Sausage, Kale, and White Bean Soup

This soup is rich, savory, and oh-so-satisfying with herby Italian sausage, kale for days, and soft buttery little cannellini. Everything gets thickened up a little, giving it kind of a stewier feel. We added a little smoky paprika and a squeeze of lemon juice at the end, and we have not one single regret about any of it!

Maybe it is hard to eat soup and type at the same time right now, but listen; we are not engineers. Someone else, solve that problem, please.

This velvety, cozy little gal is definitely a richer, creamier jaunt from a more traditional zuppa toscana (think more the beloved Olive Garden, maybe less actual Tuscan countryside), but who are we not to take the richer, creamier path?!

How To Make This White Bean Soup

Thanks to easy ingredients and minimal prep, it’s not going to be long before you can start gobbling a bowl of this cozy, creamy, herby goodness.

1. Saute onion and garlic until fragrant, and brown the sausage.
2. Add the smoked paprika and flour.
3. Slowly add broth and stir to thicken.
4. Add potatoes and cook until tender.
5. Beans, kale, simmer.
6. Stir in half and half, some salt and pepper to taste, and a squeeze of lemon juice for brightness.

It looks like something is calling to be dipped through that. You’re right. Assemble the carbs!

What Makes It The Perfect Soup

There is no bacon in this recipe, and you will not miss it because everything still has a smoky bacon kind of taste thanks to the smoked paprika, which we fully appreciate! It’s really creamy and a little stewier with the bigger chunks of tender potato and veg, brothy beans, and crumbly sausage, but not too dense. That little extra thickness in there actually makes it AN IDEAL CANDIDATE for soup dippers, which we can never get enough of. Dippers + Us forever.

Like maybe a swoop of parmesan garlic bread if you don’t mind dairy on dairy, we never do. Crispy peppery croutons sound like an actual dream? They are! Recipe coming soon, friends, stay tuned.

Several Ways To Cook This Soup

Another check in the champion box for this recipe is that there are so many ways for it to make its way to your dinner table, depending on your mood. If you want to fill up your evening with warm, cozy smells, let’s put it on the stovetop. If you know the day ahead of you is long, and you want to come home to something wonderful, it works in the slow cooker, too.

INGREDIENTS

• One tablespoon of olive oil
•  1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced
•  3 – 4 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
•  1 pound ground Italian sausage (mild or hot)
•  1/2 to 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
•  1 – 2 tablespoons flour (optional, makes it a bit thicker)
•  5 cups chicken broth
•  One 15-ounce can of cannellini beans
•  Four medium potatoes, diced (any potato will work)
•  Two stalks of kale, ribs removed, chopped
•  3/4 cup heavy cream (can sub half and half)
•  1/2 teaspoon salt (more or less to taste)
•  freshly ground black pepper and lemon juice

INSTRUCTIONS

Onions, Garlic, and Sausage: Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic; saute for 10 minutes or until very soft and fragrant. Add the sausage and cook until browned. Drain out excess grease.

Spices: Add the smoked paprika and flour; saute for one minute.

Veggies: Add broth, a little at a time. Add potatoes; bring to a simmer over low heat. Cook for 10-15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Add kale and white beans and simmer for another 5-10 minutes.

Finish: Add half and half, salt, pepper, and lemon juice to taste. VOILA!