This hearty Sausage and Kale Soup with White Beans is robust, flavorful, and ultra-easy to make with canned beans. Don’t forget the crusty bread for the side!
A Wholesome, Filling Kale Soup You’ll Love
Italian sausage is one of those ingredients that just makes everything better, with its sweet and savory taste and slight hint of fennel. I especially love it in this soup, because it perfectly balances the milder, more bitter taste of the kale and white beans. Overall, this is a perfectly balanced soup recipe – you’re going to love it!
If you are looking for a family-friendly dinner idea that packs a punch of healthy ingredients, this is it. Choose a good-quality sausage, add a healthy side, and you’ve got a wonderful meal with tons of flavor and texture. To dress it up, just add a glass of your favorite wine and a piece of crusty bread!
If you love sausage and veggie dinners, make sure to also check out my Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash!
The Ingredients You’ll Need
If you’re thinking this is going to be a laundry list of ingredients, seasonings, and mix-ins, guess what? It’s actually very simple. You really only need a few basic ingredients to make this restaurant-worthy soup happen.
- Italian Sausage: If you buy your Italian sausage in links, remove the casings.
- Olive Oil: For sauteing.
- Onion, Celery, and Carrot: Dice ‘em up!
- Garlic: I like to use freshly minced garlic, but you can substitute garlic powder in a pinch.
- White Beans: Canned white beans, drained and rinsed.
- Chicken Broth: Or vegetable broth, if you prefer.
- Italian Seasoning: Use your favorite Italian seasoning blend, or make your own. Many Italian seasoning blends include some salt and pepper, but if yours doesn’t have salt included, make sure to add salt to the soup to taste.
- Kale: Wash and chop your kale.
- Parmesan Cheese: Shredded, for serving.
- Chopped Fresh Parsley: Optional, for serving.
How to Make Sausage and Kale Soup with White Beans
This simple soup-making method is a classic. First, we’ll saute some of the ingredients to get a good texture and flavor profile going. Then we’ll add our liquids and remaining ingredients, and finish the soup. Easy!
- Saute the Sausage. First, you’ll want to set a large pot over medium heat. Add your oil, and then add the sausage. Cook the sausage until it’s no longer pink, breaking it into chunks as you go.
- Saute the Onion, Garlic, Carrots, and Celery. Add these ingredients to the cooking sausage and let them cook for another 3 or 4 minutes.
- Add the Beans, Broth, and Seasoning. To the sauteed ingredients, add your white beans, chicken broth, and the Italian seasoning. Bring the mixture to a simmer, and let it simmer for 30 minutes.
- Finish the Soup. Last of all, add the kale to the pot. Let it cook for another 5 minutes to wilt and meld with the other ingredients, and then take the soup off of the heat.
- Enjoy! Serve bowls of sausage and kale soup with parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of parsley on top.
Should You Add Vinegar to Bean Soup?
If you’d like to add a splash of vinegar to this soup, go for it! Lots of soup and stew recipes include an acid like vinegar or lemon juice to brighten up the flavor. If you do want to add vinegar, my recommendation is to wait until the end of cooking, taste the soup, and add one teaspoon (or even half a teaspoon) of apple cider vinegar at a time, until you get the desired effect.
Recipe Notes
To make sure your soup turns out just right, be sure to give these tips a quick look before you start cooking. Each one is a helpful insight into what makes this soup so good.
- Slow Cooker Option: To make this in your crockpot, just cook the sausage and set it aside. Then cook the onion, garlic, carrots, and celery in the same skillet for a few minutes. Next, place the sausage, onion mixture, beans, chicken broth, and Italian seasoning in a slow cooker. Cook on high for 2 to 3 hours or low for 4 hours. Before serving, add the kale and allow it to cook for 30 minutes before serving.
- Kale: If you don’t have kale, you can use another cooking green like collard greens, chard, or mustard greens. Spinach can also be used, but it cooks down faster and can become mushy if overcooked, so keep that in mind.
- Beans: Cannellini beans and great Northern beans work well in this recipe. You could substitute almost any kind of bean, really – or use a mixture!
- Veggies: Don’t hesitate to throw in other vegetables here! You can add broccoli, potatoes, chopped cabbage, you name it!
Yummy Serving Suggestions
Looking for side dishes? I’ve got you covered! A big bowl of sausage and kale soup with white beans is a full meal on its own, but it also goes really well with sides like these:
- Cornbread: I cannot even begin to tell you how much I love fresh, warm cornbread with a bowl of good soup. For something nice and zesty, try this Cheddar Jalapeño Cornbread – it’s so flavorful! Or if you aren’t a fan of cornbread, my very favorite Easy Beer Bread would be great with this soup.
- Baked Potato: Another great combo? Soup and baked potatoes! These easy Microwave Baked Potatoes are the best.
- Salad: A fresh, green salad is great with soup. My family loves this classic Greek Salad – it’s well-balanced, colorful, and tastes great.
Storing and Reheating
You can store any leftover sausage and kale soup in your fridge in an airtight container. It will keep for about 5 days. To reheat, just microwave the desired portion, or heat on the stove over medium-high heat.
Can I Freeze This Recipe?
Yes, if you have leftovers (or if you want to cook a double batch and freeze half for later), freezing is a great option. Just cool the soup down first, and then store it in freezer containers or bags in your freezer. Use within 3 months for the best quality.
Sausage and Kale Soup with White Beans
Ingredients
- 1 pound Italian sausage, casing removed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 large carrots, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 2 14 oz cans white beans
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 cups kale, chopped (or spinach or swiss chard)
- Parmesan cheese, shredded, for serving
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, for serving
Instructions
- In a large stock pot, heat the oil and then cook the sausage until it is no longer pink, breaking it apart as it cooks. Add the onion, garlic, carrots and celery and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add the beans, chicken broth, and Italian seasoning. Simmer over medium heat for 30 minutes.
- Add the kale and cook for another 5 minutes. Serve bowls of soup with parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of parsley on top!
Notes
- Storing and Reheating: You can store any leftover sausage and kale soup in your fridge in an airtight container. It will keep for about 5 days. To reheat, just microwave the desired portion, or heat on the stove over medium-high heat.
- Slow Cooker Option: To make this in your crockpot, just cook the sausage and set it aside. Then cook the onion, garlic, carrots and celery in the same skillet for a few minutes. Next, place the sausage, onion mixture, beans, chicken broth, and Italian seasoning in a slow cooker. Cook on high for 2 to 3 hours or low for 4 hours. Before serving, add the kale and allow it to cook for 30 minutes before serving.
- Kale: If you don’t have kale, you can use another cooking green like collard greens, chard, or mustard greens. Spinach can also be used, but it cooks down faster and can become mushy if overcooked, so keep that in mind.
- Beans: Cannellini beans and great Northern beans work well in this recipe. You could substitute almost any kind of bean, really – or use a mixture!
- Veggies: Don’t hesitate to throw in other vegetables here! You can add broccoli, potatoes, chopped cabbage, you name it!
Nutrition
Categories:
More Cozy Soups and Stews
- Crockpot Chicken Stew
- Creamy Roasted Mushroom Soup
- Puerto Rican Beef Sancocho
- Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings
- Best Pizza Soup
- Loaded Baked Potato Soup
- Pozole Rojo (Red Pozole Soup)
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