This Sausage, Kale, and White Bean Soup Recipe is packed with healthy ingredients, deep flavors, and the perfect amount of heartiness to keep you satisfied.
Well, we're mid-February, and while my heart is yearning for warmer weather, the truth of the matter is we still have a few months to go. I can't wait for those sunny, backdoor-open, windows-down days to come, but while it's still cold outside and we're deep in the thick of these winter months, all I really crave is warm food, and especially a big, heaping, delicious bowl of hot soup. Lemon Chicken Soup, Creamy Slow Cooker Chicken Meatball Soup, Chickpea Stew, Penicillin Soup, and Split Pea Soup With Bacon are all in heavy rotation at the moment. But this Sausage, Kale and White Bean Soup is our new favorite.
This sausage, kale, and white bean soup is a favorite at our house, and we've made it a million times, tinkering with it at every step. Sometimes we sub out the white beans for potatoes. Sometimes spinach replaces the kale. But it always delivers and is amazing when soaked up with a big hunk of crusty bread (even simple air fryer canned biscuits will do the trick!).
The best part about this delicious soup? It's incredibly easy to make, but it tastes like it's been simmering all day. The combination of mild Italian sausage (or spicy Italian sausage if you love extra heat), creamy cannellini beans, and nutrient-rich leafy greens like Tuscan kale creates a well-balanced dish that even my picky little eater loves. A pinch of salt, some fresh garlic, and the nuttiness of a Parmesan rind add so much flavor that you'll swear it came straight from an Italian kitchen. Plus, it stores beautifully in an airtight container, making it perfect for meal prep!
In This Post
Key Ingredients
The ingredients in this soup are completely wholesome and should be easy to find. Here are the star players (see the full lineup below in the recipe card).
- Italian sausage. You can use mild Italian sausage, spicy Italian sausage, or even turkey sausage for a leaner option. I prefer to use ground Italian sausage for this recipe, but if you have links or that's all you can find, that works too. Just chop them up.
- Cannellini beans. These creamy white beans soak up all the delicious flavors and add protein to this hearty recipe.
- Vegetable broth (or low-sodium chicken broth). Either will work beautifully, but if you want a richer taste, go for chicken stock.
- Kale. Lacinato kale (also called dinosaur kale) or curly kale both work well. They add great texture and nutrients. If you want to make it easy on yourself, you can buy the bagged, ready-to-eat kale - no chopping and typically prewashed!
- Parmesan rind. The secret ingredient that adds so much flavor to the soup.
- Yellow onion & garlic and carrots. Essential for that classic soup base.
- Lemon juice. A little squeeze at the end brightens everything up.
How To Make Sausage, Kale, and White Bean Soup
This delicious recipe is easy to make in under an hour, but will taste like you've been slaving over it all day! Here's how to do it.
- Brown the sausage. In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, heat a little olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the crumbled ground sausage and cook until it's nice and brown. Use a spoon to remove some of the grease from the sausage, but don't worry about getting all of it-you want those browned bits at the bottom of the pot for flavor!
- Sauté the veggies. Reduce to medium heat and add the yellow onion and carrots to the cooked sausage. Cook for about 4-5 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the onions are soft and translucent. Add fresh garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Simmer the soup. Return the pot to medium-low heat. Pour in the vegetable broth (or low-sodium chicken broth), white beans, and 1 cup of water, and add the bay leaf, parmesan rind, Italian seasoning, black pepper, and a pinch of salt. If you like a richer broth, you can add a splash of white wine or red wine here.
- Let it cook. Cover and let everything simmer for about 30 minutes. Stir occasionally to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- Add the kale & lemon juice. At the 30-minute mark, turn the heat off and stir in the chopped kale and fresh lemon juice, then cover and let it sit for another 5-7 minutes until the greens are wilted and tender.
- Finish and serve. Remove the parmesan rind and bay leaf. Ladle the soup into bowls, top with grated parmesan cheese, and enjoy!
Variations and Substitutions
- Switch up the beans. If cannellini beans aren't your thing, no sweat - any white bean will work here. Navy beans or even kidney beans work well.
- Make it creamy. Stir in a splash of heavy cream at the end for a richer texture.
- Spice it up. Add red pepper flakes for extra heat (especially if you just used regular Italian sausage!).
- Use a different sausage. Chicken sausage or sweet Italian sausage are great options if you want to switch up the flavor profile.
- Add some tomato paste or crushed tomatoes. If you want a bit more depth and acidity, a tablespoon of tomato paste or a cup of crushed tomatoes can do wonders.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! Use the sauté function to brown the sausage and cook the onions, then add the broth, beans, and seasonings. Pressure cook on high for 10 minutes, then add the kale at the end.
This white bean sausage soup stores well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can also freeze it for longer storage. (I like to make some big batches of this late in the summer, freeze it, and then pull it out during soup season for an easy weeknight meal.)
Yes! While Tuscan kale (lacinato kale) is a popular choice, curly kale or even a mix of leafy greens will work. (You could also easily sub spinach in here with great results!)
No problem! Just add extra grated parmesan cheese when serving for that rich, cheesy flavor.
Of course! This soup doesn't take all that much time on the stove, but the big benefit of the Instant Pot is being able to set it and then walk away until it's done cooking. In your Instant Pot, on saute mode, brown the sausage and saute the veggies as directed through step 2. Then add everything but the kale and lemon juice, cover the Instant Pot with a lid, set the valve to "sealing", and pressure cook on high for 10 minutes. Once the soup has finished cooking, perform a quick release by turning the valve to "venting". Add the kale and lemon juice, cover, and allow to sit for about 5-7 minutes until the kale is wilted. Remove the Parmesan rind and bay leaf, then ladle the soup into individual bowls sprinkled with extra Parmesan.
This dish is a no-brainer for a big loaf of crusty bread to help soak up all that rich broth. Add a side salad and you have a complete meal.
This is truly the best soup for a cozy night in, packed with so much flavor and wholesome ingredients. If you do try this hearty sausage, kale and white bean soup, let me know what you think in the comments below. And don't forget to tag me with a pic @frontrangefed on Instagram or Facebook - I'd love to see your finished product!
Recipe
Italian Sausage, Kale, and White Bean Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb Italian sausage
- 1 cup yellow onion chopped
- ¾ cup carrots chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 30 oz cannellini beans drained and rinsed (about 2 cans)
- 1 cup water
- 1 Parmesan cheese rind
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 cups chopped kale stems removed
- 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 oz Parmesan cheese grated or shredded
Instructions
- Cook the sausage. Start by browning the 1 pound Italian sausage in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Once cooked, drain excess fat from the pot.
- Sautee the vegetables. Add 1 cup chopped onion and ¾ cup chopped carrot to the pot with the sausage and saute until the onion is translucent, and the carrot has softened slightly, about 4-5 minutes. Add the 2 cloves minced garlic and saute for 30 seconds more.
- Add the 4 cups of veggie broth, 2 cans cannellini beans, 1 cup of water, a Parmesan rind, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon pepper, ¼ teaspoon salt, and 1 bay leaf to the pot. Cover and cook on low for about 30 minutes.
- Add the kale. Turn the heat off. Stir in 4 cups chopped kale and 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice. Cover and let sit for an additional 5-7 minutes until the kale is wilted.
- Finish and serve. Remove and discard the Parmesan rind and bay leaf. Serve in individual bowls and sprinkle with extra grated Parmesan if desired.
Notes
- Feel free to use either ground Italian sausage or Italian sausage links in this recipe - either will work.
- Sub the cannellini beans for any white bean of your choice.
- Time-saving hack! Buy the pre-chopped/washed bags of kale to save some extra time chopping veggies.
- Optional - add a dash of crushed red pepper to the soup when serving.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days, or freeze for 2-3 months.
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Rita says
This was delicious! Thank you!
Sarah Jenkins says
Thank you Rita!