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White Bean, Sausage and Kale Soup Recipe

This White Bean, Sausage and Kale soup is wholesome comfort food. The sausages make fuss-free meatballs and infuse the soup with great flavor | natashaskitchen.com

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I’m a sucker for meatball soups so this white bean sausage and kale soup had my name written all over it! It’s wholesome comfort food y’all, plus it’s totally easy to make. Fall is soup season in our house. There’s something so cozy about having a pot of soup on the stove as the leaves change color and the air becomes crisp.

It’s been kind of a weird baking week – baking is fun but it’s also a science that requires plenty of testing. Plus I’m terribly stubborn and don’t quit easily. Flops can be a real bummer (particularly when you’ve spent an entire day making a glorious looking cake only to cut into a crumbly disaster. In the midst of my moping and being sprawled out on the sofa, 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!

I had some comparable ingredients in the fridge and after making it twice this week, I couldn’t resist sharing it with you :). 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. Hunky husband – loved it! 🙂

Ingredients for Sausage and Kale 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 tomato, 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

This White Bean, Sausage and Kale soup is wholesome comfort food. The sausages make fuss-free meatballs and infuse the soup with great flavor | natashaskitchen.com

How to Make White Bean Sausage and Kale Soup:

1. Heat a large heavy bottomed pot over med/high heat and add 2 Tbsp olive oil. Use a sharp knife to slice sausage, add to hot oil and saute 5 minutes or until golden brown. I left the sausage skins on because it held the easy “meatballs” together, but you can peel it off if you prefer and just have clumps of sausage meat which would still taste great!

White Bean Sausage and Kale Soup-12

2. Add diced onions and sauté another 3 minutes. Add carrots and tomatoes and sauté another 5 minutes until softened.

White Bean Sausage and Kale Soup-9

3. Add garlic and stir until fragrant (1 min) then add 8 cups chicken broth and bring to a boil.

White Bean Sausage and Kale Soup-10

4. Toss 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.

White Bean Sausage and Kale Soup-11

This White Bean, Sausage and Kale soup is wholesome comfort food. The sausages make fuss-free meatballs and infuse the soup with great flavor | natashaskitchen.com

White Bean Sausage and Kale Soup Recipe

5 from 40 votes
Author: Natasha Kravchuk
This soup is wholesome comfort food. The sausages make easy fuss-free meatballs and they infuse the soup with great flavor. P.S. the parmesan - don't skip it!
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients 

Servings: 6 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 tomatos, 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

  • 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.
  • 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 chicken broth and bring to a boil.
  • Toss 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

I left the sausage skins on because it held the easy "meatballs" together, but you can peel it off if you prefer and just have clumps of sausage meat which would still taste great!
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: sausage and kale soup
Skill Level: Easy
Cost to Make: $$
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This White Bean, Sausage and Kale soup is wholesome comfort food. The sausages make fuss-free meatballs and infuse the soup with great flavor | natashaskitchen.com

Enjoy with plenty of grated parmesan and toasted crusty bread. What’s your favorite Fall food?

 

This White Bean, Sausage and Kale soup is wholesome comfort food. The sausages make fuss-free meatballs and infuse the soup with great flavor | natashaskitchen.com

Natasha Kravchuk

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Natasha, the creator behind Natasha's Kitchen (established in 2009), and I share family-friendly, authentic recipes. I am a New York Times Best-Selling cookbook author and a trusted video personality in the culinary world. My husband, Vadim, and I run this blog together, ensuring every recipe we share is thoroughly tested and approved. Our mission is to provide you with delicious, reliable recipes you can count on. Thanks for stopping by! I am so happy you are here.

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5 from 40 votes (16 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




Comments

  • Dan
    November 30, 2020

    Hi Natasha. Thank you for this recipe. I’ve made it 3 times, this last time being a double batch.
    How long do you think it lasts in the fridge?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      November 30, 2020

      Hi Dan, I would store covered in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. I’m so glad you love the recipe!

      Reply

  • Valya L
    March 16, 2020

    This is one of my favorites!
    I always rinse the beans so I did this time as well.
    What a great find!!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      March 16, 2020

      I’m glad that you loved this recipe! Thanks for your fantastic review and I hope you love every recipe that you try.

      Reply

  • vesna
    June 14, 2019

    Love this! I did as written except I rinsed the beans instead of using the water from the can

    I have tried a few of your recipes and so far I have not been disappointed. Thank you!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      June 14, 2019

      Awww that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Vesna. I’m all smiles!

      Reply

  • Galina K.
    April 12, 2019

    This soup is the bomb🙌🏻 My new favorite 😍 thank you for the recipe Natasha😘

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      April 12, 2019

      You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it Galina!

      Reply

  • Natasha
    January 25, 2019

    From one Natasha’s kitchen to another this soup is fabulous! I used veg broth with the sausage ( it’s a weird mixing of the meats thing lol) .. also added alot more kale and another can of white beans and added left over butter but squash …thanks for sharing !

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      January 25, 2019

      Hey, nice name 😉 Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Natasha!! I’m so happy you enjoyed that.

      Reply

    • MARGARET
      September 20, 2023

      Hi Natasha, The thing I love about your recipes is that they always WORK. They have clear instructions, they are always delicious, they are easy, and the ingredients I have on hand or are easy to find in any grocery store. I tried this delicious soup, Pasta e Fagioli, Zuppa Toscana. My family loved them ALL and I’ve given them to neighbors and friends with rave reviews, as well. They were ALL winners!

      Reply

      • NatashasKitchen.com
        September 20, 2023

        Hi Margaret! That’s amazing. Thank you so much for sharing the wonderful feedback. I’m so glad to hear that.

        Reply

  • Ann
    December 12, 2018

    So delicious! My family loved it! The sausage is flavorful and pairs nicely with the kale. Recipe was easy to make and lends itself to variation. We added extra garlic, a little more kale and because we didn’t have the exact beans or fresh tomatoes, we used garbanzo beans, spaghetti sauce and a spoonful of sun dried tomatoes. We omitted the cheese and served with freshly cooked white rice. The second recipe I tried from your collection and another awesome meal!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      December 12, 2018

      That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Ann 🙂

      Reply

  • Alena
    November 13, 2018

    Hi Natasha, can I use generic mild Italian sausage for this recipe?

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      November 13, 2018

      That should work great!

      Reply

  • Ben
    October 8, 2018

    So this is the third recipe from your site that I have made, and each one has been spectacular. I’ve been in a soup mood as it’s been uncharacteristicly cold lately, and between this, the chicken and dumplings, and beef stew (I’ll be making the lamb stew someday soon as well), I believe I have a solid lineup of warming meals for the cold times to come.

    Other than some minor alterations (I used mild italian sausages, and vegetable broth for this soup) I followed the recipe as written. It was very simple to make and so good I couldn’t stop myself from having a second bowl. Also on the skin/no skin for the sausages. I’d recommend removing the skin and forming bite sized balls with the meat. When I make this again I’ll be forming the meat into 1/2″ balls instead of 1″.

    I will definitely be using this site as one of my primary recipe resources when I’m looking for something new. I’ve already seen a few that I want to try out sometime in the near future.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      October 8, 2018

      I’m so happy you enjoyed this! I agree this recipe is perfect for fall! Thank you for sharing your versions with us!

      Reply

  • Galina
    September 7, 2018

    Hi Natasha, your recipes are all so great and simple! I’m making this soup right now, added potatoes to it and was wondering if adding like a cup of half and half would be a little too much? Thanks in advance!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      September 7, 2018

      Hi Galina. I haven’t tried this with half and half before so I can’t say how much to put in. I think it may work. Please let me know how you like it with that change.

      Reply

      • Galina
        September 10, 2018

        Hi so I did add about a cup of half and half and turned out great. By the end of the day the soup was gone. Thank you!

        Reply

        • Natashas Kitchen
          September 10, 2018

          That’s so great! Thank you for the feedback!

          Reply

  • Ildi
    June 10, 2018

    So, I just made this yesterday since it’s rainy season here and needed some comfort food.
    But I only had bacon on hand, so I made it with that. It was still delicious!
    Thank you for the recipe again!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      June 11, 2018

      You are so welcome! Glad you enjoyed it!

      Reply

  • Natasha S
    August 17, 2017

    This soup is delicious! My hubby loved it so much and so did my kids. Instead of beans I added lentils because my kids not big fan of beans and it turn out very yummy and healthy.

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      August 18, 2017

      I’m happy to hear your family enjoys the recipe as much as mine does! Thanks for sharing your great review Natasha!

      Reply

  • Natalya
    April 11, 2017

    Thank you for this recipe! Soup is delicious!!!

    Reply

  • Natalya
    April 11, 2017

    Thank you or this recipe ! Soup is delicious!!!!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      April 11, 2017

      My pleasure! Thanks for sharing! 😀

      Reply

  • Ildi
    January 27, 2017

    I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve made this soup and is still a hit and well loved by my family.

    I’m wondering if I could substitute the kale with another leafy green, I’m not sure I can find kale back in Eastern Europe. Would like to make it for my relatives there when we go.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      January 27, 2017

      Hi Ildi, I think kale works best and I haven’t tested any other greens but I think spinach may work, although the texture wouldn’t be as nice as kale and it would cook faster. If you experiment with something different, let me know! 🙂

      Reply

      • Yana Zagorin
        May 26, 2017

        I used Swiss chard, it was delicious, even picky hubby ate it.

        Reply

        • Natasha's Kitchen
          May 26, 2017

          Yum, I’m happy to hear you both enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing Yana 🙂

          Reply

      • Laurie Herlihy
        August 2, 2017

        Any hearty green would stand up to this soup. Try beet, chard, dandelion or basically any other green you can find.

        Reply

  • Mike
    December 18, 2016

    If I am making the soup a couple days in advance should I hold out the kale and lightly saute it and add it the day I plan to serve it?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      December 19, 2016

      Hi Mike, leftovers of this soup were still good on day 2 (and it usually gets eaten before sitting longer than that) 🙂 But I do think it would be ok to make the entire soup 2 days in advance then refrigerate without having to add the kale later.

      Reply

  • Venus
    September 18, 2016

    Made this tonight, and so tasty! This recipe is a keeper.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      September 18, 2016

      Thank you Venus, I’m glad you liked it 😀.

      Reply

      • Venus
        February 2, 2021

        Just wanted to let you know that this recipe is still going strong in my home! I’ve made it countless times. I love your site. It’s my go to for when I need meal ideas and inspiration. Thank you for sharing your recipes. ☺

        Reply

        • Natashas Kitchen
          February 2, 2021

          That’s when you know it’s good! Thank you for sharing this with us.

          Reply

  • Fleets
    June 7, 2016

    Natasha thank you for imagination of ‘simple food ‘. I have tried: Zuppa
    Toscana, White bean kale sausage, Greek Salad and English cumber, tomatoes, red onion. Love them all and have passed your web sight to friends. Would like more Mediterranean dishes. For I. On that type in f eating.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      June 7, 2016

      You’re so very welcome. I’m happy to hear you are enjoying my recipes. Thank you for the great reviews! I really appreciate that you have shared my website with friends. That’s awesome!

      Reply

  • Angie
    March 14, 2016

    Do you think it would be Okay to add potatoes into the soup?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      March 15, 2016

      Yes, I think that would work fine 🙂

      Reply

  • Natallia
    January 8, 2016

    This turned out really good! Thank you

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      January 8, 2016

      I’m glad you liked it Natallia and you are welcome 😀.

      Reply

  • MichelleD
    December 10, 2015

    Hi Natasha. I’m following you for a long time now, but this is my first comment… And first of all I have a big Thanks for you! second, I have a question : can I use here breakfast sausages… Don’t have time to read all the comments… You know how it is with babies… Thanks again. Your blog is really helpful

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      December 10, 2015

      HI Michelle :). You can use breakfast sausage. I think that would taste great!

      Reply

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