Name: Sausage Kale and White Bean Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1lb mild Italian pork sausage; 1 yellow onion; 4 cloves garlic; 1 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp black pepper; 2 tbsp red wine vinegar; 3oz finely chopped kale; 1 can white beans; 4 cups chicken broth; 2 tbsp red wine vinegar

Warm up with this Sausage Kale and White Bean Soup on cold winter days. Make this white bean and kale soup recipe in less than 45 minutes.

White bean and kale soup served with bread and parmesan cheese

Make a bowl of Warming Winter Soup

Often in the thick of winter I have little desire to spend a long time on dinner. This sausage kale and white bean soup recipe takes very little time to prepare. It’s absolutely perfect for those cold lazy nights.

It’s also super nourishing and filling, which can sometimes be hard to find in a good soup! A well balanced meal in a bowl? Yes please.

The best part about this recipe is that it is perfect for meal prep! Enjoy a bowl tonight and another one tomorrow for lunch. You could even pair this with half a sandwich for the classic soup and sandwich combo.

Sausage kale and white bean soup in a serving bowl

Kitchen Tools

Measuring spoons and measuring cups
Liquid measuring cup
Sharp kitchen knife and cutting board
Large soup pot with a heavy bottom or a dutch oven
Mixing spoon and ladle for serving

What makes this soup special?

Even though this is just a bowl of soup, it is still extremely heart and filling. This white bean and kale soup contains a nice balance of protein, carbs and leafy greens! Everything you need to keep you full and happy.

This winter soup is warmth and coziness in a healthy bowl. It also takes very little time which is always a plus. Also it doesn’t dirty many kitchen items so clean up is a breeze!

Ingredients

Mild Italian pork sausage
Yellow onion
Garlic cloves
Salt
Black pepper
Red Wine Vinegar
Chopped kale
White beans – cannellini beans or northern great white beans
Chicken broth

What type of kale should I use

I personally like to use curly kale for this soup, but you can use a tuscan kale or dinosaur kale instead depending on your taste preferences. That type of kale is also sometimes called lacinato kale.

Whichever type of kale you choose, make sure to remove the hard stem and just use the kale leaves. The stem has hard fiber that make it unpleasant to eat in soup.

If you want to skip the step of removing the stems, you can use a baby kale that is ready to chop without removing the stems.

ingredient substitutions

While this is technically a sausage, kale, and white bean soup, you can substitute nearly any of those ingredients to change the flavor profile or just use what you have on hand. You can use other dark leafy greens like spinach or chard.

Substituting different kinds of sausages or using a hot sausage can work as well. I love to make a spicy soup so I frequently use spicy Italian sausage or chorizo.

This soup is naturally gluten free, but you can make it gluten free and vegan! Instead of sausage and chicken broth, use some plant based chorizo and vegetable broth.

The white beans really are especially great in this one, but you can use different kinds like navy beans, kidney beans or chickpeas! Double up on the beans for an even heartier soup!

DO NOT skip out on the red wine vinegar! You might be tempted to skip it, but it is a hit of acid that this soup needs in order to balance all of the flavors. You can use rice vinegar, balsamic vinegar, white balsamic vinegar or even lemon juice in place of the red wine vinegar.

Serving suggestions

I like to serve this hearty white bean and kale soup with mini baguettes to soak up any extra broth. I buy them in the freezer section and warm them up in the air fryer!

Most of the time I top this soup with freshly grated parmesan cheese and some fresh cracked black pepper. If you want to add some extra heat, top your soup with a few shakes of red pepper flakes.

If you want to make this soup a little creamy you can add a splash of heavy cream or a dollop of creme fraiche just before serving.

Step by step assembly of sausage kale and white bean soup

How to make Sausage Kale and White Bean Soup

Step 1: prepare Ingredients

To begin, cut the sausage links out of the casing and break into bite size pieces. Then, dice the yellow onion and mince the garlic cloves.

Step 2: Brown the Sausage and Onions/Garlic

Next, heat a large pot over medium heat. Add in the sausage to the pan to brown. Cook for 5 minutes, tossing frequently.

Pour in the onions and garlic to the pot and stir. Continue cooking for 3 minutes and season with salt and pepper.

Step 3: Add remaining ingredients and simmer

Then, add the kale, white beans, and chicken broth to the pot. Heat the pot over medium high heat.

Bring to a boil and stir the soup. Cover the pot and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes. Finally, stir in the red wine vinegar just before serving.

Step 4: Serve it up

Serve the soup with parmesan cheese, fresh cracked black pepper, and fresh bread.

Above view of sausage kale and white bean soup in a serving bowl

Storage, Reheating and freezing

Allow soup to cool and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Store in the freezer for up to 4 months.

I like to freeze my soup in souper cubes so that I can easily enjoy individual portions. Allow the soup to thaw on the counter or in the fridge.

Reheat on the stove top over low heat until warmed through. You can also warm it in the microwave, but be careful not to overheat it.

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Recipe