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Sausage Kale and White Bean Soup

Time: 30 minutes
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Cozy up with this Sausage Kale and White Bean Soup. It has a rich herb-infused broth, is loaded with nutritious veggies, and made with hearty pork sausage and creamy white beans.

Two bowls of Sausage Kale and White Bean Soup with parmesan cheese and crusty baguette pieces on the side.

If I could only eat one soup for the rest of my life, it would be this Sausage Kale and White Bean Soup.

Other than it being an easy 30 minute recipe, it is also flavorful. The broth is infused with rosemary, red pepper flakes, and garlic. Add the trinity (onion, carrot, and celery) plus kale that stays crunchy and doesn’t get slimy. Oh and I cannot forget about the pork sausage and how half of the beans break down to make the soup nice and rich.

It’s so good, you have to try it for yourself!

For more comforting sausage recipes, try my Pumpkin Pasta Bake, Jalapeno Sausage Dip, or these Breakfast Bagel Sliders!

Close up of spoon in the soup to see sausage, carrot, celery, kale, and white beans in a rich broth.

Sausage Kale and White Bean Soup Ingredients

Here’s everything you will need to make this soup recipe and a few important notes too. Keep reading!

  • Pork Sausage: I used all natural pork sausage from Bob Evan’s and highly recommend it. The flavor was wonderful, it had no yucky ingredients and the spices were already in it. Do not accidentally grab ground pork because that has no spices in it and will make a difference.
  • Oil: You’ll want to use something with a high smoke point, like extra virgin olive oil. Stay away from seed oils like canola or corn.
  • Onion: Grab yourself half of a yellow onion and finely dice it, check my image below for size reference. You can also use a Vidalia onion, white onion, or even a shallot for more mellow onion flavor.
  • Celery: You’ll need one stalk of celery. Wash it before finely dicing, and again look at my image below for size.
  • Carrot: You only need one of these too. Be sure to wash, peel and finely dice according to my image below.
  • Garlic: Fresh garlic cloves are best for this recipe, crush and mince the cloves for optimal flavor.
  • Rosemary: I use fresh rosemary out of my garden but dried rosemary works great.
  • Red Pepper Flakes: This adds a slight heat and flavor boost to the soup. You can leave them out but this soup tastes way better with them.
  • Vegetable Stock: Make sure you grab stock and not broth. Stock is made from vegetable scraps and has no seasoning but is more flavorful and rich.
  • White Beans: I used canned Cannellini (white kidney) beans. You can also use great northern, butter beans, or navy beans. Another note, you’ll want to drain them but do not rinse them (we want a little bit of the starchy liquid in our soup).
  • Kale: I used regular ole green kale. Be sure to wash it good before deveining and chopping into bite sized pieces.
Ingredients. Italian pork sausage, olive oil, yellow onion, celery, carrot, garlic, red pepper flakes, rosemary, vegetable stock, white beans, kale, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.

How to Make Sausage Kale and White Bean Soup

Here’s a quick summary of the steps, just so you know what to expect. The recipe card further down will have all the details.

1. Cook the Italian sausage until browned and crumbled. Remove it from the pot and set aside.

2. Sauté the vegetables and herbs. Start with the onion, celery, and carrot and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, rosemary, and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant.

3. Simmer the soup. Add the white beans, cooked Italian pork sausage, and pour in the vegetable broth. Bring it to a boil and then add the kale. Allow it to wilt for a few minutes.

4. Serve your Sausage Kale and White Bean Soup. Season with salt, pepper, and additional red pepper flakes to your taste preferences. Garnish with freshly grated parmesan cheese and serve.

Storing and Freezing Leftover Soup

Any leftover soup should be stored in an airtight container and in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If you won’t eat it in that timeframe, consider freezing it (this one is great for that).

Frozen soup lasts up to 3 months if stored in freezer bags, airtight freezer safe containers, or even glass jars. When you’re ready to enjoy your frozen or leftover soup, reheat it in the microwave or on the stove top until it comes to a gentle simmer.

Serving Suggestions and Sides

This soup is a complete meal in itself, but we do like it with a crusty baguette or my Black Pepper Focaccia. Other options are a side salad, half sandwich or grilled cheese, Smashed Fingerling Potatoes, a meat and cheese charcuterie board, crackers, potstickers, or even my Herb Roasted Mushrooms.

Bowls of soup loaded with sausage, kale, and white beans, ready to eat.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)

Can I make this Sausage Kale and White Bean Soup in the slow cooker?

Yes, this soup can be made in a slow cooker. You’ll add the cooked Italian sausage, yellow onion, celery, carrots, garlic, red pepper flakes, rosemary, vegetable stock, and cook on low for 2 to 3 hours. Add the white beans and kale, cook for an additional hour before serving.

Can I use dried beans in this recipe?

Technically yes, but I do not recommend it because of the time it takes for the beans to cook properly. Dried beans need to soak overnight and then cook for a few hours. This soup cooks for 20 minutes total, it just doesn’t work.

Two bowls of soup with parmesan cheese and crusty baguette pieces on the side.

More Cozy Soup Recipes You Might Like

Who doesn’t love a good soup?! Well I have a few other recipes to try if you want more soup in your life.


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Enjoy Entirely, Elizabeth
Sausage Kale and White Bean Soup with parmesan cheese and crusty baguette pieces on the side.

Sausage Kale and White Bean Soup

Elizabeth Swoish
Warm up with this hearty Sausage Kale and White Bean Soup. It blends savory beans and pork with hearty vegetables in a rich, herb-infused broth.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Main Course, Soup
Servings 6
Calories 321 kcal

EQUIPMENT

INGREDIENTS
  

  • ½ pound pork sausage - Bob Evan's natural with spices. Use a full pound for more meat.
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ½ large yellow onion - finely diced
  • 1 carrot - finely diced
  • 1 stalk celery - finely diced
  • 2 cloves garlic - minced
  • ½ – 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • ½ tablespoon fresh rosemary - or ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 6 cups vegetable stock
  • 2 15 ounce cans white beans - drained, but NOT rinsed
  • 3 cups kale - roughly chopped with veins removed
  • salt and pepper - to taste preferences
  • parmesan cheese - freshly grated for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS
 

  • To a large Dutch oven or pot, add pork sausage and cook over medium heat. This takes about 5 to 7 minutes to fully cook and crumble.
  • Remove cooked pork sausage from the pot and set aside. Drain away any excess grease if needed.
  • In the same pot, add olive oil and heat over medium. Add diced yellow onion, carrot, and celery. Cook for 5 minutes while frequently stirring.
    NOTE: Add a splash of vegetable stock if the vegetables begin to stick or burn and slightly lower the heat.
  • Add the minced garlic, red pepper flakes, and rosemary. Cook for about 30 seconds or until fragrant.
  • Pour in the vegetable stock, drained white beans, and cooked pork sausage. Stir and allow the soup to come to a boil.
  • Add the chopped kale and allow it to wilt for 2 to 3 minutes.
  • Remove from heat and season with salt, pepper, and additional red pepper flakes to taste preferences.
  • Ladle Sausage Kale and White Bean Soup into bowls and top with freshly grated parmesan cheese.

RECIPE NOTES

Storing Information

  • Refrigerated, in an airtight container, for up to 5 days. 
  • Frozen, in an airtight container, freezer bag, or glass jar, for up to 3 months. 
  • Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop to desired temperature.

Metric conversions are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information.

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Did you try this recipe?Please take a minute to leave a rating and comment below. My community of readers appreciate it and I do too!
By Elizabeth Swoish on October 16th, 2024
Elizabeth Swoish holding a camera up to her eye taking a photo.

About Elizabeth Swoish

Elizabeth Swoish is the founder and CEO of Entirely Elizabeth. She is a self-taught foodie and mocktail enthusiast with a business degree in data analysis. Read Elizabeth's food journey or connect on your favorite social media channels.

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