This soup recipe checks all the boxes. Super easy to make, deliciously satisfying to eat and freezes really well. Plus, I dare you to find another way to eat so many good-for-you veggies in one sitting! Italian chicken sausage, white bean and kale soup is a meal in a bowl that is as comforting as a big bowl of pasta. The best part? The kids eat it too!
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This Italian Chicken Sausage, white bean & kale soup is my variation of a classic Tuscan White Bean, sausage & kale soup - but with more veggies, leaner sausage yet still all the taste.
My mom used to make soups like this all of the time. There was always a big pot of soup in the fridge that we would eat through the week. Just the smell of this soup on the stove and I immediately think of my mom. My sense is that it will bring joy to your household too.
Grocery List
- 1 12oz package of sweet (or spicy - your preference) Italian Chicken Sausage (I bought mine at Trader Joe's)
- 1 cup white onion (two small or one medium white onions)
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 ½ cups chopped carrots (about 4 carrots)
- 2 cups zucchini (about 2 zucchini)
- 2 cups chopped roma tomatoes
- 2 cups chopped and peeled potatoes (about 4 russet or Yukon gold potatoes)
- 2, 15.5 oz cans of white beans (or cannellini beans)
- 1 15.5 oz can of diced tomatoes
- 2 cups of sliced kale (removed from the stalks)
- 1 tbsp of tomato paste
- 1 tbsp of herbes de Provence (or Italian seasoning if you can't find herbes de Provence)
- 1 chicken Bouillon cube
- 12 Cups of water (or if you are using chicken stock - omit the bouillon cube)
- 1.5 cups of sliced mushrooms (I use cremini in this recipe)
- Shaved parmesan to garnish
- 1 cup fresh chopped basil to garnish
Equipment Needed
A big soup pot - a minimum size of 8 Qts. This soup is big and makes lots of leftovers!
A sturdy chopping board makes "la mise en place" so much easier - I use this rimmed board (the black one is back in stock!! ) with jar gaskets underneath it to secure it on the countertop.
Good quality chopping knife - we use Wustof in our house and this 8 inch chef's knife is my workhorse. It is an investment, but it is also indestructible!
A microplane is great for getting a fluffy cloud of parmesan over this soup. I use my microplane all of the time for everything from lime zest to garlic to cheese to nutmeg.
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How to Serve Italian sausage, white bean and kale soup
This soup is great on its own. It is packed with flavor and is incredibly satisfying. I love to vary textures and tastes in soup so I would suggest serving this recipe with shaved parmesan on top as well as a generous helping of fresh basil. You may also choose to top with fresh cracked pepper and chili flakes. Garnish this soup like you would a big bowl of pasta. It is so comforting.
How to freeze portions of the soup
Freezing in portions is key. Instead of freezing in a big container, portion out into smaller containers which will allow you to reheat a few portions at a time.
Food safe rules : let the soup cool on the counter in your soup pot before portioning out into freezer containers. Wait until the soup has reached room temperature before putting in the freezer.
I hope you will try this recipe - it is one of my go-to's! Sometimes I vary the vegetables depending what is left in my fridge at the end of the week, but it always tastes delicious.
You know what goes great with this soup? Fresh baked crusty baguettes! My baking baguettes for beginners recipe is super easy and takes only 2 hours from start to finish, including proving time. If you have never baked bread before you will be able to follow this recipe.
FAQ
Yes — you absolutely can. If you prefer pork Italian sausage, or even a vegetarian “sausage” alternative, go ahead; just keep in mind the flavour profile will shift slightly and you may want to adjust the seasonings accordingly
White beans like cannellini or great northern beans are perfect — creamy in texture and mild in flavour. For the kale, choose a sturdy variety (such as lacinato/tuscan kale) that will hold up in the soup rather than wilt into nothing.
Oui — this soup is wonderfully freezer-friendly. Make a big batch, let it cool, then store in freezer-safe containers; when reheated you may want to refresh the kale by adding a little more fresh just before serving for best texture.
Bon Appétit!
Au plaisir,
About Le Chef's Wife
Bonjour! I am Anina Belle. I translate the fancy cooking of my Michelin-star trained French Chef Husband, Le Chef, into easy to make dishes that busy people with no culinary training (like me!) can make at home. We have two young kids (5 and 2) and I have a full time job in hospitality in addition to this blog. I strongly believe that even busy people deserve to eat well at home.
Look inside our Kitchen with this recent Washington Post Article. We were recently featured on the TODAY SHOW for our recipes of French Onion Soup Gratinée and Moelleux au Chocolat. You can watch our full segment here:
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Print
Italian Chicken Sausage, White Bean & Kale Soup
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 8-10 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Soup
- Cuisine: French / Italian
Description
Italian chicken sausage, white bean and kale soup is a meal in a bowl that is as comforting as a big bowl of pasta. Healthy, packed full of veggies, easy to make and freezes well. One of my favorite go-to soups that my family loves!
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup white onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 ½ cups chopped carrots
- 2 cups zucchini
- 2 cups chopped roma tomatoes
- 2 cups chopped and peeled potatoes
- 2, 15.5 oz cans of white beans (or cannellini beans)
- 1 15.5 oz can of diced tomatoes
- 1 tbsp of tomato paste
- 2 cups of sliced kale (removed from the stalks)
- 1 tbsp of herbes de Provence (or Italian seasoning if you can't find herbes de Provence)
- 1 chicken Bouillon cube
- 12 Cups of water (or if you are using chicken stock - omit the bouillon cube)
- 1 ½ cups of sliced mushrooms (I like to use cremini in this recipe)
- Shaved parmesan to garnish
- 1 cup fresh chopped basil to garnish
Instructions
- First prepare your "Mise en place" - a french culinary term that means set up.
- Peel and chop all of your vegetables and slice the sausage.
- Only once you have everything chopped and ready to add to the soup do you turn the heat on under your stock pot. Chef's tip that makes cooking so much less stressful!
- Heat your stock pot over medium high heat. You will need at least an 8QT stockpot for this soup - you will have enough soup to freeze.
- First, heat your olive oil with the onions and garlic.
- Then, add in the carrots and the sliced chicken sausage. Allow to cook for a couple minutes, stirring frequently and making sure the onions do not stick.
- Now, add in the zucchini, tomatoes, white beans and potatoes. Top with the can of diced tomatoes, herbes de Provence, tomato paste and kale.
- Pour in 12 cups of water or chicken stock. If you are using water, only add the bouillon cube once the water has started to simmer. Stir well.
- Allow the soup to simmer over medium to medium-low for 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes or so, making sure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot.
- Add in the mushrooms and allow to simmer another 10 minutes. I add in the mushrooms at the end because I like them a little crunchy.
- Test that the potatoes are fully cooked - they should break apart easily with your spoon.
- Turn off the heat. Voilà your soup is done.
- Serve directly into soup bowls. Top with freshly chopped basil and shaved parmesan. Délicieux!
- Bon Appétit!
Notes
How to Serve Italian sausage, white bean and kale soup
This soup is great on its own. It is packed with flavor and is incredibly satisfying. I love to vary textures and tastes in soup so I would suggest serving this recipe with shaved parmesan on top as well as a generous helping of fresh basil. You may also choose to top with fresh cracked pepper and chili flakes. Garnish this soup like you would a big bowl of pasta. It is so comforting.
How to freeze portions of the soup
Freezing in portions is key. Instead of freezing in a big container, portion out into smaller containers which will allow you to reheat a few portions at a time.
Food safe rules : let the soup cool on the counter in your soup pot before portioning out into freezer containers. Wait until the soup has reached room temperature before putting in the freezer.
Vegetarian Option:
Remove the sausage for a delicious vegetarian dish!
The chicken sausage can also be replaced with pork sausage, ground turkey meat, or ground beef - depending what you have on hand.
Puhh Watt says
"So delicious!"
This Italian Chicken Sausage, White Bean & Kale Soup is pure comfort in a bowl hearty sausage, creamy beans, vibrant kale and savory broth all come together effortlessly. Thank you for this recipe! Enjoying every spoonful from the kitchen of Le Chef’s Wife.
Tim Voigt says
Made this soup several times with different iterations. Your ideas are wonderful!
lechefswife says
Thank you, Tim, for your kind comment! I appreciate the note. I hope you will join for our Soup Sunday Challenge 2024!
Jennifer Chase says
This sounds delicious, I'm definitely going to make it. Question - how do you sharpen your knives? Do you bring them to a professional or do you have a good knife sharpener at home?
lechefswife says
Thank you so much for your comment! My husband sharpens our knives at home 🙂 But that being said, definitely get them sharpened to extend the life of your knives.
Suzanne says
Looks delicious! What could be added for taste if one wanted to make this soup vegetarian?