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bowl of white bean, sausage, and kale soup topped with parmesan cheese
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White Bean, Sausage, and Kale Soup

This hearty soup, made with lots of vegetables, white beans, and Italian sausage, is a dairy-free and gluten-free recipe that makes a cozy, healthy meal. Learn how to make it in the slow cooker or on the stovetop.
Course Dinner, Main Course, Soup
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 30 minutes
Servings 6 2-cup servings
Calories 522kcal

Equipment

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

Serving: 2cups | Calories: 522kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 54mg | Sodium: 698mg | Potassium: 1222mg | Fiber: 18g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 6899IU | Vitamin C: 37mg | Calcium: 224mg | Iron: 6mg