Brown the bacon: In a large soup pot over medium heat, cook the chopped bacon until crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Leave 1–2 tablespoons of the bacon fat in the pot.

Cook the sausage: Add the sausage to the pot. Break it up with a spoon and cook until browned and cooked through, about 6–8 minutes. If there’s excess fat, spoon off a bit, leaving about a tablespoon for flavor.

Sauté the aromatics: Add a drizzle of olive oil if the pot looks dry. Stir in the diced onion and cook 3–4 minutes until softened. Add the minced garlic, red pepper flakes, and Italian seasoning. Cook 30–60 seconds until fragrant.

Build the broth: Pour in the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Bring to a gentle boil.

Add the cauliflower: Stir in the florets. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook 10–12 minutes, until the cauliflower is fork-tender but not mushy.

Make it creamy: Lower the heat and stir in the heavy cream and Parmesan. Simmer 2–3 minutes, stirring, until slightly thickened. Don’t let it boil hard—gentle heat keeps the cream smooth.

Add the greens: Stir in the kale and the crispy bacon. Simmer 2–3 minutes until the greens are tender but still bright. If using spinach, it will wilt in about 1 minute.

Season and finish: Taste and season with salt and black pepper. Add a quick squeeze of lemon to brighten the flavors. If you like more heat, finish with extra red pepper flakes.

Serve: Ladle into bowls and top with extra Parmesan and a drizzle of good olive oil if you’d like.