With hearty turkey sausage, kale and creamy beans, this white bean soup is the most satisfying meal for a chilly evening! It’s flavorful and loaded with fiber and protein.
Cozy Kale, Sausage and White Bean Soup
This Italian white bean soup is one of my favorites when I’m looking for a hearty soup for those long, cold winter days. The cannellini beans and the sausage make this a high protein meal with about 35g of protein per serving, and the beans and kale make it high in fiber too. (I love kale in this Chicken Sweet Potato and Kale Soup too!) It’s naturally gluten-free, and you can even turn it into a vegan or vegetarian white bean soup by simply swapping the turkey sausage for a plant-based option and using vegetable stock in place of chicken stock.
What Makes This White Bean Soup Work
I love to top this hearty white bean soup with some good grated cheese like Parmigiano Reggianno or Locatelli and a nice piece of crusty bread like my homemade Sourdough Bread for a wonderful meal for 4 under $10!
- A meal-worthy soup: With protein-rich sausage and fiber-packed beans, this hearty soup is satisfying enough to be a full meal, not just a starter.
- Short list of wholesome ingredients: You don’t need very much to make this recipe and everything is easy to find at the grocery store.
- Weeknight-friendly: Using flavor-packed sausage means you don’t need a long simmering time to build flavor in this white bean soup.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here are all the ingredients for this white bean soup with kale and sausage. See the recipe card above for the exact measurements.
- Turkey sausage: For this soup I used my homemade turkey sausage, but store-bought is fine too.
- Olive oil to brown the sausage and build flavor at the start.
- Garlic adds that signature Italian flavor and some savory depth.
- Kale: You can use curly kale or Lacinato.
- Cannellini or Northern beans are creamy and soak up the flavor from the broth.
- Chicken stock + water: I love to use my homemade chicken broth.
- Red pepper flakes for an optional kick of heat.
- Salt and black pepper for finishing the soup.
How to Make White Bean Soup With Sausage
This soup makes for an easy dinner! Here’s what you’ll need to do. See the recipe card above for printable directions.
- Brown the sausage: Heat the olive oil over medium-high and brown the sausage, breaking it into large chunks until fully cooked.
- Sauté the garlic: Add garlic and cook briefly until fragrant but not browned or burnt.
- Simmer: Stir in the water, stock, beans, and red pepper flakes. Cover and simmer on low for 10 minutes to let the flavors meld.
- Add the kale: Stir in the kale and cook until tender, about 10 minutes.
- Season and serve: Season with salt and pepper, then ladle the soup into bowls.
Yield: servings
Serving Size: 2 cups
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Heat oil over medium-high heat in a medium sized pot.
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Add sausage meat breaking it up with a spatula or wooden spoon into large chunks.
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When completely cooked, add garlic and saute for 2 – 3 minutes (careful not to let the garlic burn).
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Add the water, stock, beans and red pepper flakes (if using) and stir thoroughly.
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Simmer on low for 10 minutes, covered.
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Throw in kale and allow to simmer for another 10 minutes covered. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
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Divide into four bowls and serve hot.
Last Step:
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Serving: 2 cups, Calories: 320.5 kcal, Carbohydrates: 15 g, Protein: 33 g, Fat: 13 g, Saturated Fat: 3.5 g, Cholesterol: 105 mg, Sodium: 697 mg, Fiber: 5 g, Sugar: 1 g
Tips and Variations
- Add more veggies: Carrots, celery, or diced onion are great additions to white bean soup if you have them in your fridge.
- Make the soup creamier: Mash some of the beans against the side of the pot during the last 10 minutes of cooking time. The starches they release will thicken the soup.
- Add a Parmesan rind: This infuses lots of savory flavor into the soup. (It’s awesome in Minestrone Soup too.)
- Swap the kale for chard: Add the sliced chard stems with the sausage to soften and add the leaves when you’d stir in the kale.
- Or try spinach: Stir baby spinach into the soup just before serving as a milder alternative to kale.
Serving Suggestions
This white bean soup is hearty enough to be a meal on its own, or you can serve it with one of the following:
Proper Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerator: Refrigerate white bean soup in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Freeze in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before reheating.
- To reheat: Warm gently on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a splash of broth or water to thin the broth if needed.
