Kale & Sausage White Bean Soup
a rustic, brothy soup full of italian sausage, kale, white beans, parmesan, garlic, and crushed red pepper
servings: 4-6
Ingredients
Scale
- olive oil
- 1 lb ground mild italian sausage
- kosher salt
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- 1 leek, thinly sliced
- 6 cloves garlic, thinly shaved (or minced)
- 1 tsp crushed red pepper (or more if you’d like it spicier)
- ½ cup white wine
- 2 qts beef (or chicken) broth
- 1 parmesan rind
- 1 large bunch of kale, stemmed + roughly chopped
- 2 (15.5 oz) cans cannellini beans, rinsed + drained
- grated parmesan cheese, for topping
- toasted bread, for dipping
Instructions
- Heat a large, heavy-bottomed pot (or Dutch oven) over medium-high heat. Add enough olive oil to coat the bottom. Once hot, add the ground sausage to the pot, piece by piece. Season with a pinch of salt. Cook for about 6 minutes, or until the sausage is fully browned. Transfer the sausage to a plate and set aside.
- Lower the heat to medium. Add the onion and leek to the pot. Cook for 6-8 minutes until tender and slightly caramelized, stirring often. Season with a pinch of salt. Stir in the garlic and crushed red pepper. Cook for another minute longer.
- Pour in the white wine and stir well. Allow to simmer for 2 minutes. Pour in the broth and add the parmesan rind. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the sausage back to the pot, along with the kale. Continue to simmer for 10 more minutes. Lastly, stir in the beans. Allow to cook for a few more minutes until the beans are heated through. Taste the soup and season with salt or more red pepper flakes if needed.
- Serve the soup warm with lots of grated parmesan over top and toasted bread on the side for dipping.
Notes
Leftovers: Store any leftovers in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat over medium-low heat in a saucepan until simmering or in the microwave until heated through.
Freezing: Ladle the soup into a freezer container and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight, transfer the soup to a saucepan, and reheat over medium-low heat until simmering.