Description
This hearty Sausage and White Bean Soup combines savory ground sausage, creamy cannellini beans, and nutrient-rich kale in a flavorful broth enhanced with herbs and a touch of cream. Perfect as a comforting meal, it features a balance of spices, wine for depth, and finishes with Parmesan cheese and lemon juice for brightness.
Ingredients
Scale
Seasonings
- 0.5 teaspoon oregano
- 0.5 teaspoon basil
- 0.5 teaspoon parsley
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes
Main Soup Ingredients
- 1 pound ground sausage (regular, hot, or mild)
- 0.5 cup dry white wine
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 ribs celery, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 6 cups chicken broth (consider low sodium)
- 0.25 cup heavy cream (can substitute half and half)
- 2 (15.5 oz) cans Cannellini beans, drained but not rinsed
- 3 cups kale, roughly chopped
- 0.33 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1–2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Prepare Seasonings: Combine oregano, basil, parsley, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl and set aside. Measure all other ingredients before starting the cooking process for smooth workflow.
- Cook Sausage: Heat a large soup pot over medium heat. Add ground sausage and cook, crumbling it as you go. When sausage is halfway cooked, reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover the pot, and continue cooking 10-12 minutes total to render drippings.
- Reserve Drippings and Sausage: Scoop out 1 tablespoon of sausage drippings and set aside. Remove cooked sausage from pot and set aside as well.
- Deglaze Pot with Wine: Turn heat off, add white wine to the pot, then turn heat back to medium. Scrape the bottom and sides of the pot with a silicone spatula to loosen browned bits, adding flavor to the broth.
- Sauté Vegetables: Add reserved drippings, butter, diced onion, and celery to the pot. Stir to combine and cook until liquid reduces by half, about 4-5 minutes.
- Add Garlic and Seasonings: Stir in minced garlic, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, and the combined seasonings. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add Broth and Cream: Pour in chicken broth and heavy cream, stirring well to combine. Bring mixture to a boil then lower to a simmer.
- Simmer with Sausage: Return cooked sausage to the pot. Partially cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally for even cooking.
- Add Beans and Kale: Stir in the drained cannellini beans and simmer for 10 more minutes. Add chopped kale and cook 3-5 minutes until wilted.
- Finish Soup: Stir in grated Parmesan cheese and fresh lemon juice. Remove the pot from heat and serve hot.
Notes
- Crock Pot Method: Skip the wine. Melt butter in crock pot, add onions, celery, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon, and seasonings. Toss to coat. Brown sausage separately, drain grease, then add sausage and browned bits to crock pot. Cook on high 3-4 hours or low 6-7 hours. Add beans during last 30 minutes and kale 5-8 minutes before serving. Stir in cream, Parmesan, and lemon juice before serving.
- Sausage Tips: Jimmy Dean Regular Pork Sausage recommended but any sausage works. To collect drippings, push sausage to side halfway and spoon up drippings that collect.
- Bean Variations: Great Northern Beans or a mix with Cannellini are delicious; Pinto beans work well too.
- Salt Control: Sausage, beans, and Parmesan add salt; consider low sodium broth.
- Additional Vegetables: Frozen corn, peas, green beans, canned tomatoes, zucchini, spinach, or cabbage can be added for variety.
- Meat Alternatives: Ground beef, turkey, or chicken can substitute sausage, though flavor differs.
- Serving Suggestions: Pairs well with No-Knead Bread or Olive Oil Bread Dip for sopping up broth.
- Storage: Refrigerate airtight up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months. Soup freezes well.
