Sausage Kale and White Bean Soup

As the weather cools down, there's nothing more comforting than a hearty bowl of soup, and this sausage kale and white bean soup checks all the boxes. It’s cozy, loaded with flavor, and packed with healthy ingredients like cannellini beans and dark leafy greens. The combination of turkey sausage and white beans makes it a protein-rich meal, while the kale adds a lovely earthy note. The best part? This soup is quick to make, but it tastes like it’s been simmering all day!

Ingredient Notes

• Beans- I usually use cannellini beans for this recipe. But you could also use great northern beans or navy beans. Or a combination of any of the three.
• Italian sausage-I like to use turkey sausage when I can just to reduce the fat and sodium content. I have a I have an easy homemade recipe for turkey Italian sausage, which I make batches of and freeze for recipes like this. (I have included the turkey sausage recipe in the note section of the recipe card).  But sometimes I’ll just grab regular pork or chicken sausage if that’s more convenient. I like a little spice, so I go with the hot version, but if you are more sensitive to the mild Italian sausage.
• Kales- lacinato kale works well in soups because it’s hard enough to hold up to the heat. The flavor also works well with the herbs and settles the heat from the chili.
• The flavor makers- In soups, I think it’s really important to layer the flavors and multiple different ways. For the soup I for a combination of dry spices, fresh herbs, and a dried chili. Plus a rind of Parmesan cheese. If you’re missing any of these ingredients, don’t worry about it- make the soup anyway. But the soup is extra tasty when you have all of these different elements flavoring the broth and beans.
• The usual soup suspects- onion, celery chicken stock 
• Salt- If you use the homemade sausage, you will want to use ½-1 teaspoons of salt. If you use store-bought start with ½ teaspoon with the onions of salt and taste from there. I understand the desire to just have a clear amount, but the sodium content of different store-bought sausages can vary widely.

Instructions

Brown the Sausage: In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add 1 lb of ground Italian turkey sausage. Cook on medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes, breaking it into small pieces with a wooden spoon until browned and fully cooked through.

Sauté the Vegetables: Remove the sausage and set a side. Add 1 diced medium yellow onion, 2 chopped celery stalks and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the vegetables are softened. Add 3 cloves of minced garlic and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes.

Add Seasoning and Broth: Stir in ½ teaspoon of smoked paprika, then pour in 5 cups of low-sodium chicken broth. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot (that’s where the flavor is!). Add 2 cans of drained and rinsed cannellini beans, 1 parmesan rind, sausage, 1 bay leaf, 1 sprig of rosemary, and 1 sprig of oregano.

Simmer: Bring the soup to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 15-20 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld. Season ground pepper and more salt as need, adjusting to taste. If you like extra heat, toss in 1 dried Thai chili at this point.

Add Kale: Stir in the chopped kale and let it wilt into the soup, cooking for another 5 minutes.

Finish with Lemon Juice: Remove the parmesan rind, bay leaf, and herbs. Stir in 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to brighten the flavors.

Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls, top with freshly grated parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of ground pepper.

How to Serve

• Serve with crusty bread for dipping.
• Top with additional grated parmesan for extra richness.
• Pair with a light salad for a complete meal.
• Add a squeeze of lemon juice for extra brightness.

Tips, Tricks, and Alterations

• Sausage Options: Swap out turkey sausage for plant-based sausage for a vegan-friendly option.
• Beans: If you don’t have cannellini beans, you can use navy beans or any white beans.
• Kale: If you can’t find lacinato or Tuscan kale, curly kale or baby kale will work just as well.
• Vegetable Broth: For a vegetarian version, replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth.
• Extra Flavor: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes or chili flakes for extra heat.
• Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The flavors develop even more as it sits, making it a perfect make-ahead meal.
• Freeze: This soup freezes well. Let it cool completely before transferring it to freezer-safe containers.

If you’ve tried this Sausage Kale and White Bean Soup recipe or any other recipe on BalancingBowls, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest to see more tasty meals and anything else I’m up to.

Recipe

Sausage Kale and White Bean Soup Recipe

This sausage kale and white bean soup is packed with hearty flavors, making it perfect for soup season. With cannellini beans, kale, and turkey sausage, it’s a balanced meal that’s sure to warm you up during the winter months. Try this delicious recipe, and don’t forget to store any leftovers for the next day—trust me, it’s even better after the flavors have had time to mingle!

5 from 1 vote

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Ingredients

  

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion diced
• 2 celery stalks chopped
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 1 lb ground Italian turkey sausage
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cans cannellini beans drained and rinsed
• 1 parmesan rind
• 2 large stalks of kale stemmed and chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• 1 sprig fresh oregano
• ¼-1 teaspoons salt to taste
• ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
• 1 dried Thai chili optional
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Grated parmesan cheese and fresh ground pepper for serving

Instructions

 

• Brown the Sausage: In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add 1 lb of ground Italian turkey sausage. Cook on medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes, breaking it into small pieces with a wooden spoon until browned and fully cooked through.
• Sauté the Vegetables: Remove the sausage and set a side. Add 1 diced medium yellow onion, 2 chopped celery stalks and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the vegetables are softened. Add 3 cloves of minced garlic and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes.
• Add Seasoning and Broth: Stir in ½ teaspoon of smoked paprika, then pour in 5 cups of low-sodium chicken broth. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot (that’s where the flavor is!). Add 2 cans of drained and rinsed cannellini beans, 1 parmesan rind, sausage, 1 bay leaf, 1 sprig of rosemary, and 1 sprig of oregano.
• Simmer: Bring the soup to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 15-20 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld. Season ground pepper and more salt as need, adjusting to taste. If you like extra heat, toss in 1 dried Thai chili at this point.
• Add Kale: Stir in the chopped kale and let it wilt into the soup, cooking for another 5 minutes.
• Finish with Lemon Juice: Remove the parmesan rind, bay leaf, and herbs. Stir in 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to brighten the flavors.
• Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls, top with freshly grated parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of ground pepper.

Notes

Here is the recipe for my Turkey Italian Sausage. If you are making it for the kale white soup, you will only need half of the mixture. Freeze the remaining in an airtight container for future use.

I have included the cooking instructions for the sausage in you want to use it in other ways, but for the soup, just mix the ingredients together and then add it to the soup recipe as called for in the soup recipe. 

2 lbs lean ground turkey
2 teaspoons chopped garlic cloves
2 teaspoons dried parsley
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 ½ teaspoons fresh ground black pepper
½ teaspoon fennel seeds
½ teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon olive oil

 

1. Mix the Sausage: In a large bowl, combine 2 lbs of lean ground turkey, 2 teaspoons of chopped garlic, 2 teaspoons of dried parsley, 2 teaspoons of salt, 2 teaspoons of red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon of dried oregano, 1 teaspoon of dried thyme, 1 ½ teaspoons of freshly ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon of fennel seeds, and ½ teaspoon of paprika. Use your hands or a wooden spoon to mix the ingredients until well combined.
2. Cook the Sausage: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the turkey mixture to the pan and immediately begin breaking it up with a wooden spoon or spatula into small crumbles.
3. Brown the Crumbles: As the sausage cooks, continue breaking it into small pieces, ensuring it browns evenly. Cook for about 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the turkey is fully cooked and the crumbles are golden brown.
4. Drain Excess Oil: Once cooked through, transfer the crumbled sausage to a plate lined with paper towels to drain any excess oil.