Sausage Kale White Bean Soup (Hearty, Wholesome, EASY!)

Sausage Kale White Bean Soup is a hearty, wholesome, cozy recipe that's full of flavor, loaded with vitamins, and easy to make in under 30 minutes!

Sausage Kale White Bean Soup with text overlay.


 

If you enjoy white beans in your soup, you'll also love Slow Cooker White Chili, Slow Cooker Ham and Bean Soup, and Slow Cooker Cajun White Bean Soup!

Well, friends, I resisted for years, but I finally decided to jump on the kale bandwagon. Okay, perhaps "bandwagon" is too extreme. Rather, I created this Sausage Kale White Bean Soup...and I actually liked it!

I'll probably get my Southerner card revoked for such blasphemy, but as much as I love spinach, I've never really been a fan of the heartier greens. However, seeing as how kale recipes and ideas are everywhere you look, I decided it's probably time I give it a go.

Aerial view of Sausage Kale White Bean Soup.

Quick and Easy

Soup seemed like an innocuous enough medium for my family's first foray into kale, and I have to admit that I was pleasantly surprised with how tasty this Sausage Kale White Bean Soup turned out!

I toyed with the idea of cooking a pot of dried white beans to act as the base of the soup, and you could certainly do so, but I ultimately decided to go with canned beans in order make this a quick and easy supper.

Ingredients

Labeled ingredients to make Sausage Kale White Bean Soup.

So what do you need to make this Sausage Kale White Bean Soup?

  • Smoked sausage links. Sliced. Kielbasa is an easy choice or, if you like a kick of heat, andouille would also work.
  • Extra-virgin olive oil. For browning the sausage.
  • Garlic. Minced.
  • Chicken broth. Or stock. I always recommend using low-sodium to have more control over the saltiness of your soup, particularly since sausage can be salty.
  • Kale. Tough stems removed and finely chopped or shredded. Keep reading for my favorite shortcut trick!
  • Seasonings. For flav-ah! Specifically, you'll need a bay leaf, garlic powder, a few dashes of hot pepper sauce, and salt and pepper to taste.
  • Canned white beans. Rinsed and drained. Feel free to use your favorite...cannellini, great northern, or navy beans all work great.
  • Shredded Parmesan cheese, crumbled feta cheese, or BOTH! For garnish. These are optional but highly recommended.
Sausage Kale White Bean Soup with breadsticks.

How to Make Sausage Kale White Bean Soup

This kale and white bean soup is super simple to throw together.

  1. Start by browning your sausage in a little EVOO. Remove it to a paper towel-lined plate to drain off any grease, and then add minced garlic to the remaining oil in the pot and saute until just fragrant.
Sauteeing sausage in pot.
  1. Add chicken broth to the pot along with the shredded kale, garlic powder, and bay leaf.
Adding greens and spices to Sausage Kale White Bean Soup.
  1. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, then cover and cook for five minutes.
  2. In the meantime, place about one-third of the rinsed and drained beans in a blender or food processor -- along with 1 cup chicken broth -- and puree until smooth (your remaining beans should remain whole).
Pureeing beans in blender to make white bean and kale soup.
  1. After the kale has wilted, add the bean puree, whole beans, and browned sausage back to the pot. Season with salt, pepper, and hot sauce, to taste.
Adding sausage and remaining ingredients to white bean and kale soup.
  1. Stir well and cook for a few more minutes until heated through.
  2. Remove the bay leaf and serve your bowls of Sausage Kale White Bean Soup with plenty of grated Parmesan and/or feta on top!

Warm, filling, healthy, and delicious!

Kale and white bean soup with slices of sausage floating in broth.

A Note About the Garnish

I originally developed this white bean and kale soup to be garnished with shredded Parmesan.

But upon reheating the leftovers one night, I realized that I was out of Parmesan and only had a tub of crumbled feta in the fridge.

So I decided to try that instead...and boy am I glad I did! The feta somewhat melted into the hot soup, lending a creamy consistency that was pretty darn yummy.

So when I make this recipe now, we always stir in some feta...before sprinkling Parm on top. 🙂

Close-up of Sausage Kale White Bean Soup.

The Key to Kale in Soup

Now here's my secret to getting my kids (and my husband...and, okay, myself) to willingly eat the kale:

Instead of leaving the leaves in large pieces, I shredded them up in the food processor before adding them to the soup.

(To save on clean-up, I later used the same dirty food processor bowl to puree my beans...no need to wash it in between!)

Having soft, small bits of kale distributed throughout the Sausage Kale White Bean Soup proved to be palatable to those who might not otherwise enjoy chewing up large green leaves.

Of course, seeing all of those mysterious green pieces swimming around in their soup the first time I made this recipe, my then-young children immediately asked me what it was...and I gave them a pseudo-truth.

It's called kale. You know...it's kind of like parsley.

For some reason, my kids aren't offended by herbs, so they accepted my explanation and proceeded to scarf down their kale and white bean soup. They occasionally cast a suspicious eye in my direction, but they ate it.

And really, kale and parsley have to be related somewhere down the line, right? I mean, they're both dark green, edible plants... 😉

Aerial close-up of White Bean Kale Soup.

The next time you need a quick, wholesome, cozy dinner, I encourage you to give this Sausage Kale White Bean Soup a try!

If you're already a fan of kale, I think you'll love it.

And if you've spent all of your years thus far avoiding kale...well, join the cool kids and give it a go.

I think you'll be happy to learn that something so vitamin-packed can actually (surprisingly?) taste so good.

Sausage Kale White Bean Soup with breadsticks on side.

More Warm & Hearty Soups

Sausage Kale White Bean Soup in brown bowl.

Sausage Kale White Bean Soup (Hearty, Wholesome, EASY!)

Sausage Kale White Bean Soup is a hearty, healthy, cozy recipe that's full of flavor, loaded with vitamins, and easy to make in under 30 minutes!
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 363kcal
Print Pin Rate

Ingredients

  • 1-2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 12 ounces smoked sausage links, such as kielbasa or andouille, cut into ¼-inch slices
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth OR stock, DIVIDED
  • 8 ounces kale, tough stems removed and finely chopped/shredded
  • 1 small bay leaf
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 4 (15-ounce) cans white beans (such as cannellini, great northern, or navy beans), rinsed and drained
  • A few dashes hot pepper sauce
  • Salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • Shredded Parmesan cheese and/or crumbled feta cheese, for garnish

Instructions

  • Place a large pot over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, swirl to coat until heated, and add sliced sausage. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 to 7 minutes or until the sausage is browned. Remove sausage to a paper towel-lined plate, pour a bit more oil in the center of the pot if needed, and add minced garlic. Stir and cook for about a minute or until the garlic is fragrant and light golden.
  • Pour 4 cups chicken broth/stock into pot and stir in kale, bay leaf, and garlic powder. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 5 minutes.
  • Place about one-third of the drained beans in a blender or food processor, along with the remaining 1 cup chicken broth/stock. Puree until smooth.
  • Once kale is tender, add pureed beans, remaining whole beans, and browned sausage to the pot. Season with dashes of hot pepper sauce, salt, and pepper, to taste. Stir and simmer for a few minutes until heated through. Remove bay leaf before serving. Stir crumbled feta into bowls of soup and/or garnish with grated Parmesan, if desired.

Video

Notes

I pulse the kale leaves (after removing tough stems) in my food processor (using the regular blade) until shredded (but not pureed). After adding the kale to the soup, I use the same food processor bowl (without cleaning it first) to puree the beans with the broth.

Nutrition

Calories: 363kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 977mg | Potassium: 889mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 2833IU | Vitamin C: 29mg | Calcium: 148mg | Iron: 4mg
Made this recipe? I'd love to see on IG!Mention @FiveHeartHome or tag #FiveHeartHome!

Post originally published on September 21, 2014, and updated on October 16, 2020, February 3, 2021, and January 25, 2024.

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Recipe Rating




51 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I've been making this kale and white bean soup for a few years now. It's so hearty and super delicious! Perfect for winter or whenever someone is sick.

  2. 5 stars
    I made this last night because we had some friends come over and everyone loved it. It was perfect for a cold winter day.

  3. 5 stars
    Very good soup! I used linguisa for the sausage, added onions and jalapeño with the garlic, also added a precooked chopped sweet potato at the end. Even with the chopped jalapeño, sriracha and red pepper flakes, still was not spicy...not sure why.

  4. 5 stars
    VERY easy & tasty! I took the lazy route and just chopped the kale (lazy because I hate washing the food processor 😜), and I think next time I would put it in the food processor as you suggest to make it a little more tender. This was an awesome soup and I would definitely make it again. Thanks!

  5. 5 stars
    I am just becoming hip to kale myself. I made this tonight and it was delicious! Definitely something I would make again. I used smoked Turkey sausage... Thanks!

  6. 5 stars
    This recipe was a success and very popular with my family. Yum! Great way to use up those canned beans in the cupboard.

    1. I'm so happy to hear that, Julia! Thanks for sharing, and hope you're having a happy Friday! 🙂

    1. So glad you enjoyed this, Danielle! I add a bay leaf to all sorts of recipes for a little extra flavor, but this soup definitely works without one as well. 🙂

    2. Hello there,

      I loved the idea of using a processor to shred the kale, and make the bean purée. Great tip!

      I did caramelize some onion, shallot & added my garlic to that mixture (I sautéed in the skillet after the andouille) I then added it to my bean purée - it just helped develop the flavor profile deeper.

      We topped with Parmesan whisps.

      Thanks for a good recipe, I’d highly encourage you to try with the aromatics, I’m sure some fennel or leeks would be great too.