Italian White Bean Soup with Kale (Printable)

Rustic Italian soup with spicy sausage, white beans, kale, and roasted garlic for comforting, wholesome flavor.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meats

01 - 1 lb spicy Italian sausage, casings removed

→ Vegetables

02 - 2 tbsp 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 (about 6 oz), stems removed, leaves chopped

→ Beans

08 - 2 cans (15 oz each) cannellini beans or Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed

→ Liquids

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

→ Herbs & Seasonings

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

→ Garnish

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

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Place 6 garlic cloves on foil, drizzle with olive oil, wrap tightly, and roast for 20 minutes until soft and golden. Cool slightly, then mash into paste.
02 - In a large Dutch oven, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add sausage, breaking it into small pieces with a spoon, and cook for 6-8 minutes until browned and cooked through. Remove with slotted spoon and set aside.
03 - Add remaining 1 tbsp olive oil to pot, then add diced onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 6 minutes until softened.
04 - Stir in mashed roasted garlic, thyme, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
05 - Add drained 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 simmer for 10-12 minutes until tender and vibrant.
07 - Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and garnish with Parmesan cheese, olive oil drizzle, and crusty bread.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The roasted garlic melts into a silky paste that makes the broth taste like you've been simmering it for hours, not 40 minutes.
  • It's the kind of soup that satisfies without weighing you down, loaded with protein and texture but somehow still feels light.
  • Spicy sausage against tender kale is genuinely one of those flavor combinations that just works every single time.
02 -
  • If you skip rinsing the canned beans, your broth will turn cloudy and starchy, which changes the entire eating experience—don't let convenience cost you texture.
  • Adding the kale at the end instead of the beginning keeps it from breaking down into mush and losing that beautiful color that makes the soup look alive.
  • Roasted garlic can be made a day ahead and stored in the fridge, which means you can prep most of this soup the night before if life is hectic.
03 -
  • Mash the roasted garlic into a paste instead of just chopping it—the paste distributes evenly through the broth instead of leaving chunks.
  • If your sausage is really fatty, drain off some of the rendered fat before adding the vegetables so the soup doesn't feel greasy.
  • Freeze this soup in portions and it keeps for up to 2 months, but the kale starts to get mushy after a month, so try to use it sooner rather than later.
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