This sausage white bean kale soup combines Italian sausage, cannellini beans, kale, and vegetables in a savory broth. It's an easy, hearty soup made with affordable, easy-to-find ingredients and simple preparation.
What's great about this recipe
- Easy to make. This one-pot soup has straightforward steps and uses a combination of pantry staples and fresh ingredients.
- Great for dinner and meal prep. It makes a hearty pot of soup with six generous servings, and the leftovers reheat well for lunch or dinner.
- Budget-friendly. Italian sausage, canned white beans, vegetables, and kale make six generous servings for about $2 per serving.
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Budget Check
- The full recipe is about $12.00-$13.00
- Per serving (6 servings): about $2.00-$2.17
Uses conventional ingredients. Based on recent U.S. national averages. Actual prices will vary by store and region.
Ingredients you'll need
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- Oil - We use olive oil, but another oil suitable for sautéing will work.
- Sausage - We use mild Italian sausage. Hot or sweet Italian sausage can also be used.
- Produce - Onion, carrots, celery, and garlic make up the vegetable base. We use prewashed baby kale to cut down on prep work.
- Herbs and spices - Italian seasoning and black pepper keep the seasoning simple. Add salt at the end only if needed.
- Pantry - Chicken broth makes up the base of the soup. We use fire-roasted diced tomatoes, but regular or petite diced tomatoes will also work.
- Beans - Cannellini beans, also called white kidney beans, have a creamy texture and mild flavor. Navy beans or Great Northern beans can also be used. For another way to use cannellini beans, try our white bean soup.
📖 See the recipe card for quantities and preparation.
How to Make Sausage White Bean Kale Soup
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook for 4-5 minutes until browned, stirring frequently and breaking up any large pieces.
- Add the onions, carrots, and celery to the pot. 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, 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 to a boil. Lower the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the cannellini beans, stir, and cover. Continue cooking for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Lastly, add the kale, stir, and cook for 3-5 minutes until wilted. Taste the soup and add salt if needed. As a reference, we didn't add any extra to ours.
Recipe tips and notes
- Wait until the end to add salt. Italian sausage, canned beans, tomatoes, and chicken broth can all contain a fair amount of salt. Taste the finished soup first, then add salt only if needed. Use reduced-sodium broth, beans, and tomatoes if you're sensitive to salt.
- If using sausage links, remove the casings first. Tear the sausage into smaller pieces before adding it to the pot so it's easier to break up as it cooks.
- Drain and rinse the cannellini beans before adding them to the soup. This removes the canning liquid and some of the sodium.
- Add the kale at the end. It only needs a few minutes to wilt and become tender, so there's no need to simmer it with the soup for the full cooking time.
Substitutions and variations
White beans: Cannellini beans work especially well because of their creamy texture, but Great Northern or navy beans can also be used.
Italian sausage: Use mild, sweet, or hot Italian sausage depending on your preference. Turkey or chicken Italian sausage can also be used.
Greens: Fresh spinach can replace the baby kale and will wilt quickly at the end. Regular kale, Swiss chard, or collard greens can also be used, but they may need additional cooking time to become tender.
Serving suggestions
Serve the soup with crusty bread, garlic bread, or warm dinner rolls for dipping into the broth. For a fresh side, pair it with a green salad tossed with our Parmesan peppercorn dressing or serve it with a Caesar salad with homemade Caesar dressing.
Top individual bowls with freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese and freshly cracked black pepper, if desired.
Storing and reheating
Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Freezer: Cool the soup before transferring it to a freezer-safe container, leaving 1-2 inches of room for expansion. Freeze for 2-3 months for best quality.
Reheating: Thaw frozen soup in the refrigerator before reheating. Gently reheat it in a saucepan or microwave until hot throughout. If the soup has thickened during storage, add a splash of broth or water as needed. Reheat leftovers to 165°F.
Do not leave cooked food out for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour if the temperature is above 90°F.
Try these recipes next
If you enjoyed this sausage white bean kale soup, try our Italian sausage lentil soup that's super satisfying, or our popular Tuscan white bean soup. For an easy dinner, try our baked Italian sausage and potatoes sheet pan dinner. And for more ways to use pantry beans, check out our collection of 17 recipes to make with canned beans.
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📖 Recipe
Sausage White Bean Kale Soup
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 (14.5-ounce) can Diced Tomatoes (use regular or fire roasted)
- 6 cups Chicken Broth
- 2 (15-ounce) cans Cannellini Beans drained and rinsed (other white bean varieties can be substituted)
- 4 ounces Fresh Baby Kale washed and drained (regular kale, spinach, Swiss chard, and collard greens will also work well)
- Salt to taste if needed
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook for 4-5 minutes until browned, stirring frequently and breaking up any large pieces.
- Add the onions, carrots, and celery to the pot. 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, gently scraping any bits off the bottom of the pot.
- Add the chicken broth and stir well. Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the cannellini beans, stir, and cover. Continue cooking for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Lastly, add the kale, stir, and cook for 3-5 minutes until wilted. Taste the soup and add salt if needed. As a reference, we didn't add any extra to ours.
Notes
- Wait until the end to add salt. The sausage, beans, tomatoes, and chicken broth can all contain a fair amount of salt. Taste the finished soup first, then add salt if needed.
- If you're sensitive to salt, use reduced-sodium chicken broth, beans, and tomatoes.
- If you're using sausage links, remove the casings and tear the sausage into smaller pieces before adding it to the pot. This makes it easier to break up as it cooks.
- Fresh spinach, regular kale, Swiss chard, or collard greens can be substituted for the baby kale. Keep in mind that heartier greens may need additional cooking time to become tender.
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Nutrition
The nutritional information above is computer generated and is only an estimate. There is no guarantee that it is accurate. This data is provided as a courtesy for informational purposes only.
Aimee
I made this soup and it was absolutely delicious. I used spinach instead of the kale. I also added some fresh thyme and rosemary as well as the Italian seasoning. I happened to have had a parmesan rind in the freezer, so I added that also. It was full of flavor, and it is very hearty soup. I will definitely be making this soup often.