Italian White Bean Soup with Kale Sausage (Printable View)

Hearty soup with spicy sausage, creamy cannellini beans, and Tuscan kale in a rich broth.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meats

01 - 1 lb spicy Italian sausage, casings removed

→ Vegetables

02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1 large yellow onion, diced
04 - 2 medium carrots, diced
05 - 2 celery stalks, diced
06 - 6 cloves garlic, peeled
07 - 1 bunch Tuscan kale, stems removed, leaves chopped

→ Beans

08 - 2 cans (15 oz each) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

→ Liquids

09 - 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
10 - 1 cup water

→ Herbs & Seasonings

11 - 1 tsp dried thyme
12 - 1 tsp dried oregano
13 - 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
14 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Garnish

15 - Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
16 - Extra virgin olive oil
17 - Crusty bread for serving

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Place 6 garlic cloves on foil, drizzle with olive oil, wrap, and roast for 20 minutes until soft and golden. Cool, then mash into paste.
02 - Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add sausage, breaking apart with spoon, and cook 6-8 minutes until browned and cooked through. Remove with slotted spoon and set aside.
03 - Add remaining olive oil to pot, then add onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté 6 minutes until softened.
04 - Stir in mashed roasted garlic, thyme, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Cook 1 minute until fragrant.
05 - Add beans, cooked sausage, chicken broth, and water. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.
06 - Stir in chopped kale and continue simmering 10-12 minutes until kale is tender but vibrant.
07 - Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
08 - Ladle into bowls and garnish with Parmesan cheese, drizzle of olive oil, and crusty bread if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like you've been simmering it all day when it actually comes together in just an hour.
  • The roasted garlic becomes so creamy it dissolves into the broth, giving you that restaurant-quality depth without any fuss.
02 -
  • If you skip rinsing the canned beans, you'll end up with a soup that's gluey and starchy—rinsing them is genuinely non-negotiable.
  • Adding the kale at the very end keeps it vibrant green and tender instead of turning it into an olive-colored mush that nobody wants to eat.
03 -
  • Use low-sodium broth so you control the salt and can actually taste the individual ingredients talking to each other.
  • Toast your dried herbs gently in the oil before adding liquid—it wakes them up and makes the soup taste more complex than it has any right to be.
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