See my Homemade Crouton recipe HERE!
Sausage Kale and White Bean Soup
This hearty soup will have leave you satisfied but still craving another bowl! This is a great make ahead recipe; the flavors taste exponentially better once they've had a chance to marry.
Equipment
- 1 large Dutch oven
- 1 paring knife
- 1 wooden spoon
- 1 grater if using Parmigiano-Reggiano for garnish
- 1 soup ladle
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 lb mild Italian sausage casings removed; see notes
- 1 yellow onion peeled and diced
- 1 ½ cup leeks white and light green part only, sliced into half moons
- 10 garlic cloves peeled and minced; it sounds like crazy amount but TRUST ME
- 1 cup celery finely diced
- ⅓ cup dry white wine optional
- ½ tsp red chili flakes
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp kosher salt plus more to taste
- ½ freshly ground pepper
- 1 beef bouillon cube crushed
- 6 cups chicken stock best quality; home is ideal
- 15.5 oz can of Cannellini Beans drained and rinsed
- 10 oz kale ribs removed and cut into 2" pieces; I used a bag of Trader Joe's Tuscan Kale
- 1 cup heavy cream
- Parmigiano Reggiano for serving (optional)
- Homemade croutons or crostini for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook until browned, breaking up the meat with the tip of your wooden spoon as you go (about 10 minutes). Transfer the sausage meat to a plate and loosely cover; set aside on the counter.
- Turn the heat down to medium and add the onion, leek, and celery to the pot. Add a light sprinkling of salt, sauté for 5 minutes or so, stirring frequently, until veggies are soft and the onion is translucent. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant (about 1 minute).
- Add the wine and let it reduce by half (about 2 minutes). While deglazing, scrape the bottom of the pot with your wooden spoon to get all the flavorful brown bits.
- Add 1 cup of the cup of the chicken stock and continue to deglaze the pot by scraping the bottom with your wooden spoon.
- Add the remaining chicken stock, red chili flakes, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, and beef bouillon. Turn the heat up to high, give everything a good stir, and bring to a boil.
- Add the beans and lower heat to medium; simmer for 10 minutes.
- Turn down the heat to medium-low and stir in cream, sausage, and kale. Cook on a low simmer until the kale is cooked through (about 3 minutes).
- Serve with freshly grated or shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano and homemade croutons or crostini. Garnish with a sprinkle of Aleppo pepper.
Notes
I’ve made this with hot Italian and it was too much for me. I opt to add-in some red pepper flakes for a more controlled touch of heat.
