Italian White Bean Soup with Kale (Printable Version)

Hearty soup with spicy sausage, creamy beans, and roasted garlic in a rich broth.

# What You Need:

→ Meats

01 - 1 pound spicy Italian sausage, casings removed

→ Vegetables

02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1 large yellow onion, diced
04 - 2 medium carrots, diced
05 - 2 celery stalks, diced
06 - 6 cloves garlic, peeled
07 - 1 bunch Tuscan kale, approximately 6 ounces, stems removed and leaves chopped

→ Beans

08 - 2 cans cannellini beans or Great Northern beans, 15 ounces each, drained and rinsed

→ Liquids

09 - 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
10 - 1 cup water

→ Herbs and Seasonings

11 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
12 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
13 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
14 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Garnish

15 - Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, optional
16 - Extra virgin olive oil, optional
17 - Crusty bread for serving, optional

# Step-by-Step Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Place garlic cloves on foil, drizzle with olive oil, wrap, and roast for 20 minutes until soft and golden. Cool and mash into paste.
02 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add sausage, breaking apart with spoon, and cook until browned and cooked through, approximately 6 to 8 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon and set aside.
03 - Add remaining olive oil to pot, then add onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté until softened, approximately 6 minutes.
04 - Stir in mashed roasted garlic, thyme, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
05 - Add beans, cooked sausage, chicken broth, and water. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.
06 - Stir in chopped kale and continue simmering for 10 to 12 minutes until kale is tender yet vibrant.
07 - Taste soup and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as desired.
08 - Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with Parmesan cheese, extra virgin olive oil, and crusty bread if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen when you actually managed the whole thing in under an hour.
  • The roasted garlic trick makes everything taste restaurant-quality without any fussing.
  • Spicy sausage and tender kale create this deeply satisfying bowl that feels both comforting and a little bit special.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the canned beans—that starchy liquid clouds the broth and makes it feel less refined than it actually is.
  • Roasting the garlic instead of raw-adding it prevents that sharp, harsh flavor that can overpower the whole pot.
  • Taste the soup before serving rather than salting it blindly—the sausage and broth contribute more sodium than you'd guess.
03 -
  • Use a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven if you have one—it distributes heat evenly and makes browning the sausage exponentially easier.
  • Don't chop the kale until you're ready to add it or it starts to wilt and lose that beautiful color.
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