Kale White Bean and Sausage Soup (Meal-In-A-Bowl)
“Five stars for this! Very delicious soup and I will make it again. I followed the recipe exactly with no substitutions and it was perfect”. Rita
This cozy kale and white bean sausage soup is packed with nutrition, heat and great flavor. True meal-in-a-bowl comfort with a hunk of crusty bread.
What to expect
Big flavor, solid nutrition, and true one-pot ease. This soup is versatile – use what you have – yet filling and comforting, perfect for busy weeknights.
Adapted from my friend Cathy K, it’s core ingredients are Italian sausage, white beans, tomatoes, and kale. I add extra veggies and baby pasta to boost nutrition and body, so it lands in that cozy soup-meets-stew zone. (Choose mild or hot sausage—your call on heat.)
The recipe is written for the stovetop, with Slow Cooker and Instant Pot options in the recipe notes. We also have tips for vegetarian and lower-sodium versions. Leftovers taste even better the next day.
Ingredients – tailored to your taste
- Beans: Cannellini beans (white kidney) – mild and creamy.
- Sausage: Fresh Italian sausage (sweet or hot), casing removed. For several other choices, see substitutions and variations.
- Vegetables: Onion, carrots, celery, kale.
- Tomatoes: Canned (diced or crushed). Add a little tomato taste for depth if you like.
- Broth: Chicken or vegetable.
- Pasta: A small shape (I use orzo).
Substititutions
- Beans: Consider great northern beans, red kidney beans (stronger flavor), navy beans and butter beans (larger).
- Seasonings: Use the seasonings you like. Dried thyme, oregano, basil, sage, herbes de province, poultry seasoning or a dried Italian seasoning blend are all good options. For additional heat, add red pepper flakes.
- Sausages: Try sweet/hot Italian, chorizo, or mild farmer/garlic sausage (remove casings from fresh sausages). Smoked sausages (andouille, kielbasa, even a smoky hot dog) can be sliced and added during the simmer – no pan-fry needed. Here’s a good article on sausage types from Spruce Eats.
- Vegetables: Swap in zucchini, mushrooms, green beans. Use spinach instead of kale if you like.
- Pasta: Any small pasta (acini di pepe, baby penne, macaroni, fine egg noodles). Omit for a thinner soup or swap in diced potatoes.
- Heat: Choose mild or hot sausage; add red pepper flakes or a dash of hot sauce to taste.
Variations
- Vegetarian: Use a plant-based sausage or omit the sausage. Switch to vegetable broth. For extra depth, add 1-2 Tbsp tomato paste or use homemade fire roasted tomatoes.
- Parmesan: Add a parmesan rind while the soup simmers for deep umami. Remove the rind after cooking.
- Smoky style: Use andouille/kielbasa (smoked) and simmer to infuse the broth.
- Creamier: Finish with a splash of cream and a little extra Parmesan at the end.
- Low salt version: Skip the Parmesan cheese. Use low-sodium chicken broth, cans of low-salt beans and low-salt tomatoes.
Step by step instructions
Shortcuts
- Buy cooked smoked sausage and slice it into small pieces. With this option, you can skip pan-frying the sausage.
- Dice vegetables in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. It’s fine if a few bigger pieces remain.
- Buy pre-packaged, washed kale leaves (or baby spinach leaves).
- Buy bulk sausage meat (no casings to remove)
- Buy a fresh or frozen mirepoix (chopped onions, carrots, celery) – no chopping!
What to serve with bean and sausage soup
Serve a big bowl of soup with some hot crusty bread or cheddar biscuits, puff pastry cheese twists, a great citrus salad over greens or a puff pastry tomato tart.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. This hearty soup is high in fiber, protein, potassium and iron and contains considerable vitamin A and C. It’s also pretty low in saturated fat as you can drain off most of the fat once the sausage is cooked.
San Marzano tomatoes are sweet and less acidic than most other types of canned tomatoes, making them a great option for soup and sauces. If you can’t find them, use regular crushed or diced tomatoes. Or add smoky depth with these homemade fire-roasted tomatoes.
You can, but just keep in mind that dried cannellini beans will have to be soaked anywhere between 10 and 24 hours before using them.
If too thin, simmer uncovered for longer or add 1/2 cup/120 grams mashed beans. If too thick, add a little more broth or water.
Yes, the flavors deepen overnight in the fridge. Cool it and refrigerate for 3-4 days. (The kale will lose its brightness and turn dull green).
More hearty soup recipes
- vegetable barley soup
- kale potato and sausage soup
- root vegetable soup with barley
- ground beef vegetable soup recipe
- red lentil soup recipe with vegetables
- chicken lemon orzo soup Thai-style
Or check out our full soup and stew collection.
Please leave a 5 star rating ***** with a comment in the recipe card below if you like the recipe, Thanks so much!
Kale White Bean and Sausage Soup
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoon vegetable oil or olive oil
- 1 pound spicy Italian or turkey sausage, casing removed, Note 1
- 2 large carrots
- 3 celery stalks
- 1 medium onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp)
- 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
- 5 cups chicken broth or chicken stock (or vegetarian broth/stock)
- 1 14.5-ounce can white beans, rinsed and drained, Note 2
- 1/2 cup orzo pasta, Note 3
- 6 cups fresh kale leaves, roughly chopped (or baby spinach or swiss chard)
- Garnish: fresh grated Parmesan cheese optional
seasonings (Note 4)
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt or more, to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper or to taste
Instructions
- CHOP VEGETABLES: Dice onions, carrots and celery into small pieces. Shortcut: alternatively, cut vegetables into large chunks and pulse them in a food processor 3-4 times until coarsely chopped. It's ok if a few larger chunks remain.
- SAUTE SAUSAGE: Heat oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add sausage meat, using a spoon to break it up in the pot. Sauté for about 3-4 minutes until browned. Drain off most of grease, leaving about 2 teaspoons in the pot.
- SAUTE VEGETABLES: Add chopped onions, carrots and celery to the pot. Sauté for 3-4 minutes until onions are translucent. Add garlic and spices. Sauté another 1-2 minutes over medium heat.
- ADD LIQUIDS, BEANS AND ORZO: Add diced tomatoes, chicken broth, beans and orzo. Stir. Bring to boil, then lower heat and simmer on medium-low for about 20 minutes or until vegetables and pasta are tender.
- FINISH AND SERVE: Add kale and stir 1-2 minutes until wilted. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve in bowls sprinkled with Parmesan cheese if desired.
Recipe Notes
- Sausage options:
- Use any fresh sausages such as spicy Italian sausages or Chorizo. Or mild fresh farmers or garlic sausages. The sausages can be mild, medium or very spicy – as you like. For a shortcut you can used a cooked smoked sausage like andouille or even a smoky hotdog (and skip the pan fry step).
- For vegetarians, use a vegetarian sausage such as Beyond Meat or leave it out altogether. a
- Bean options: Cannellini, white navy, red kidney, pinto beans, butter beans, great northern beans are all good options.
- Pasta options: Instead of orzo, try acini di pepe, baby penne, fine egg noodles, macaroni, etc. Leave out the pasta if you prefer. Or replace it with diced potatoes.
- Seasonings: Use the equivalent of seasonings you like. Dried thyme, oregano, basil, sage, herbes de province, poultry seasoning or a dried Italian seasoning blend are all good options. For additional heat, add red pepper flakes.
- More variations:
- Low salt version: Skip the Parmesan cheese. Use cans of low salt beans, low salt tomatoes and low sodium broth.
- Vegetables: Try zucchini, mushrooms and green beans. Use baby spinach, frozen spinach or swiss chard instead of fresh kale.
- Parmesan: Add a parmesan rind while the soup simmers for deep umami. Remove the rind after cooking.
- Creamier: Finish with a splash of cream at the end.
- Shortcuts:
- Use cooked smoked sausage; slice and add during the simmer – no pan-frying.
- Pulse veggies in a food processor until coarsely chopped
- Grab pre-washed kale leaves in a bag (or baby spinach).
- Buy bulk sausage meat—no casings to remove.
- Use fresh or frozen mirepoix (onion, carrot, celery) – no chopping.
- Make ahead:
- The sausage and white bean soup will keep well in the fridge in a sealed container for 4-5 days. If it thickens up too much in the fridge, just add more broth.
- The soup can also be frozen for several months. Defrost and reheat in the microwave or in a pot.
- Instant pot version:
- Sauté sausage for 5 minutes. Add onions and veggies. Sauté another 5 minutes, then garlic for 30 seconds. Turn instant pot off.
- Add seasonings, broth, tomatoes and beans. (not pasta)
- Lock in lid. Set Pressure to high for 5 minutes. Do natural releases for 10 minutes. Stir.
- Turn on Sauté funtion. Add pasta and cook until tender.
- Stir in spinach until wilted.
- Slow Cooker/Crockpot version:
- Sauté sausage in a skillet. Add veggies (not including spinach) and garlic. Sauté another 3 minutes
- Transfer to slow cooker and add all other ingredients except spinach, pasta and beans.
- Cook on High for 4-6 hours. Or Low for 8 hours.
- Add beans, pasta and spinach. Cook on high for 15 minutes or until pasta is tender.
I added fresh sliced mushrooms as I had them in the fridge and didn’t want them to spoil. Otherwise, I followed the recipe as is. Delicious!
Glad you liked it! I love using up wilting veggies in soups.
I made this with following adjustments: my guy is vegetarian, so no sausage; I didn’t have sage, so substituted 1/4 teaspoon of Cajun seasoning (next time I may try smoked paprika). Turned out so very good! Thank you!
Glad it worked well. I like your smoked paprika idea.
Five stars for this! Very delicious soup and I will make it again. I followed the recipe exactly with no substitutions and it was perfect.
Thanks for letting us know Rita. Glad you liked it!