You can never have enough soup recipes, and this sausage and kale soup is a keeper. Spicy sausage and tender white beans have enough protein to make a filling main dish, and it’s also chock-full of vegetables: leafy greens, zippy garlic and savory tomatoes.
It’s one of our contest-winning soup recipes for a reason too. The one-pot dinner calls for pantry ingredients like canned tomatoes, beans and broth, and there’s no need to simmer for hours. The starring ingredients cook quickly and have robust flavor. The slightly bitter kale offsets the rich sausage, while bits of sun-dried tomato punctuate the soup with savory bursts. Make this soup for an easy winter dinner or a filling lunch.
Ingredients for Sausage and Kale Soup
- Italian turkey sausage links: Use your favorite type of sausage, from super-herby to very spicy. Remove the casings before cooking.
- Aromatics: Chopped onion and garlic make a classic flavor base for the soup, while a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes adds subtle heat. (Go ahead and increase or omit the pepper flakes, depending on your tastes.)
- Kale: Leafy green veggies are super healthy, and a generous heap of chopped fresh kale adds body to the broth. Use any type of kale you like (or can find): classic curly kale, Russian kale or dinosaur kale.
- Chicken stock: Use a tasty store-bought chicken stock, or use homemade stock if you have it.
- White wine: A small pour of white wine adds acidity and sweet flavor to the broth. It’s optional, though. If you omit it, use a little more broth. You could also add a splash of white wine vinegar or champagne vinegar to mimic the acidity of wine.
- Cannellini beans: For ease, this recipe calls for canned beans, but feel free to use cooked dried beans. We like the buttery, mild flavor of cannellinis, but any white bean will work here, including great northern or navy beans.
- Canned tomatoes: Pour in a full can of diced tomatoes, including the liquid, to enrich the broth.
- Sun-dried tomatoes: This might sound like a salad topper, but these punchy dried tomatoes add a huge dose of umami flavor to the broth, as well as varying up the texture with sporadic chewy bites.
Directions
Step 1: Cook sausage and aromatics
In a 6-quart stockpot, cook the sausage and onion over medium heat. With a wooden spoon or spatula, break the sausage into crumbles and cook until it’s no longer pink, about six to eight minutes. Remove the sausage and onions with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Step 2: Cook the vegetables
Add the kale to the pot. Cook, stirring often, for about two minutes, allowing the greens to soak up some of the oil from the sausage and onions. Add the garlic and pepper flakes and cook for one minute. Add the wine, if using, and cook two minutes longer.
Editor’s Tip: Be careful not to burn the garlic, which gives it a bitter flavor.
Step 3: Simmer the soup
Stir in the sausage mixture and remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook, covered, until the kale is tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Recipe Variations
- Change up the seasonings: Italian spices, smoky paprika, earthy turmeric or fiery cayenne would all complement this flavorful soup.
- Use any sausage: Any crumbled sausage will work in sausage kale and white bean soup, including beef or pork sausage. Use your favorite type!
- Add vegetables: Want to eat more vegetables? Add chopped carrots, celery, sweet potatoes or new potatoes to the soup. Add them to the pot in Step 2 (before the kale), saute for a few moments, then add the kale and proceed with the recipe as written.
- Add herbs: Shake dried or fresh herbs into the soup; oregano, basil, thyme, marjoram or parsley are nice options.
- Mix in pasta or grains: Stir in cooked pasta, quinoa, rice or another grain into bowls of soup. When storing the soup, we suggest keeping grains and pasta separate. Otherwise, the grains soak up the broth and become soggy.
- Top with cheese: You can’t go wrong with a grating of Parmesan cheese over each bowl.
How to Store Sausage and Kale Soup
Keep leftover sausage and kale soup in the refrigerator. Allow the soup to cool a bit, then place in the fridge right in the cooking pot (if it has a lid), or, transfer to an airtight container.
How long does sausage and kale soup last?
Leftover kale and sausage soup will keep well for up to five days in the fridge.
Can you freeze sausage and kale soup?
Yes, most soups freeze very well, including soup with kale and Italian sausage. To freeze, allow the soup to cool completely, then transfer to an airtight, freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to three months. Allow it to defrost in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
How do you reheat sausage and kale soup?
Warm up leftover sausage and kale soup in a heatproof bowl in the microwave, covered with a paper towel to prevent splattering. Alternatively, reheat the soup on the stovetop.
Sausage and Kale Soup Tips
How do you make sausage and kale soup in an Instant Pot?
You can definitely make sausage and kale soup in a pressure cooker. Follow Step 1 and 2 as written, cooking in the Instant Pot on the saute setting. In Step 3, you’ll combine all the ingredients and seal the lid of the pressure cooker and allow to cook on High for about 10 minutes. Allow pressure to release naturally for five minutes, then quick-release any remaining pressure.
What can you serve with sausage and kale soup?
A loaf of crusty bread is always a good match with soup, whenever you serve it. This soup is hearty enough to be a main course for lunch or dinner, especially with one of our favorite soup side dishes, including breadsticks, salads or vegetables. You could also serve it as a side dish with a hot sandwich or big healthy salad.
