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Italian Sausage Soup with Kale and Beans

Warm up with this comforting bowl of Italian Sausage Soup, brimming with kale, beans, and flavorful spices. It is an easy-to-make soup where simple ingredients combine to create delicious flavors and hearty textures.

A close-up of a ladle scooping out Italian sausage soup from a soup pot.

Get ready to dive into one heck of a comforting dinner with this Italian Sausage Soup with kale and beans. It’s like a little trip to Italy right in your kitchen! Think hearty Italian sausage, vibrant kale, and creamy beans, all mixed together in a rich and flavorful broth. It’s the kind of soup that makes you go, “Why didn’t I make this sooner!?” Perfect for family dinners, chilly nights, or whenever you’re in the mood for some seriously good eats.

Why We Love This Soup

  • Quick: Ready in just 40 minutes, this dish is perfect for weeknight dinners or spontaneous gatherings.
  • Authentic: With its Mediterranean-inspired flavors, it’s like taking a trip to Italy from the comfort of your kitchen.
  • Hearty Ingredients: Packed with succulent Italian sausage, fresh veggies, and beans, this soup is a fulfilling meal in itself.
Italian Sausage Soup with kale and beans served in a bowl with a slice of crusty bread.

Ingredients For Italian Sausage Soup

  • Olive Oil is used to sauté the ingredients.
  • Italian Sausage offers heartiness with a spicy kick.
  • Yellow Onion, Carrots, Garlic, and Celery are a classic combination to form the soup’s base.
  • Bay Leaf, Fresh Thyme, and Italian Seasoning
  • Kale provides color, nutrition, and crunch.
  • White Cannellini Beans add creaminess and substance.
  • Beef or Chicken Broth is used for the liquid base.
  • Parmesan Cheese for garnish
  • Italian bread or a baguette for dipping and soaking up the broth.

How To Make Italian Sausage Soup

  1. Heat olive oil in a large pot and cook the sausage until browned. Transfer sausage to a plate and set aside.
  2. In the same pot, add more oil and sauté onions, carrots, celery, bay leaf, thyme, and seasoning. Stir in garlic, salt, and pepper.
  3. Add the kale and cook until wilted.
  4. Combine the beans, sausage, and broth, and bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes.
  5. Remove bay leaf and thyme. Serve in soup bowls, topped with cheese and a slice of crusty bread.

Slow Cooker Option

This soup can easily be adapted for a slow cooker. Brown the sausage first, then add all ingredients (except kale and beans) to the slow cooker and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours. Stir in the kale and beans in the last 30 minutes.

Overhead image of a sausage soup in a Dutch oven.

Recipe Tips And Variations

  • Consistency: Adjust the amount of broth based on your desired soup thickness.
  • Sausage: I love Italian pork sausage, but you can use Italian turkey sausage for a leaner option. Ground chicken, ground beef, or ground turkey also work.
  • Veggies: Feel free to add or substitute veggies like zucchini or bell peppers.
  • Beans: Cannellini beans are great, but you can also try Great Northern beans or chickpeas.
  • Kale Substitutes: Swap it out for spinach or Swiss chard.
  • Cheese Options: While Parmesan is a classic, feel free to use Asiago or Pecorino Romano.
  • Make it Creamy: For a creamy variation, blend a portion – about 3/4 cup – of the soup (before adding the sausage back in) and then mix it with the rest.

Serving Suggestions

When serving this Sausage Soup, consider pairing it with my focaccia bread to soak up the flavorful broth. You can also kick things off with a light tomato burrata salad and introduce a side of garlic parmesan roasted vegetables. Buon appetito!

Italian Sausage Soup served in a bowl with a spoon resting inside the bowl and a brown linen napkin set next to the bowl.

Storing Leftovers

Refrigerate the soup in an airtight container for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. When reheating, add a splash of broth if the soup has thickened more than you’d like.

More Soup Recipes

Italian Sausage Soup with Kale and Beans - Hearty and incredibly delicious soup prepared with Italian Sausage, onions, garlic, kale, and beans!

Italian Sausage Soup

Katerina | Diethood
Dive into a cozy bowl of this Italian Sausage Soup packed with kale, beans, and a kick of tasty seasonings.
4.72 from 35 votes
Servings : 8
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients
  

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1 pound Italian sausage links, casings removed, you can also use Italian turkey sausage
  • 1 small yellow onion, diced
  • 2 large carrots, sliced
  • 3 stalks celery, sliced
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 sprig fresh thyme
  • 2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1 bunch kale, stems removed and roughly chopped
  • 2 cans white cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 6 to 8 cups low sodium beef broth or chicken broth
  • ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese, for serving, optional
  • 8 slices crusty bread, for serving, optional

Instructions
 

  • Heat one tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat in a large Dutch oven or soup pot. Add the sausage and cook for about 8 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally to break into smaller pieces. Transfer the cooked sausage to a plate and set aside. Don't wipe down the pot.
  • Pour the remaining olive oil into the soup pot and heat it up. Add onions, carrots, celery, bay leaf, thyme, and Italian seasoning; cook for about 6 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
  • Stir in the garlic, salt, pepper, and continue to cook for 1 minute. Mix in the kale and cook until it starts to wilt, about 1 to 2 minutes.
  • Stir in the beans, cooked sausage, and broth; bring to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer and cook uncovered for 15 minutes to combine all the flavors.
  • Remove from heat and take out the bay leaf and sprig of thyme.
  • Ladle the soup into bowls, top with cheese, and serve with crusty bread.

Notes

  • Type of Sausage: If you’re not a fan of spicy, use mild Italian sausage. For a leaner version, consider turkey or chicken sausage.
  • Broth: While chicken and beef broth are commonly used, consider vegetable or bone broth for a different flavor.
  • Bean Varieties: Cannellini beans work, but you can also try other canned bean varieties.
  • Kale Substitutes: Not a kale fan? Swap it out for spinach or Swiss chard. Just remember, softer greens like spinach will wilt faster, so adjust cooking time accordingly.
  • Storage: Refrigerate leftover soup in an airtight container for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Nutrition

Calories: 432 kcal | Carbohydrates: 32 g | Protein: 22 g | Fat: 25 g | Saturated Fat: 7 g | Cholesterol: 43 mg | Sodium: 522 mg | Potassium: 1053 mg | Fiber: 6 g | Sugar: 2 g | Vitamin A: 4705 IU | Vitamin C: 23.8 mg | Calcium: 150 mg | Iron: 5 mg

Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.

Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: italian sausage soup, italian soup recipe
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