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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.
Get ready to dive into one heck of a comforting dinner with this Italian Sausage Soup with kale and beans. Like a Tuscan white bean soup, it’s 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?”! It’s perfect for family dinners, chilly nights, or whenever you’re in the mood for some seriously good eats with a chunk of skillet bread on the side.
Why I Love This Italian Sausage Soup Recipe
- Quick: Ready in just 40 minutes, this soup is perfect for weeknight dinners or spontaneous gatherings.
- Authentic: With its Mediterranean-inspired flavors, it brings the essence of Italy right to your table, no passport needed.
- Hearty Ingredients: Packed with succulent Italian sausage, fresh veggies, and beans, this easy soup recipe is a fulfilling meal in itself.
Recipe Ingredients
To make this Italian Sausage Soup recipe, you’ll want to gather a mix of hearty, wholesome ingredients to make a flavorful bowl of slurpable goodness! From spicy Italian sausage and nutritious kale to beans, some veggies, and broth. Grab a baguette while you’re at it.
- Olive Oil is used to sauté the ingredients. Avocado oil, canola oil, or butter are also okay to use.
- Italian Sausage offers heartiness with a spicy kick. If you prefer a milder flavor, use sweet Italian sausage or even turkey or chicken sausage.
- Yellow Onion, Carrots, Garlic, and Celery are a classic combination to form the soup’s base. You can also add canned diced tomatoes if you prefer.
- Bay Leaf, Fresh Thyme, and Italian Seasoning. If fresh thyme isn’t available, use dried thyme. You can also substitute Italian seasoning with a mix of dried oregano, basil, and rosemary.
- Kale provides color, nutrition, and crunch. Spinach, Swiss chard, or even collard greens would work here.
- White Cannellini Beans add creaminess and substance. Great Northern beans or navy beans can be used instead. If you don’t want to use beans, add shell pasta or orzo like in an Italian wedding soup.
- Beef Broth or Chicken Broth is used for the liquid base. You could also use vegetable broth or bone broth for extra richness.
- Parmesan Cheese for garnish, but Pecorino Romano is a great alternative.
- Italian bread or a baguette for dipping and soaking up the broth.
How To Make Italian Sausage Soup
Making this soup is simple, and with just a few basic steps, you’ll have a hearty and soul-warming meal in under an hour.
- Heat olive oil in a large pot and cook the sausage until browned. Transfer the sausage to a plate and set aside.
- In the same pot, add more oil and sauté the onions, carrots, celery, bay leaf, thyme, and seasoning. Stir in the garlic, salt, and pepper.
- Add the kale and cook until wilted.
- Combine the beans, sausage, and broth, and bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes.
- Remove the bay leaf and thyme, and serve the soup in bowls, garnished 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.
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 baby 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!
Storing Leftovers
Refrigerate the soup in an airtight container for up to 4 days or freeze it 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.
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Italian Sausage Soup
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 freshly 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
- Meat options: 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
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.
This is one of my favorite go to soups! My family loves it and whenever I have taken this as a meal to someone they have loved it!!! The prep time is closer to 40 minutes start to finish for me. Thank you !
That’s great to hear! I’m very glad you and your family enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
I made this today. It’s unusually cold in Florida this week so this was a must make. My family loved it. I added chopped zucchini, mushrooms, a big can of diced tomatoes and a small tomato paste. I have enough for lunch the rest of this week. Excellent! Will make again this winter. Thank you!
That’s great! I am very glad you and your family enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
I added a little bit of harissa seasoning to give it a kick because I thought it tasted a bit boring. I think it did the trick.
This is a great soup! I used spicy sausage and dried thyme. I also had homemade chicken broth so I was able to use that. The husband ate a bit right after I made it (I think the smell of this soup brought him to the kitchen) and went back for seconds!
I am very happy you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Does the soup tastier if I make it 1 day ahead?
Is there much fat to skim off?
I make this all the time! Except my family isn’t a fan of beans. So we do white sweet potatoes. It’s amazing. Sometimes I add heavy cream to this recipe as well if we want something creamier. So happy I found this recipe. I actually plan on using it in my ice cream Shoppe this winter
Has anyone tried making this in the crockpot?
Hi!
I would brown the sausage in a skillet, first, and the onions, carrots, and celery.
Transfer it all to your slow cooker; stir in thyme leaves (from one fresh sprig of thyme) and Italian seasoning, as well as the garlic, salt, and pepper.
Stir in beans and broth; add bay leaf, cover and cook on LOW for 5 to 6 hours, OR set it on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours. Mix in kale about 20 minutes before it’s done cooking. When ready to serve, take out the bay leaf, serve in bowls and top with cheese.
Hope you’ll love it! 😃
I did this and THIS is my family’s favorite dinner!! It turned out soo good! Thank you for posting this alternative! 🙂
I’m so pleased to hear that the recipe turned out to be a hit with your family! It’s always rewarding to discover a meal that everyone enjoys, and even more so when it becomes a favorite. Thank YOU! 🙂
Can this be made in a crock pot?
How is this soup with no broth added? Nowhere do I see a liquid to make this soup?? If I made this like you have it on here it would definitely not be soup…..Correct me if I’m wrong .
I do see your broth now thank you when I went to the print recipe it leaves off the broth
I just open up a couple of containers of Chicken Broth for mine……it works really well and dose not taste like chicken either……no worries at all. Try it——-you’ll love it, I promise
I can’t believe I haven’t commented sooner, but this has become a favorite in our house. I’ve made this several times now following this recipe and it comes out delicious every time. Plus, it freezes well!
We have made this so many times and it is so amazing. We do add red pepper flakes to add some spiciness but otherwise it’s really delicious and easy to make!
This soup was delicious. My family said it was the best soup I have made. My kids even ate it and that’s saying something because my daughter normally won’t touch anything with beans and my son usually won’t eat anything with green in it. They both loved it. Thank you so much!