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Sausage, Kale and White Bean Soup is one of my favorite comfort foods! With creamy white beans, tender kale, and spicy sausage, it’s a one-pot meal with very little prep time, and a total time of less than an hour. Perfect for a busy weeknight or a lazy Sunday.
The combination of smoky kielbasa and garlic fills your home with a savory aroma that gets your mouth watering. As the soup simmers, the beans become creamy, the kale turns tender, and all the flavors meld together into something that tastes far more complex than its simple ingredients.
“The combination of smoky kielbasa and garlic fills your home with a savory aroma that gets your mouth watering. As the soup simmers, the beans become creamy, the kale turns tender, and all the flavors meld together into something that tastes far more complex than its simple ingredients.”
karen
Table of Contents
Ingredients for Sausage, Kale and White Bean Soup
- Cannellini Beans: These Italian white beans are my choice for their creamy texture. Use canned beans or cook your own (more on that below).
- Olive Oil: I use extra-virgin because it’s what I have on hand – you’ll want a quality one for drizzling at the end.
- Kielbasa: Look for smoked kielbasa in the refrigerated section. Any smoked sausage will work, but kielbasa has the perfect balance of spice and smoke.
- Yellow Onion: Choose a firm onion with tight, papery skin.
- Carrots: Pick carrots that feel firm and have vibrant color.
- Garlic: Fresh heads with tight, papery skins will give you the best flavor.
- Chicken Stock: Store-bought or homemade chicken both work well in this rustic soup.
- Red Pepper Flakes: These add a gentle heat that builds as the soup simmers.
- Kale: Both lacinato kale (dinosaur) and curly kale work here. Look for crisp, dark leaves without any yellowing.
- Diced Tomatoes: The juice adds richness to the broth, so don’t drain them.
- Lemon: A fresh lemon brightens all the flavors at the end.
- Fresh Herbs and Spices: Dried thyme and a bay leaf add depth as the soup simmers.
The Best Way to Cook Dry Beans
While canned beans work well in this soup, cooking your own is simple and cost-effective. Dissolve 3 tablespoons salt in 4 quarts water, add 1 pound dry beans and soak overnight. After rinsing, cook them in a slow cooker with fresh water to cover by 1 inch until tender. I portion them into 3-cup freezer bags – they keep beautifully and are ready whenever you need them.
3 Recipe Tips
- Cutting the Kale: Remove the tough center ribs before chopping. Stack the leaves and cut them into manageable pieces.
- Sausage Browning: Don’t rush this step – those browned bits add rich flavor to the soup.
- Seasoning: Wait until the end to adjust salt since the sausage and beans both add their own saltiness.
Recipe Options
- Sausage Swaps: Try spicy or mild Italian sausage in place of kielbasa for a different flavor profile.
- Bean Choices: Any white beans work well here – I love cannellini, but Great Northern or Navy beans are great options.
- Extra Vegetables: Add diced celery, bell peppers, or mushrooms along with the carrots and onions.
- Different Toppings: Finish with grated parmesan instead of olive oil, or try both for extra richness.
- Spice it Up: Add more red pepper flakes if you like extra heat, or use hot Italian sausage.
This soup is one of my cold-weather standards – hearty enough for dinner but somehow even better the next day. The combination of smoky sausage, creamy beans and tender kale strikes that perfect balance between healthy and satisfying. Keep this one handy for when you need a soup that can feed a crowd or stock your freezer.
More Hearty Soups to Try
How to Make Sausage, Kale and White Bean Soup
Start by browning sliced kielbasa in oil until golden.
Set the sausage aside and in the same pot, cook onions and carrots until softened, then stir in garlic.
Add stock, seasonings, tomatoes, and beans, bringing to a boil. Reduce heat, stir in kale, and simmer covered until tender.
Return sausage to the pot and heat through. A squeeze of lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste, and a good drizzle of olive oil finish it perfectly.
Sausage, Kale and White Bean Soup
Video
Ingredients
- 2 15-ounce cans cannellini beans with liquid or 3 cups cooked cannellini or Great Northern beans
- 1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for drizzling
- 12 ounces kielbasa or other smoked sausage, sliced into 1/4-inch thick rounds
- 1 medium yellow onion diced small
- 2 medium carrots diced small, peeled if desired
- 5 cloves garlic coarsely chopped
- fine sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 8 cups chicken stock
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 28 ounce can diced tomatoes with juice
- 1 large bunch kale lacinato kale or curly kale, coarsely chopped, about 7 ounces
- 1 medium lemon juiced
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add sausage; cook and stir until browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer sausage to clean plate and pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat.
- Add onion and carrots to soup pot; season with salt and pepper. Cook and stir until onion softens and is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic; cook and stir 1 minute more.
- Add chicken stock, red pepper flakes, thyme, bay leaf, tomatoes with juice, and beans. Bring to boil, reduce heat. Stir in kale and cover; cook 5 to 10 minutes until kale is tender. Return sausage to soup; cook and stir until heated through, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Stir in lemon juice; season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle into serving bowls and serve finished with a swirl of olive oil.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made it, its delicious! My husband loved it too.
I’m so glad you and your husband enjoyed this, Carol!
Thanks for including the weight of the kale. A bunch can vary so greatly in size. My question is, does the 7 ounces refer to the whole bunch, or after stemming? Thanks! I’m in the middle of making this right now, using lacinato kale from my winter garden. It’s gorgeous right now!
Hi Toni! The 7 ounces refers to the kale weighed with the stems, but feel free to use more. Love that you’re making this with homegrown kale!
Deeelish! We are vegetarians so I substituted a plant-based Italian flavored sausage (cooked less time). Forgot the last step but it didn’t matter because it was the best “first of the season” soup I’ve made since last Fall 🙂
I’m so glad you enjoyed this! Thanks so much for your cooking notes too.
This has become my favorite soup. I sometimes use a spicy andouille or Italian sausage but keep everything else as written. Smash some of the beans to give it a creamier texture. It’s so flavorful and nutritious I make it year round.
That’s wonderful to hear, Karen! And I love that you’re adding your own touches to the recipe.
I feel like I’m missing a step. Why does the cook time say 1 hr 30 min when the steps call for only about 20 minutes? And when do you put the sausage back in?
You’re absolutely right, Katy! Thank you for asking about both of these – I’ve corrected the recipe. You should return the sausage to the soup at the end of step 3. The original cook time included cooking dry beans, but I updated the recipe using beans that are already cooked (either canned or home cooked).
I think the whole world want a cozy, nourishing and delicious comfort food right now. This beautiful soup checks all the boxes! And YUM! Stay well! 🙂 ~Valentina
I agree, Valentina! Thank you. xo
I love cooking beans from scratch, and there are so many beautiful varieties. Before my daughters left home, I made sure they knew how to cook beans, and they still do. They’re so economical, as well. This is really crazy. I had to cancel a trip to visit my 92 year old mother for her birthday. I already lost almost $700. on the hotel cancellation, and to call capital one and deal with the flights supposedly takes hours of waiting time. pure craziness.
I’m so sorry you had to cancel your trip, Mimi. I feel really bad for your mom too. Such a difficult time…
And what you say about beans is so true – economical, delicious, and so versatile. 🙂
I love sausage in soup! Just a little bit of sausage goes a long way in terms of flavoring the entire soup. I’m totally on board with this recipe, Marissa! It sounds delicious. And our days are still a little chilly here in upstate New York, so a good bowl of soup for lunch would be quite welcomed!
So true, David. It just takes a little bit of sausage to give soup SO much flavor! Stay warm there in upstate NY!
I am in need of any and all heart-warming soups and meals right now, Marissa! It feels like such a crazy time we’re living in. This would be just the ticket to calm the nerves 😉 Delicious!
I agree, Katherine! Thank you, my friend!
I absolutely adore the flavours in this beautiful soup – what a lovely combination! This is my kind of comfort food.
Thank you so much, Alexandra!
I absolutely love a good, cozy white bean soup and this one looks seriously delicious!!! I love the kale and sausage in here!! Comforting and hearty, but nutritious at the same time! Doesn’t get any better than that! I can just imagine how delicious this makes your house smell too!!! It’s supposed to be icky and rainy all weekend, so I’m thinking this would hit the spot! Pinned! I’m excited to try this!
Thanks, Cheyanne! It’s supposed to snow here this weekend, so, yes! Comforting hearty soups are on the menu.
I am so hungry right now and need some of this soup! 🙂
Wish I could send some your way, Melissa!