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Creamy Potato Kielbasa and Kale Soup

4.51 from 55 votes

Total Time: 45 mins

By Carol

Updated Jul 14, 2021, Published Mar 02, 2020

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Creamy Potato, Kielbasa and Kale Soup is complete old-world comfort in a bowl! The smoky kielbasa pairs perfectly with tender potatoes and hearty kale, all simmered in a velvety broth for a cozy, soul-warming meal.

“I am so glad that I doubled this recipe! My family loved it!”

The inspiration behind this recipe:

Creamy Potato, Kielbasa and Kale Soup is a twist on a recipe I “married” into.  My mother-in-law, Shirley, makes an amazing potato and cabbage soup that we absolutely love!  We make it at least once every winter.  I talk about my mother-in-law’s potato and cabbage soup in this post for Baked Cabbage Wedges.

Here’s my interpretation!

A single head of cabbage can go a long way–especially when there are only two people in a household so I don’t buy one very often.  Instead, I used a bunch of kale I had on hand for this recipe.  The kale is perfection and updates it to 2020!

I haven’t done a DNA test yet, but all indications are I’m 100% Polish.  My mom was Polish, my dad is Polish, my grandparents and great-grandparents on both sides were Polish.  Yeah, it’s looking like I’m Polish, too.  So, what better way to honor my heritage than to add kielbasa!

How to make Creamy Potato, Kielbasa and Kale Soup:

• Cook onion and celery in a little bit of oil until it’s nice and soft.
• Add 1 1/2 pounds of diced potatoes–preferably “waxy” such as red or Yukon gold–peeled if desired.
• Add chicken broth and kielbasa.

• Add kale, let it cook until wilted then thicken.
• I added my own flair to this family classic by making it just a tad lighter.  The original family recipe calls for two cups of half-and-half.  I decided to scale it back to one cup of half-and-half.  The butter, flour and half-and-half combination will get crazy thick, so add a ladle or two of the liquid from the soup to make it manageable, then pour it into the soup.

Simmer until thickened and serve!

Creamy Potato, Kielbasa and Kale Soup!  Total comfort in a bowl, my reader friends!  Perfection!

For more great rustic, hearty soups, be sure to try my:

• Farmhouse Cabbage Soup with Cannellini Beans and Kielbasa
• Smoky Spanish Vegetable and White Bean Soup with Kale
• Old-Fashioned Potato, Cabbage and Kielbasa Soup
• Chorizo, Kale and Sweet Potato Stew
• Cauliflower Potato Soup with Smoked Gouda
• Traditional Hungarian Goulash Soup

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4.51 from 55 votes

Creamy Potato Kielbasa and Kale Soup

By Carol | From A Chef’s Kitchen

Creamy Potato, Kielbasa and Kale Soup is complete old-world comfort in a bowl that's perfect when the weather is chilly! The smoky kielbasa pairs perfectly with tender potatoes and hearty kale, all simmered in a velvety broth for a cozy, soul-warming meal.

Prep Time: 20 minutes mins

Cook Time: 25 minutes mins

Total Time: 45 minutes mins

Servings: 6

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Equipment

• Wusthof Chef Knife
• Cutting Board
• Dutch Oven

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Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 2 tablespoons canola oil
• ▢ 1 large onion, finely chopped
• ▢ 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
• ▢ 4 cloves garlic, minced
• ▢ 1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (4-5 cups)
• ▢ 8 cups chicken broth
• ▢ 1 pound kielbasa or another smoked sausage, halved lengthwise and sliced
• ▢ 1 bunch kale, red or green, stems removed, coarsely chopped
• ▢ 4 tablespoons butter
• ▢ 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1 cup half-and-half
• ▢ 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• ▢ 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• ▢ Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions 

• Heat canola oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion and celery, reduce heat to medium-low and cook 8 – 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add the garlic and the potatoes and stir.
• Add the chicken broth and kielbasa. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 10 – 12 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Add the kale and cook 1 – 2 minutes more. Turn off the heat, cover and set aside.
• Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the flour and cook 1 – 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add half and half, whisking constantly. Whisk in a ladle-full of the chicken broth from the Dutch oven to prevent it from becoming too thick to work with.
• Transfer the thickened combination to the Dutch oven.
• Bring the soup back up to a simmer and cook over low heat, stirring often until thickened. Stir in Dijon mustard and Worcestershire. Season to taste with salt and black pepper and serve.

Notes

SUBSTITUTIONS:

• Red or russets can also be used.
• Can use cabbage in place of kale.

MAKE AHEAD:

• Can be made ahead 1-2 days.  Refrigerate until needed.
• Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.

FREEZER-FRIENDLY:

• Cool and place in airtight containers in the desired servings.  Freeze 1-2 months.
• Thaw in the refrigerator.
• Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Calories: 501kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 18gFat: 33gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 74mgSodium: 1944mgPotassium: 961mgFiber: 4gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 2396IUVitamin C: 47mgCalcium: 164mgIron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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