Italian Sausage, Kale, and White Bean Soup
A hearty one-pot Italian sausage and kale soup with white beans in a garlicky tomato broth. Healthy, weeknight-friendly, and filling with just one bowl.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced (about ¾ cup)
- 2 medium carrots, diced (about 1 cup)
- 6 ounces fully cooked Italian chicken sausages, sliced (I use 2 links of Aidell's Italian Style Chicken Sausage with Mozzarella)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 14-ounce can of high-quality diced tomatoes, undrained
- 2 15-ounce cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning blend, or dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- 4 cups kale, stems removed and roughly chopped (Swiss chard or escarole will also work here)
- Optional garnish: extra olive oil, fresh herbs (parsley, thyme, basil), or grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a 6-quart saucepan or soup pot over medium heat. Add the onions, sliced sausage, and carrots, and sauté until the onions are translucent, 4-5 minutes.2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 1 small onion,, 2 medium carrots,, 6 ounces fully cooked Italian chicken sausages, sliced
- Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for one minute, until the garlic is fragrant.3 cloves garlic,
- Add the tomato paste and stir into the vegetables and sausage. Cook, stirring well, until the tomato paste deepens in color, about 4-5 minutes. Once the tomato paste is cooked, add about ½ cup broth and deglaze the pan, scraping up any cooked-on bits from the bottom.2 tablespoons tomato paste
- Add the remaining broth, diced tomatoes, cannellini beans, red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper, then stir well. Turn the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer.4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth, 1 14-ounce can of high-quality diced tomatoes,, 2 15-ounce cans cannellini beans,, ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes,, ½ teaspoon kosher salt,, Black pepper to taste, 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning blend,
- Reduce heat to medium, and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn the heat down as needed to keep the pot at a moderate simmer.
- Stir in the kale and cook until tender, 8-10 minutes. Note: some people like to cook their kale much longer, but I prefer to still be a bit chewy.4 cups kale, stems removed and roughly chopped
- Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Ladle into soup bowls and top with extra virgin olive oil, a bit of grated Parmesan cheese, or chopped fresh herbs, if desired.Optional garnish: extra olive oil, fresh herbs (parsley, thyme, basil), or grated Parmesan cheese
Notes
Make ahead:
Make this soup up to 3 days ahead; leave out the kale and add it just before simmering. Substitutions:
Use whatever cooking greens you would like in this soup, or a combination. If you combine greens, add the one that will take the longest to cook first. You can also use whatever beans you would like in this recipe. White navy beans, great northern beans, and butter beans all work. Kidney beans will also work in a pinch. Leftovers:
Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to three days. You can also freeze this soup for up to three months. For the best texture, leave out the kale and add them when you’re reheating the soup.
Make this soup up to 3 days ahead; leave out the kale and add it just before simmering. Substitutions:
Use whatever cooking greens you would like in this soup, or a combination. If you combine greens, add the one that will take the longest to cook first. You can also use whatever beans you would like in this recipe. White navy beans, great northern beans, and butter beans all work. Kidney beans will also work in a pinch. Leftovers:
Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to three days. You can also freeze this soup for up to three months. For the best texture, leave out the kale and add them when you’re reheating the soup.
Nutrition
Serving: 1.5cups | Calories: 264.6kcal | Carbohydrates: 33.5g | Protein: 16.7g | Fat: 9.7g | Saturated Fat: 1.8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3.9g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 995.7mg | Potassium: 296.5mg | Fiber: 8.7g | Sugar: 4.5g | Vitamin A: 3867.1IU | Vitamin C: 5.8mg | Calcium: 137.7mg | Iron: 4.6mg
