Easy Sausage Potato Soup

My family loves this sausage potato soup made with Italian sausage, potatoes, and kale. Think of this as a lighter version of Olive Garden’s Zuppa Toscana soup. It’s incredibly delicious!

•  8 ounces (226g) bulk Italian sausage or links with the casings removed
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced, 1 tablespoon
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
• Salt and fresh ground black pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 1 ½ pounds (680g) potatoes, cubed, 2 to 3 medium
• 5 cups (1182ml) chicken stock
• 1/4 cup (60ml) heavy cream or half-and-half, or more to taste
• 4 cups chopped kale leaves with ribs removed or use baby kale
• 1/2 cup (28g) shredded parmesan cheese, optional, 1 ounce
• Pinch freshly grated nutmeg