One-Pot Slow-Cooker Sausage and Kale Stew

When it comes to one-pot, slow-cooked meals, I can’t have enough in my recipe box. They’re perfect for those busy chilly-weather weeknights when you just need a hearty, stick-to-your-ribs kind of meal, or when you have company coming over and you want to make a bigger batch of a favorite recipe (or free up your oven for other foods). 

That’s why I love this Italian sausage and kale stew. Inspired by a recipe I found in my Real Simple magazine, it’s a new favorite in our home that I can count on as an easy, comforting dinner. 

First, round up your ingredients. What’s great about this recipe, as I mentioned above, is that everything cooks together in the slow cooker—even the mashed potatoes (pre-mashed, of course). It’s definitely a set-it-and-forget-it kind of meal.

Combine everything in the slow cooker, leaving the kale leaves for last to place on top of the mixture so they so don’t overcook or scorch in the bottom of the pot. Cover and cook on high for 4 1/2 to 5 hours (or on low for 7 to 8 hours, if you’re gone all day and want it done right when you get home), until the potatoes are tender and the sausage is cooked through.

Remove the potatoes and mash them, skin-on, with some milk, butter; salt and pepper to taste. You can also add some minced garlic or sour cream to the potatoes for extra flavor, if you want.

Serve everything in one bowl, preferably with some crusty bread. After just one bite, and you’ll agree this recipe is a keeper.