Cozy Tuesday Nights Call for The Ultimate Sausage White Bean Kale Soup Recipe

It was a Tuesday that seemed to go on forever. The sideways rain had been knocking at my windows since five o'clock in the morning. On top of that: my walk to the car was on its way to being slightly total rain, and halfway to work I saw a little old lady with an umbrella turn inside out. When I got home, it was 6 PM and I was chilled down through my very bones. I didn't want take-out. I didn't want to cook. I just wanted a bowl of something warm and soothing to drink.

Then I figured it out. In the pantry there were cans of cannellini beans I had never used; in the freezer there was some spicy Italian sausage which I had put aside "just in case." Half an hour later, as the smell of rosemary and garlic filled up my kitchen, I sat down with a steaming bowlful of this sausage white bean kale soup and felt life get good all over again. Back then, as now, it saved my evening completely from despair.

If you're looking for quick-to-make but rich soups, look no further. In this article than in any other within the world of cooking now, you will soon be making and enjoying the finest bowlful this side of heaven this season. Here's how to do it.

What you'll learn

• Why this soup has all the flavors and none of the drawbacks of real food
• There is every method for making our favorite sausage white bean kale soup right here in detail
• Easy variations to suit your diet
• Hints on freezing leftovers and thawing them later

Why This Soup Is a Life Saving Meal For The Week

We all need a range of simple dinner recipes from Monday through Friday. They've not got to require holding a certificate in chef-trained extra-ninjas or take so long where you feel tempted back into becoming life long Twizzler eater. This soup satisfies every one of those criteria without exception, and is nothing less than a bit gruff and very generous. So what if the onions get a little bit whacked when you chop them? Big deal. Did you put in some extra garlic bits after doing your onions? Then even the better. Besides these economic benefits of cooking, the mix of ingredients also packs a wallop in nutrition.

• Sausage: Its protein provides full well-rounded flavors without needing twenty different spices to work them all in.
• White Beans: Smooth cannellini beans bring fiber and a silky richness that thickens the soup automatically.
• Kale: This robust green stays proud even in boiling water (unlike soft ones such as chard or spinach look particularly scrappy), adding not only color but also texture and vitamins.

What I mean to say is, a dish with only Plain Jane ingredients doesn't mean you're only going to get a Plain Jane result. This soup makes dinner for you; it eats at your bones and stretches out the length of each day.

Ingredients You Will Need

Before we get cooking, let's gather these ingredients together. The great thing about this recipe for sausage white bean kale soup is that everything can be found at your local supermarket. No fancy markets required.

• Italian Sausage (1 pound): Whatever your suffering tolerance, use mild or hot sausage. I personally like spicy Italian because it blends into the sauce, seasoning the whole pot. Before cooking, remove the casings.
• Cannellini Beans (2 cans, 15 oz. each): Also called white kidney beans. Great Northern beans work well here, too. Rinse and drain them thoroughly.
• Kale (1 large bunch): My favorite kind is Lacinato or "dino" kale because of its texture. But fancy curly green kale will work just as fine too; take out the tough stems and tear the leaves up.
• Onion, Carrots, Celery (Mirepoix): This is the holy trinity of starting a soup. One large onion, two carrots and two sticks of celery, all chopped.
• Garlic (4-5 cloves): Chopped. Go on, be brave.
• Chicken Broth (6 cups): It's best to use low sodium here because then you're in control of the amount of salt you get.
• Dry White Wine (1/2 cup): Optional, but highly recommended for getting the bottom of the pot clean and adding some acidity to what might otherwise be a very bland brew. Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc work well.
• Herbs: Essential are fresh rosemary and dried thyme. It's a good thing to keep a bay leaf around the house anyway.
• Parmesan Rind: If you have one, put it in with the broth which is simmering. Great!
• Heavy Cream (1/4 cup): Optional at the very end, for a little richness.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Ready to cook? Flood the entire pot with wine. Taking these steps allows the fan to enjoy a perfect bowl.

Brown the Sausage

Locate a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot. Add a little olive oil and heat over medium-high. Add the sausage meat, breaking it apart relative to the grain of meat with a wooden spoon. Do it properly: watch that browning edge with crispy texture. Once the sausage is cooked, remove it with a slotted spoon estimated by eye. Leave the rest in the pot; after all, that's pure flavor.

Sauté the Aromatics

Reduce the heat to medium and add your chopped carrot, onions, and celery to the pot. Stir them into the fat left behind by sausage. Cook for about 5-7 minutes, until the onions become translucent and the carrots soften. Add the garlic, savory, and minced rosemary. Stir for another minute until the beautiful fragrance comes into being. Be careful not to burn the garlic--it will turn bitter very quickly.

Deglaze the Pot

If you see that there is any browned bits stuck on the bottom of the pot (that is the fond), pour in the white wine. Scrape the bottom vigorously to dislodge those precious caramelized bits. Allow the wine to simmer for 2-3 minutes until it reduces by half. If you prefer, a splash of chicken broth can be substituted for the wine here instead.

Simmer the Soup

Pour in chicken broth and add the bay leaf and Parmesan rind. Bring the pot to the boil, then reduce heat low. Let simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes, to let flavors meld together.

Add Beans and Greens

Stir your drained white beans into the pot together with the chopped kale. Simmer for another 5-10 minutes, allowing the kale to wilt and become tender, at the same time as the beans warm through in the soup. You can mash a few of the beans against the side of the pot with your spoon if you like a stronger soup.

Finish and Serve

Return the sausages to the pot. If you have finished cooking under high heat, add a little heavy cream. Be sure to try the broth. This is important! Add salt and freshly chopped pepper to taste. Remove the bay leaf and rind of Parmesan. Ladle into bowls and serve hot, perhaps with grated Parmesan dusted on top.

Tips for the Maximum Flavor

Cooking is an art not a science. Here are some tricks to turn a merely good meal into a I-dash-for-my-paper-and-pen wonder.

• Use the Parmesan Rind: Never throw away the hard rind of your Parmesan cheese wedge. Keep them in a bag in your freezer. When you toss one into a simmering soup, it releases umami and saltiness that you cannot replicate with just salt. It softens as it cooks, infusing the broth with a nutty richness. Just remember to fish it out before serving—it’s chewy!
• Don't Overcook the Kale: Kale is tough, but it isn't invincible. If you add it too early, it can take on an unappetizing shade of olive green and lose its texture. Adding it during the final 10 minutes of cooking ensures it stays vibrant and retains a little bite, which works nicely off the creamy beans.
• The Acid Factor: If your soup tastes "flat" or heavy when you do a final tasting, it is pretty sure in need of some acid. A squeeze of fresh lemon juice just before serving can wake up the whole pot. It cuts through the fattiness of the sausage and balances out the earthiness of the beans.

Alternative Hospitals

And this is one of the reasons that one of the best hearty soups we have: There is no limit to what can be used. You can make it whatever you want to get rid of in the refrigerator, or whatever diet restrictions are necessary for those who want to eat food.

Vegetarian or Vegan Version

This soup is easily adaptable for plant-based diets.

• Meat substitute: Use plant-based Italian sausage or salsa that was seasoned in fennel seeds and a mix of red chili and garlic.
• Broth: Chicken stock, not vegetable.
• Cheese: Rather than using a rind, sprinkle nutritional yeast or vegan Parmesan on top.
• Cream: Substitute full-fat coconut milk for the heavy cream or simply omit it. The beans provide plenty on their own.

Change the Green

Not a kale fan? Easy:

• Spinach: Wilt it at the very last moment.
• Chard: This Swiss cousin of kale took some getting used to but has now overtaken kale in popularity. Like kale, you want to fry the stems with garlic and onion and salt, then wilt the leaves.
• Escarole: A classic ingredient in and garnish for Italian wedding soup that also works here.

Making it Spicier

The spiciness from hot sausage is not enough for you? Try throwing a teaspoon of red pepper flakes into the pan when you fry the garlic or chili oil over the bowl as a finishing touch for a fancy flourish.

Serve

With soup—what goes? This is a whole meal in a bowl, featuring protein, vegetables, and carbohydrates. But what's the worst that can happen with a few side dishes?

• Bread: Sourdough or bread, both good for sopping up every bit of broth you leave in the bowl (garlic-crusted bread sounds real fine too).
• Salad: A simple arugula salad with lemon vinaigrette is a refreshing contrast to the hot and savory soup.
• Croutons: The satisfying crunch of homemade garlic croutons completes the top.

Refrigeration and Freezing: Meal Prep Magic

Refrigeration

In an airtight container, store leftovers for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. As the beans release starch, the liquid may thicken. When reheating on the stove or in the microwave, you may need to add a splash of water or broth to loosen things up.

Freezing

This soup freezes beautifully.

• Cool Completely: Do not airtight seal and put hot soup directly into the freezer. Let it cool to room temperature.
• Portion Control: Freeze in individual portions for easy lunches, or in one big gallon bag to feed a whole family at dinner.
• Leave Room: As liquids expand when frozen, fill your container to within about one inch of the top.
• Duration: Up to 3 months.

To reheat from frozen let it thaw overnight in the fridge. If you're in a hurry, you can run warm water over the container to loosen the block of soup, then dump it into a pot and heat gently over low heat.

Note: You will notice a slight change in texture upon freezing (it may separate) if you have included the heavy cream. If you intend to freeze the batch then it's probably best to leave the cream out and stir it in fresh when you reheat the soup.

Troubleshooting Common Soup Issues

Although the weeknight dinner you dread making and making your family eat or even packing for lunch with (or not) has turned into such threads of repeated patterns, you can fix this.

• "I said my soup is too strong!" If the soup is cooked in salty broth and then sliced sausages were added, it would also be a disaster. The simplest remedy is to peel a potato, cut it in half and drop it right into the boiling stock. The potato will act as a cvv-soufflé sapper. After 15 minutes take it out. Otherwise try adding more water or unsalted broth to dilute the saltiness.
• "My soup is too watery." If you want the stew-like consistency that many bean soups call for, take a cup of the beans and vegetables from the pot, liquefy them in a blender or food processor and stir this back into the pot. It gives body to your soup without changing its taste.
• "The canned beans are too soft." This usually happens when you can has added the canned beans and boiled it vigorously. Canned beans are already cooked. They only need to be heated through. Once the beans are in the pot, turn the heat down low and let them gently simmer.

Why This One's For You Tonight

In a world of complicated recipes and costly ingredients, sausage white bean kale soup makes an appealing contrast for its straightforwardness. It warms and nurtures both your kitchen and your body. Equally adroit for making dinner for a family of four or meal-prepping ahead for one person, this recipe easily translates well to whatever amount you make and results uniformly delicious.

Cooking need not toil. So, plant it right in the middle of your day—if this is the result, what could be better? So break out that Dutch oven, spin some tunes and treat yourself to a dinner of comfort.

Summary

This recipe will be an indispensable addition to your repertoire of hearty soups. Once you nail the basic white bean-sausage-kale setup, feel free to innovate. Add zucchini when the weather is hot, in place of beans use lentils, or a model with less butter beer sausage than the original tortilla-replaces it. The best recipes are those whose variations are your own.

Ready to cook? Check your cabinet for beans, pick up some kale on the way home and sink into cozy.--Bon appétit!