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Cauliflower Sausage Kale Soup – Ready in 30 Minutes, Under 10 Ingredients

A creamy bowl of Cauliflower Sausage Kale Soup topped with red pepper flakes, a cozy twist on cauliflower zuppa toscana.
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Savory Italian sausage and crisp bacon meet a naturally creamy, cauliflower-thickened broth in this cozy soup, finished with wilted kale and a hint of heat — all with fewer than 10 ingredients and ready in about 30 minutes.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 12 ounces mild Italian sausage, casings removed
  • 3 slices bacon, chopped
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 6 cups cauliflower florets (about 1¼ pounds)
  • 1 (32 oz) carton chicken broth
  • 1 cup half and half
  • 4 cups chopped curly kale
  • Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
  • Red pepper flakes, for serving (optional)

Instructions

  1. Set a large Dutch oven or a heavy-duty soup pot over medium heat and pour in the olive oil, letting it heat through for a moment. Add the sausage and chopped bacon to the pot together, breaking the sausage apart into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the sausage is fully browned throughout and the bacon has crisped up, which should take approximately 8 to 10 minutes total. Once done, use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked sausage and bacon to a plate, leaving the rendered fat behind in the pot. Carefully drain off the excess grease, leaving only about 2 tablespoons behind in the pot to continue cooking with.
  2. Add the diced onion directly into the reserved fat in the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until it turns soft and translucent, roughly 3 to 4 minutes. Add the minced garlic to the softened onions and cook for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly the entire time so it doesn’t scorch or turn bitter.
  3. Add the cauliflower florets and the full carton of chicken broth into the pot with the onions and garlic. Season generously with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer and let it cook uncovered for about 15 minutes, or until the cauliflower turns completely tender. To check for doneness, pierce a larger chunk of cauliflower with a fork — if it slides through easily with no resistance, it’s ready.
  4. Carefully transfer the hot soup to a high-powered blender and purée it in batches until completely smooth, or, if you have an immersion blender, purée it directly in the pot off the heat until silky and lump-free. Either method works well, though blending directly in the pot with an immersion blender tends to be the easier, less messy option.
  5. Return the puréed soup to low heat if needed, then pour in the half and half and bring the mixture back to a gentle simmer. Stir in the reserved cooked sausage and bacon along with the chopped kale, and continue simmering until the kale has wilted down into the soup, about 5 minutes. Give the soup a final taste and adjust the salt as needed before serving. Ladle into bowls and finish with a sprinkle of red pepper flakes, if you’d like a bit of heat.

Notes

  • Sausage: Mild Italian sausage paired with red pepper flakes on the side lets everyone control their own spice level at the table. If you prefer built-in heat, swap in hot Italian sausage instead. Turkey Italian sausage also works well here as a leaner protein option.
  • Cream: Whole milk or full-fat coconut milk can both be used in place of the half and half if you’d like to lighten the dish or make it dairy-free.
  • Leftovers: Store any leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Freezing is not recommended, since the cream content can cause the soup to separate or turn grainy once thawed and reheated.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://irmacooks.com/cauliflower-sausage-kale-soup/