This Italian sausage, white bean, and kale soup recipe makes a hearty and wholesome weeknight dinner that’s perfect for cooler nights. For this easy soup, Italian sausage, white beans, onions, carrots, celery, tomatoes, and kale make it a simple meal that you can enjoy all season long.
It doesn’t take a long time to get a delicious, nourishing bowl of soup. The prep work for this recipe is a snap because we use a combination of pantry staples and fresh ingredients. So, you get homemade taste with minimal effort. Since soup season is officially here check out these 10 comfort soup recipes that make great meals.
This is a fantastic recipe for busy weeknights. The spicy sausage adds a ton of flavor to the soup. Italian sausage is a great ingredient because it’s cheap and versatile. It’s good in soup, pastas, even in sandwiches. Check out this Italian sausage sandwich and these sausage pepperoni sliders and for more easy meals visit these 14 Italian sausage recipes.
This site contains affiliate links to products. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Ingredients
- Oil – We use a little olive oil to get the sausage started but any oil that is suitable for sautéing will work. Use your favorite.
- Sausage – We use mild Italian sausage, but if you like things spicy use a hot Italian sausage instead. Sweet Italian sausage is also a good choice.
- Produce – The fresh ingredients for this soup include onion (use a white or yellow onion), carrots, celery, garlic, and fresh kale. To cut down on prep work we use prewashed baby kale.
- Herbs and spices – The seasoning is simple, Italian seasoning, black pepper, and salt if needed at the end. You can find Italian seasoning at any large grocery store or online.
- Broth – We use regular, prepackaged chicken broth to make the soup. You can also use chicken stock and/or a reduced-sodium variety.
- Tomatoes – For canned diced tomatoes I like using fire-roasted tomatoes but regular will work just fine. And for smaller pieces use petit diced tomatoes.
- Beans – The white beans we use in this delicious soup are canned cannellini (also called white kidney beans). They’re creamy with a mild nutty flavor. If you find yourself with a couple of extra cans, make this white bean soup that’s sure to please. Other white bean varieties like navy beans and great northern beans can also be used in this white bean sausage soup.
- See the recipe card for quantities and preparation.
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the ground sausage, cook for 4-5 minutes until browned, stirring frequently and breaking up any large pieces.
- Add the onions, carrots, and celery to the pot and cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, and black pepper. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the diced tomatoes to the pot and stir well while gently scraping any bits off the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon.
- Add the chicken broth and stir well. Raise the heat to high and bring the broth to a boil. Lower the heat to medium-low and cover. Cook the soup for 15-20 minutes. Stir occasionally and keep it at a simmer, raise or lower the heat if needed.
- Add the cannellini beans, stir and cover. Continue cooking for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Lastly, add the kale, stir, and cook 3-5 minutes until it’s wilted. Taste the sausage and white bean soup and add salt if needed. As a reference we did not add any extra to ours.
Recipe tips and notes
- Go easy on the salt to start. When you’re making a dish with prepackaged ingredients like sausage, canned tomatoes, beans, broth, etc. wait until the dish is finished to add salt.
- Use reduced-sodium alternatives for the pantry ingredients. You can find good quality low-sodium chicken broth, canned tomatoes, and beans to substitute.
- If you are not a fan of kale, you can use fresh spinach instead and you will still get the vibrant green color.
- If you’re not using bulk sausage remove the casings of the sausage links by running the tip of a sharp paring knife on the casing. Then, remove the casing and tear the sausage into small pieces. Which will make it much easier to break it up once it hits the hot pot.
Storing and reheating instructions
This soup’s leftovers make a good lunch! Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Or freeze by cooling it quickly and place it in a freezer-safe container. Leave 1-2 inches of room to allow for expansion. Freeze for 1-2 months.
Gently reheat the soup in a saucepan or the microwave until hot all the way through and has reached a temperature of at least 165° F.
For more information on food storage and safety guidelines visit U.S. Department of Agriculture and foodsafety.gov.
This soup is great because it’s easy, budget-friendly, and delicious. Like this sausage white bean soup recipe, this simple chickpea soup is also made with canned beans. For more, check out this article for 17 recipes to make with canned beans. And if you want to try your hand cooking with dried beans make this classic navy bean soup, and our chicken lentil soup that’s sure to become a favorite.
Subscribe to the newsletter for the latest recipes and more.
Italian Sausage White Bean and Kale Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon Olive Oil
- 1 pound Italian Sausage casing removed and torn into small pieces, or use bulk sausage (use mild, hot, or sweet Italian sausage)
- 1 Medium Onion finely diced
- 1 Large Carrot diced
- 1 Celery Rib diced
- 3-4 Large Garlic Cloves minced
- ½ teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 can (14.5 ounce) Diced Tomatoes (use regular or fire roasted)
- 6 cups Chicken Broth
- 2 cans (15 ounce) Cannellini Beans drained and rinsed
- 4 ounces Fresh Kale we used prewashed baby kale
- Salt to taste if needed
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the ground sausage, cook for 4-5 minutes until browned, stirring frequently and breaking up any large pieces.
- Add the onions, carrots, and celery to the pot and cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, and black pepper. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the diced tomatoes to the pot and stir well while gently scraping any bits off the bottom of the pot.
- Add the chicken broth and stir well. Raise the heat to high and bring the broth to a boil. Lower the heat to medium-low and cover. Cook the soup for 15-20 minutes. Stir occasionally and keep it at a simmer, raise or lower the heat as needed.
- Add the cannellini beans, stir, and cover. Continue cooking for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Lastly, add the kale, stir, and cook 3-5 minutes until it’s wilted. Taste the soup and add salt if needed. As a reference we did not add any extra to ours.
Notes
- Use reduced-sodium alternatives for the pantry ingredients if you are sensitive to salt. You can find good quality low-sodium chicken broth, canned tomatoes, and beans to substitute.
- If you are not a fan of kale, you can substitute the same amount of fresh spinach.
- If you’re not using bulk sausage remove the casing by running the tip of a sharp knife on the casing. Remove the casing, then tear the sausage into small pieces.
Leave a Reply