Sausage, Kale and White Bean Soup

Sausage, Kale and White Bean Soup is a hearty main dish soup. Loaded with vegetables, creamy white beans and plenty of slices of chicken sausage, it’s a soup that will keep you full for hours!

Our fall weather is being very sporadic. Over the weekend it was in the 80’s and almost hot and now today we’re only supposed to be in the 50’s. It looks like fall with all the red, yellow and orange leaves, but some days you’d never know it was because you’re still wearing shorts and t-shirts. Since today is one of our cooler fall days I’m making a big pot of this Sausage, Kale and White Bean Soup.

Before I start talking about how this soup is probably one of my top 5 favorites, I have to talk about how amazing the moon was last weekend. Did you guys see it? Apparently they were calling it a Hunter’s Supermoon and it was fantastic! I didn’t even know it was a thing let alone happening this weekend until I got back from my run Saturday and there was an email from my mom talking about it. When I stepped outside Saturday morning it was completely dark. I always start my run facing west, so the first thing I saw was the gorgeous moon set right about the mountains!

It was one of the biggest, brightest, most yellow moons that I had ever seen. I almost went back inside to grab my camera and take a picture, but just decided to start running and enjoy it while it was still up. It wasn’t up much longer, but the next morning it was for a noticeably longer time and while it wasn’t yellow it was very bright!

On to the Sausage, Kale and White Beans Soup, the real reason you’re here. This soup is so hearty and definitely qualifies as a main dish. Some soups are more of a side dish and you need a salad or sandwich to go with them, but not this one. Between all the vegetables, the beans and the sausage there is plenty of protein and fiber to keep you full. I tried a new brand of chicken sausage that I hadn’t used before and loved the flavor that it added to the soup, but feel free to use your favorite flavor, just make sure it’s good quality. If you’re vegetarian you can simply skip the sausage and add an extra can of beans to make it a little heartier. Here’s hoping cooler weather is on the way so I can make another batch of this soup!

Sausage, Kale and White Bean Soup

Yield: 5 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

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Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup diced onion
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 3/4 cup diced celery
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup diced zucchini
• 1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
• 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup water
• 1 bunch of kale, ribs removed and chopped (about 4-5 cups)
• 3 cooked chicken sausages, sliced
• 15 ounces canned white beans, drained and rinsed
• Parmesan cheese for topping (optional)

Instructions

1. Brown the chicken sausage in a large non-stick skillet then set aside.
2. Add the oil to a large pot and heat it over medium-high heat.
3. When the oil is hot swirl it around the bottom of the pot then add in the onion, carrots, celery and garlic.
4. Season with salt and pepper and sauté for about 3 minutes or until the vegetables start to soften.
5. Add in the zucchini, parsley, rosemary, oregano and red pepper flakes and stir everything together.
6. Add in the chicken broth and water and bring to a boil.
7. Once the soup is boiling lower the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.
8. Add in the kale and simmer for another 10 minutes.
9. Stir in the white beans and chicken sausage then taste for seasoning.
10. Add more salt, pepper and chicken broth if needed.
11. Top the soup with shredded parmesan cheese for serving if desired.
12. Soup keeps in the fridge for about a week and actually tastes even more flavorful the following day.

Notes

* To make this soup gluten free be sure to use a gluten free sausage.

* For a vegetarian/vegan option omit the sausage and add a second can of beans. Use vegetable broth in place of the chicken broth.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 5 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 347Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 50mgSodium: 810mgCarbohydrates: 36gFiber: 9gSugar: 5gProtein: 27g

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