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creamy soup in a shallow white bowl with white beans, kale and sausage and a cheesy toast set in the soup

Sausage Kale White Bean Soup

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5 from 3 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Yield 12 cups (6 servings)
Category Soup
Cuisine Italian
Author Lauren Grant

Description

This delicious soup recipe is perfect for busy weeknights. A simple ingredient list and easy process gets this one-pot meal on the table in 30 minutes. Enjoy a bowl of this Sausage Kale White Bean Soup with a piece of crunchy, cheesy Parmesan toast.

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Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion diced
  • Kosher salt
  • Crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 pound bulk Italian sausage hot or mild
  • 2 fennel bulbs fronds reserved
  • 4 large cloves garlic chopped (2 tablespoons)
  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 large bunch or 2 small bunches Tuscan kale, stems removed, leaves torn into bite-size pieces (6–7 cups)
  • 2 14.5-ounce cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 3 cups whole milk warmed
  • 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

Parmesan Toast, optional

  • 6 thick-cut slices whole-wheat or sourdough bread
  • 1 cup shredded Parmesan

Instructions

  • Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium.
  • Add onion, ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes; cook until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.
    diced onions cooked in oil with red pepper flakes in a large dutch oven
  • Add sausage and cook, crushing with a wooden spoon, until cooked through and browned, 6–8 minutes. Drain all but 2 tablespoons drippings from pot.
    diced onion and sausage cooked in a large Dutch oven
  • Meanwhile, quarter fennel bulbs lengthwise, then slice into 1/4-inch-thick slices (you should get 4–5 cups). Add fennel and garlic to pot and cook 2 minutes.
  • Add broth, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer over medium and cook until fennel is nearly tender, about 5 minutes.
    sausage, onion and sliced fennel bulb in broth in a large Dutch oven
  • Meanwhile make Parmesan Toasts. Heat broiler to high with rack set 6-inches from element. Arrange bread slices on a baking sheet and broil until lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Flip bread and top with Parmesan, dividing cheese evenly between toasts. Broil toasts until Parmesan is melty and starting to brown, 2–3 minutes; set aside.
  • Stir kale, beans and milk into soup; cook until kale is wilted, about 2 minutes. Stir in vinegar and season with additional salt, red pepper flakes and vinegar to taste.
    kale and white beans in a large Dutch oven
  • Serve soup with Parmesan toast and reserved fennel fronds
    creamy soup in a large Dutch oven with white beans, kale and sausage

Notes

If you've got a Parmesan rind floating around in the fridge or freezer, plop that in as the soup simmers. It will infuse the broth with salt, savory goodness.
Storage: Store this soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Nutrition of 2 cups soup + 1 full cheesy toast: 527 cal, 25g fat, 10g sat fat, 54mg chol, 1300mg sod, 45g carb, 9g carb, 7g sug, 32g pro

Nutrition

Serving: 2cups soupCalories: 398kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 22gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 40mgSodium: 1063mgFiber: 7gSugar: 5.5g
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