Sausage and Kale Soup

Simmer a pot of this Sausage and Kale Soup recipe to warm both your kitchen and your belly. The ingredients are simple–sausage, kale, white beans, veggies, and broth–but the flavor is like a huge warm hug ready in under an hour. Serve with crusty bread and snuggle into the cooler months.

Sausage and kale soup recipe garnished with shaved parmesan cheese, and served with crusty bread

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Helpful Reader Review

“Delicious!! This soup came out so flavorful and hearty without being too heavy, so I will be making this one a lot this winter! Thank you for your wonderful recipes, they always come out amazing!” – Lisa ★★★★★

Sausage Kale Soup Recipe

This white bean, sausage, and kale soup recipe is a wholesome comfort food, y’all, plus it’s totally easy to make. I was flipping through an issue of Food Network Magazine (one of my favorite subscriptions) when I spotted Giada’s “House Soup,” and I was like – YEEES!

Luckily, I had comparable ingredients on hand and made it twice that week with a few tweaks. I like the idea of using raw sausages instead of cooked because you can slice them into fuss-free meatballs and they infuse the soup with wonderful flavor. And the parmesan – don’t skip it.

I love the challenge of recreating copycat recipes, like my Monterey Chicken (Chili’s), Pasta e Fagioli (Olive Garden), and Bang Bang Shrimp (Bonefish Grill), that better fit my family’s tastes and budget. This version of Giada’s Sausage and Kale Soup is one of our favorites!

White bean, Sausage and kale soup in a white bowl with carrots and parmesan cheese

Ingredients for Sausage, Kale White Bean Soup

Reach into your pantry to find most of the ingredients for Sausage, Kale, and White Bean Soup. It’s perfect for those winter days when fresh ingredients are scarce, but you want something nourishing.

  • Sausages – raw Johnsonville Brats Original Sausages, sliced into 1/2″ thick chunks. I left the skin on, because it held the easy “meatballs” together, but you can peel it off if you prefer. You can swap with smoked sausage sliced into coins.
  • Vegetables – 1 finely chopped onion, 1 diced tomato, 2 carrots sliced into rings, and minced garlic
  • Beans – 1 can (15 oz) white beans with their juice (or make your own) – the juice helps to thicken the soup and gives great flavor
  • Chicken broth or stock – use my homemade recipe or low-sodium store-bought cartons
  • Kale – ribs removed and coarsely chopped. You can substitute spinach, but it will wilt much more.
  • Grated parmesan – optional (but don’t skip it), to garnish and serve
Ingredients for hearty Fall recipe including bratwurst, tomatoes, onion, carrots, chicken broth, white beans, and greens

How to Make Sausage and Kale Soup

This one-pot meal cooks up in a large Dutch oven or stockpot.

  1. Brown the sausage – Slice the sausage into large chunks and brown in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium/high heat until golden brown.
How to slice brats into chunks and cook in a Dutch oven
  1. Sauté veggies – the onions and cook for 3 minutes, and then toss in the tomatoes and carrots to cook for another 5 minutes.
How to add vegetables to a stock pot for making stew including onions, carrots, brats, and tomatoes.
  1. Add garlic to cook for 1 minute until you can smell it, and then add the chicken broth. Bring to a boil.
How to make sausage and Kale soup recipe with bratwurst, carrots, garlic and chicken stock
  1. Stir in the beans and kale and cook for 5 minutes, then add salt and pepper to taste, and garnish with Parmesan cheese to serve.
Before and after photos of Kale wilting after add it to sausage and kale soup recipe

Serve Soup With

Once the kale has wilted and the white beans are cooked through, remove the soup from the heat. We garnish with salty Parmesan cheese, but you can also add a pinch of red pepper flakes for heat, or crispy Bacon crumbled on top. Pair with one of these crusty bread recipes:

Soup ladle with sausage, white beans, sauce, kale and carrot soup over a Dutch oven.

Everyone loves this hearty and comforting White Bean, Sausage, and Kale Soup recipe. It’s perfect for those winter months when you want a hearty, warm meal without spending hours in the kitchen, and then just pair it with Crusty French Bread for the perfect one-pot soup.

Sausage, Kale and White Bean Soup

5 from 42 votes
Bowl of Sausage and Kale Soup recipe in a white bowl with slices of carrot and parmesan cheese on top
This Sausage and Kale Soup is a hearty comfort food that comes together in just one pot! The sausages make easy, fuss-free meatballs, and they infuse the soup with great flavor. It's full of veggies and bone broth–great ingredients any time of the year. Mix up a pot of this soup for the perfect Fall and Winter meal paired with crusty bread.
Each serving is about 1 1/2 – 2 cups.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients 

Servings: 7 bowls of soup
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 lb Raw Johnsonville brats Original Sausages, sliced into 1/2" thick rings*
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 1 large or 2 medium ripe tomatoes, diced
  • 2 medium carrots, sliced into rings
  • 1 large garlic clove, minced
  • 1 can, 15 oz white beans with their juice (or make your own)
  • 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth/stock
  • 4 medium kale leaves, ribs removed and coarsely chopped
  • Salt and Pepper to Taste
  • Grated parmesan to garnish and serve

Instructions

  • Brown the sausage – Heat a large heavy bottomed pot over med/high heat and add 2 Tbsp olive oil. Slice sausages and add to hot oil and saute 5 minutes or until golden brown.
  • Sauté veggies – Add diced onions and sauté another 3 minutes. Add carrots and tomatoes, and sauté another 5 minutes until softened.
  • Add garlic and stir until fragrant (1 min), then add 8 cups of chicken broth and bring to a boil.
  • Stir in beans and kale and cook until kale is tender (5 min). Season to taste with salt and pepper (I added 1 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper), then remove from heat. Serve garnished with Parmesan cheese.

Notes

*To make these “meatballs,” I left the sausage skins. Alternatively, you can remove the casing if you prefer and have clumps of sausage meat, which would still taste great!
Storage – Cool leftovers until room temperature in under 2 hours, and then pack the soup in an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. This soup doesn’t freeze well because the beans and kale tend to get mushy or grainy when reheated.
To reheat, heat in the microwave until at least 165°F or on the stovetop to a rolling boil. 

Nutrition Per Serving

315kcal Calories9g Carbs15g Protein25g Fat8g Saturated Fat3g Polyunsaturated Fat13g Monounsaturated Fat48mg Cholesterol646mg Sodium601mg Potassium1g Fiber2g Sugar3690IU Vitamin A11mg Vitamin C57mg Calcium1mg Iron
Nutrition Facts
Sausage, Kale and White Bean Soup
Amount per Serving
Calories
315
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
25
g
38
%
Saturated Fat
 
8
g
50
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
3
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
13
g
Cholesterol
 
48
mg
16
%
Sodium
 
646
mg
28
%
Potassium
 
601
mg
17
%
Carbohydrates
 
9
g
3
%
Fiber
 
1
g
4
%
Sugar
 
2
g
2
%
Protein
 
15
g
30
%
Vitamin A
 
3690
IU
74
%
Vitamin C
 
11
mg
13
%
Calcium
 
57
mg
6
%
Iron
 
1
mg
6
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: sausage and kale soup, sausage and kale soup recipe
Skill Level: Easy
Cost to Make: $$
Calories: 315
Natasha's Kitchen Cookbook

More Soup Recipes to Try

Fall is soup season in our family! This Sausage and Kale Soup is always one of our first bowls, but then, we enjoy these other delicious and easy soup recipes:

5 from 42 votes (16 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




Comments

  • Candy Valtierra
    January 23, 2026

    Wow this was so good. I only made half a batch and regretted it. I added the whole can of white beans, less oil and did all the prepping beforehand and it came together fast and easy, and I did it without a video. 🙂 I shared the receipt and a picture with friends and family and I will definitely make it again but a full pot. How could I not, my husband and mom are already asking for it. Thank you so much, Candy

    Reply

  • Lulu
    October 31, 2024

    Made it with organic chicken mushroom and Italian spices sausage, turned out really good! We love soups and this one is so tasty and easy…definitely be making it again. Thank you!

    Reply

  • Elizabeth
    June 5, 2022

    Wow! Amazingly delicious! I love that your recipes use items I almost always have on hand. The only thing I subbed was red kidney beans for white beans. This was the perfect soup for an unseasonably cool and rainy Sunday here on the Pacific Northwest coast.

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      June 5, 2022

      Hello Elizabeth, great to hear from you, and thanks so much for your good feedback and review.We’re so glad you love it!

      Reply

  • Lisa
    October 3, 2021

    Delicious!! This soup came out so flavorful and hearty without being too heavy. I will be making this one a lot this winter! Thank you for your wonderful recipes, they always come out amazing!

    Reply

  • Kelsey
    October 1, 2021

    This soup was absolutely delicious! I will definitely make it again! Thank you Natasha for another winning recipe!

    Reply

  • Cora
    September 30, 2021

    Flavorful and delicious, will be making this again. Thank you

    Reply

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