drank all the damn milk??? It still turned out divine!
Hey Elizabeth,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Just made this tonight. Wow this is a great recipe! Loaded with flavor. I made some changes like using a smoked Turkey sausage and I only had 1 1/2 tsp of smoked paprika. Also used coconut milk and made some rice to make it a heartier meal for my family of 5. The lemon adds such nice flavor. Thanks so much for the recipe ☺️
Hey Melissa,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad you enjoyed! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
I made this last night and it was delicious. I’m not a big fan of chorizo so I used spicy Italian chicken sausage and it was a great substitute. I loved how easy and quick this meal was too.
Hey Rebecca,
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! Happy Holidays! xTieghan