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!
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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.
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
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.
How to Make Sausage Kale White Bean Soup
This kale and white bean soup is super simple to throw together.
- 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.
- Add chicken broth to the pot along with the shredded kale, garlic powder, and bay leaf.
- Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, then cover and cook for five minutes.
- 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).
- 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.
- Stir well and cook for a few more minutes until heated through.
- 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!
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. 🙂
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... 😉
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.
More Warm & Hearty Soups
- Slow Cooker Corn & Potato Chowder with Ham
- Sausage Tortellini Soup
- Slow Cooker German Lentil Soup with Sausage
- Easy Minestrone Soup
- Slow Cooker Ham & Bean Soup
- Black-Eyed Peas Soup
- Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup
Sausage Kale White Bean Soup (Hearty, Wholesome, EASY!)
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
Nutrition
Post originally published on September 21, 2014, and updated on October 16, 2020, February 3, 2021, and January 25, 2024.
Can I use a ground sausage for this instead of having the slices? If so- how much would you recommend?
Hi Heather! I think you could definitely use ground sausage instead of sliced links in this soup. I'd probably use an equivalent amount -- 12 ounces or so. Just make sure that you brown it in a pan before adding it to the soup. 🙂 Thanks for the question...hope you enjoy!
Just a quick question (and sorry if I missed it) but how many servings does this make? I'm going to make this for my family's Christmas soup potluck and I need a lot! Deciding if I should double or triple. Thank you!
No problem, Peg...the yield is up at the very top of the recipe (above the photo) and it's kind of small, so it's definitely easy to miss. 🙂 This recipe makes 6 to 8 servings, depending on how hearty your eaters are. Hope that helps, and I hope everyone enjoys it at the Christmas potluck...have a wonderful holiday season!
This was very good. I used smoked artichoke mozzarella garlic chicken sausages. I skipped the step where you blend some of the beans and instead added them with the kale before simmering.
My first experience with Kale was on pizza and my first impression was not very favorable. I really enjoy it in soup, though.
I'm so glad that you enjoyed this, Deanna! Kale has been hit or miss for me as well, but I really enjoy it in this soup. I bet the sausage you used was particularly tasty! Thanks for the comment and hope your week is off to a great start!
I just made this soup tonight for my scared to death of vegetables family. I am on a journey to eat and live healthier and have just joined the super greens/super foods wagon. Was so excited to try this soup. It was not a disappointment! To my utter shock and amazement my daughter LOVED IT!! She hates all greens, but she loved this soup. My husband had two bowls!! I did make one minor adjustment and added half a cup of heavy cream. Just thought it would help my crew decide to try it. Thank you for sharing this recipe. This one is definitely a keeper!
Thanks so much for sharing, Autumn...I love comments like that! 🙂 Any recipe that convinces my family to ingest green veggies is a winner in my book as well. I'm very happy that your family was so receptive to this one! Hope y'all enjoy this soup for many years to come... 🙂
Making this as i type! it looks and smells delish! can't wait to dig in!
We love soup here...and kale! Every single one of my kids likes kale! One does a great job of cooking it too...my oldest son...go figure. It's the only thing he actually likes to cook. This is definitely a recipe we'll try. Thanks for sharing it with us at Foodie Fridays last week. So sorry I am running a little behind! Hope you've joined us again this week...I'll be making more rounds there later today! Pinning to my personal boards as well as Foodie Fridays. Have a wonderful weekend!
I'm very impressed that your kids all love kale, Michelle...and I might have to get your oldest son's recipe for it. 😉 Thanks so much for stopping by and for the pins, and I hope you're having a wonderful weekend!
I'd like to give this a try...just have to find a sub for the beans. We are not a bean family.
I can totally understand that, Meghan. Maybe try subbing a mini pasta? Or rice? Or potatoes? 🙂 Have fun experimenting!
This looks like such a yummy combination! I love adding greens to my soups. Thanks for sharing!
I hope you love this soup if you have a chance to try it, Alyssa! I'll definitely be adding greens to my soups more regularly since this one was such a success... 🙂
I love kale and I'm always looking for more ways to enjoy it. Thanks for this great soup Samantha!
You're so welcome, Bri! I have to say that kale has been growing on me since trying this soup. It's definitely going to be a repeat recipe around here! 🙂 Thanks for stopping by...hope your weekend is going well!
I love this idea for an easy weeknight supper. It looks delicious!!! Stopping by from Show Stopper Saturday! :0
Thanks, Renee! This soup is definitely easy and definitely yummy. 🙂 Thanks so much for hopping over...hope you have a great rest of the weekend!
I never would have thought to do feta in something like this, but I'm totally trying it! I pinned this for later - can't wait until it's cold and i NEED soup.
Also, I used to nanny and "lie to the children about foods that creep them out" was my favorite tactic. Followed closely by "bribe them".
I know, Elizabeth...feta sounds rather odd in this soup but it is unbelievably good! It's makes it tangy and creamy at the same time -- yum! Thanks so much for the pin and I hope you enjoy this recipe when you try it! Also, your comment about nannying cracked me up...sometimes we just do what we have to do, right?! 😉 Hope you're having a great weekend...thanks for stopping by!
Hi Samantha,
Thanks for this recipe. The soup looks delicious. I pinned it 🙂 Have a beautiful day!!
You're very welcome, Janet...thanks so much for the pin! 🙂 Enjoy this soup and I hope your Friday is fabulous!
It is simple. That's the beauty of it. This is the type of soup that family dives right into down the last drop. Pair it with some crusty bread or even a pan full of biscuits
and there you go---the full meal deal.
Your sweet words always make my day, Carol...they're like the poetry of my comments section! Thanks so much for regularly stopping by...I hope you have a fabulous weekend!
Samantha, it took me forever to get on the heartier greens train but now that I'm on it, I can't stop! This soup looks so healthy and hearty. Great use of kale 🙂
You and me both, Amy...I started with green smoothies and I'm gradually working my way up. 😉 But I have to agree that I'm enjoying healthy greens now that I've started giving them a fair shot! Glad I'm not the only one who took awhile to come around... Happy Friday!
I saw this recipe just in time for grocery shopping this week! I just made this soup and it is delicious!! It definitely will be a new go to recipe in my house! Thanks Samantha!
That makes me very happy to hear, Kathryn...I'm so glad that you enjoyed this soup! Thanks for taking the time to let me know. 🙂 Hope you have a great weekend!
I flipping love soup! This one looks hearty and delicious!
Ha, Amber...thanks! If you flipping love soup, you definitely need to give this one a try. 😉 I couldn't believe how filling it was! Thanks so much for stopping by...hope you're having a great week!
Great soup recipes. Thanks Samantha.
Thank you, Liz! Hope you are having a wonderful week!
This is so timely for me I just got a big bunch of kale in my CSA share and was wondering what to do with it. I'm getting tired of just sautéing it in garlic and olive oil. It's going to be cool this week, so this soup sounds wonderful!
Yay, Kristin...I'm so happy to hear that you're going to give this soup a try! I hope it's a hit, and I hope your week is off to a great start! 🙂