This hearty recipe for white bean, sausage, and kale soup can be made in the slow cooker or on the stovetop. It makes a nourishing, cozy meal that will warm you from the inside out on a cold evening. Save this healthy, veggie-loaded recipe to mix into your regular rotation!
Have you dusted off your slow cooker yet? ‘Tis the season, after all! If there are cold temperatures in your area’s forecast, this hearty white bean, sausage, and kale soup made in the crockpot (or on the stovetop!) is just the meal you need.
I originally published this recipe in 2017 but decided to revisit it this month to give it a much needed facelift. I love how it turned out! It’s packed to the brim with vegetables and white beans, includes Italian sausage for flavor, and makes a great lunch or dinner.
You can make the recipe in the slow cooker or in a pot on the stove, and I included instructions for both methods. Making it in the slow cooker is a great option for busy days! For another cozy crockpot recipe, see the Slow Cooker Mushroom Barley Stew.
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Ingredients and Substitutions
- Italian sausage: I used ground mild Italian pork sausage. You can substitute ground Italian turkey or chicken sausage. For more heat, use a hot Italian variety. If you don’t have ground sausage, you can use precooked sausage links. Slice them in half lengthwise and brown on both sides in a skillet, then cut into pieces to add to the soup.
- Mirepoix: Onions, carrots, and celery.
- White beans: I used canned navy beans for this version of white bean, sausage, and kale soup. However, many recipes call for cannellini beans. I personally like how navy beans hold their shape better than cannellini beans, but it’s up to you.
- Bay leaves, dried thyme, dried parsley, and garlic powder: Feel free to substitute Italian seasoning for the dried thyme and parsley if desired. You can also use fresh garlic instead of garlic powder. For some extra heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes.
- Chicken broth: If you don’t have it, sub vegetable broth. I recommend using low-sodium chicken broth, since sausage is a higher sodium ingredient.
- Kale: Tuscan (lacinato) or curly green kale work.
Slow Cooker Instructions
The full recipe card for white bean, sausage, and kale soup, including ingredient quantities, is at the bottom of the post. Here’s a preview of the steps for the slow cooker method. Scroll down for stovetop tips.
Brown the Italian sausage in a skillet, using a spoon to break it up into pieces. Add the diced onion to the skillet a few minutes after the sausage starts cooking.
While the sausage cooks, cut up the carrots and celery.
Add the browned sausage and onion, carrots, celery, drained and rinsed beans, bay leaves, and other seasonings to the slow cooker.
Cover the ingredients with broth. Cook on high for 4 to 5 hours or low for 7 to 8 hours until the carrots are fork-tender.
In the meantime, tear or roughly chop the kale leaves (stems removed first).
About a half hour before the soup is finished, add the kale to the slow cooker.
Stovetop Instructions
- In a soup pot over medium heat, warm a little olive oil. Add the sausage and diced onion. Cook, breaking up the sausage into tiny pieces, until browned.
- Add the sliced carrots and celery to the pot, along with the dried seasonings (minus the bay leaves).
- Add the beans and pour the broth into the pot. Place bay leaves in the broth.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to maintain a simmer. Cover and cook for 15 to 20 minutes until the carrots and celery are tender.
- Stir the kale into the soup. Cook for a few more minutes until wilted.
- Serve warm with seasonings of choice, such as parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes.
Storage and Reheating
Store leftover white bean, sausage, and kale soup in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can also freeze the soup for up to 6 months. Let it cool completely before transferring to freezer-safe containers. Leave about an inch of headspace to allow the soup to expand while freezing. Thaw in the fridge overnight or reheat straight from frozen, stirring often, on the stove.
More Slow Cooker Recipes
- Slow Cooker Cabbage
- Slow Cooker Vegetarian Baked Beans
- Slow Cooker Taco Dip with Refried Beans
- Slow Cooker Coconut Lentil Soup
I’d love to hear how you like this recipe! Rate/review using the stars on the recipe card or in the comments, and follow the Veg World on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Looking for something totally different? Browse the recipe library.
📖 Recipe
White Bean, Sausage, and Kale Soup
Equipment
- Slow cooker (or soup pot)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound ground Italian sausage - mild or hot
- 1 cup diced yellow onion - from about ½ large onion
- 2 large carrots - chopped, about 1.5 cups
- 3 ribs celery - sliced, about 1 cup
- 2 15 oz cans navy beans - rinsed and drained
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 6 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 3 to 4 cups chopped kale - stems removed, from about ½ large bunch
Instructions
Slow Cooker
- Warm olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground sausage and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, breaking it up into smaller pieces as you go, until browned. Add the diced onion a few minutes into cooking to cook alongside the sausage. Remove from heat and transfer to the slow cooker.
- Add the carrots, celery, beans, bay leaves, dried thyme, garlic powder, dried parsley, and salt to the slow cooker. Pour in the broth.
- Cook on high for 4 to 5 hours or on low for 7 to 8 hours, or until carrots and celery have softened to your liking.
- With about 30 minutes left of cooking time, add the chopped kale to the soup and stir to encourage wilting.
- Serve the soup warm, and enjoy!
Stovetop
- Warm olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the ground sausage and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, breaking it up into smaller pieces as you go, until browned. Add the diced onion a few minutes into cooking to cook alongside the sausage.
- Add the carrots, celery, beans, dried thyme, garlic powder, dried parsley, and salt. Pour in the broth and add the bay leaves.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to maintain a simmer. Cover and cook for 15 to 20 minutes until the carrots and celery have softened.
- Stir the kale into the soup. Cook for another 5 to 10 minutes until wilted.
- Serve the soup warm, and enjoy!
- Leave a rating or review by tapping the stars on this recipe card (above) or in the comments section (at the end of the post)!
Notes
- Serving ideas: shredded parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes, croutons
- You can also use precooked sausage links for the recipe, or sub ground chicken or turkey sausage (or even plant-based sausage for a vegetarian option). If using sausage links, slice them in half lengthwise. Brown them on both sides for a few minutes in a skillet with a little olive oil. Once browned, remove from heat and slice into pieces to add to the soup.
- Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. To freeze, let the soup cool completely, transfer to freezer-safe containers (leaving an inch of headspace), seal, and freeze for up to 6 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating. Alternatively, you can reheat straight from frozen on the stove. Just stir frequently to prevent scorching.
Nutrition
This post was originally published in October 2017. It was updated with new photos and ingredient changes in November 2023.
Timothy Santrock
I don’t care for kale. What can be substituted?
Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN
You can try chopped spinach or even something heartier like Swiss chard!