Sausage and Fennel Soup

Nutriscore Rating: 65/100

Warm up with a hearty bowl of Sausage and Fennel Soup, a rustic, flavor-packed dish that’s perfect for cozy evenings. This easy-to-make recipe combines the bold, savory taste of Italian sausage with the subtle sweetness of fennel and the earthy goodness of fresh kale. Simmered with fire-roasted tomatoes, fragrant thyme, and a touch of crushed red pepper flakes, this soup features layers of comforting flavors in every spoonful. A diced russet potato adds heartiness, while a garnish of grated Parmesan and feathery fennel fronds completes the dish with a touch of elegance. Ready in under an hour, this one-pot wonder is ideal as a weeknight dinner or a make-ahead meal that only gets better with time. Serve with crusty bread for soaking up every last drop of this soul-satisfying soup.

Recipe Information

• Prep Time: 15 min
• Cook Time: 40 min
• Total Time: 55 min
• Servings: 4 servings
• Difficulty: Medium

🥘 Ingredients

14 items

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound Italian sausage (mild or spicy, casing removed)
• 1 medium fennel bulb
• 1 medium yellow onion
• 3 large garlic cloves
• 0.5 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 14-ounce can canned diced tomatoes (fire-roasted preferred)
• 1 medium russet potato (peeled and diced)
• 4 cups kale (stems removed, leaves chopped)
• 0.5 cups parmesan cheese (grated, for garnish)
• to taste salt
• to taste black pepper

📝 Instructions

10 steps

1. Heat the olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat.

2. Add the sausage to the pot and cook, breaking it up into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 6–8 minutes. Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon and set aside.

3. Thinly slice the fennel bulb (reserving the fronds for garnish) and finely chop the onion. Mince the garlic.

4. Add the fennel and onion to the pot, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.

5. Stir in the garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, and thyme, and cook for another 1–2 minutes until fragrant.

6. Pour in the chicken or vegetable broth and the diced tomatoes (with their juices). Bring the mixture to a boil.

7. Add the diced potato to the pot and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook until the potato is tender, about 15 minutes.

8. Return the cooked sausage to the pot and stir in the chopped kale. Simmer for an additional 5–7 minutes until the kale is tender.

9. Season the soup with salt and black pepper to taste.

10. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with grated Parmesan cheese and reserved fennel fronds. Serve hot.

Nutrition Facts

1 serving (795.2g)

Calories		596
% Daily Value*
Total Fat		40.6 g	52%
	Saturated Fat	13.5 g	68%
	Polyunsaturated Fat	0.0 g
Cholesterol		103 mg	34%
Sodium		3057 mg	133%
Total Carbohydrate		32.6 g	12%
	Dietary Fiber	5.6 g	20%
	Total Sugars	9.5 g
Protein		31.0 g	62%
Vitamin D		0.1 mcg	1%
Calcium		324 mg	25%
Iron		4.0 mg	22%
Potassium		1320 mg	28%

*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Source of Calories

Fat: 1447 cal (58.9%%)

Protein: 490 cal (19.9%%)

Carbs: 520 cal (21.2%%)