Sausage, Kale, & Cannellini Bean Soup
This hearty Tuscan soup is full of flavor. The crinkly, deep-green leaves of Lacinato kale (also called dinosaur or black kale) are ideal, but any variety of kale will work. I leave out the sausage. This recipe is easily adaptable to serve meat-lovers and vegetarians alike: see the variation to serve one vegetarian, or check out the totally meatless version of this recipe.
This hearty Tuscan soup is full of flavor. The crinkly, deep-green leaves of Lacinato kale (also called dinosaur or black kale) are ideal, but any variety of kale will work. I leave out the sausage. This recipe is easily adaptable to serve meat-lovers and vegetarians alike: see the variation to serve one vegetarian, or check out the totally meatless version of this recipe.
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 -1/2 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion finely chopped (1-1/2 cups)
- 1 medium carrot peeled and finely chopped (3/4 cup)
- 1 medium celery stalk finely chopped (3/4 cup)
- 1 -1/2 tsp. minced fresh rosemary
- 2 tbs. tomato paste
- 2 large cloves garlic minced (1 tbs.)
- 1 quart homemade or lower-salt chicken or vegetable broth
- two 15-oz. cans cannellini beans
- 6 oz. lacinato kale center ribs removed leaves chopped (about 4 firmly packed cups
- 1 parmigiano-reggiano rind (1x3 inches; optional)
- 1 -1/2 tsp. cider vinegar
- 2/3 lb. sweet or hot bulk italian sausage rolled into bit
- Carbohydrate 1.54825624869118 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0.0384812499674698 g
- Fiber 0.335687491908018 g
- Protein 0.353699999701 g
- Saturated Fat 0.00818749999307869 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (85g)
- Sodium 589.393749993217 mg
- Sugar 1.21256875678316 g
- Trans Fat 0.0117081249901025 g
- Calories 7 calories
Step-by-step
- Heat 1 Tbs. of the oil in a 4- to 5-quart pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and rosemary and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 6 minutes. Add the tomato paste and garlic and cook until fragrant, 45 seconds. Add the broth, beans, kale, and Parmigiano rind (if using). Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium low, and simmer gently until the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1/2 Tbs. oil in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add the sausage meatballs, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes.
- Add the sausage to the soup and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cook 5 minutes more to meld the flavors. Stir the cider vinegar into the soup and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Leaving out the bulk Italian sausage entirely alters the protein delivery and richness of this Tuscan soup, shifting the broth from a heavy meat-based profile to a lighter, vegetable-forward dish. Without pork fat rendering into the 4- to 5-quart pot during the initial sweat, extra-virgin olive oil must compensate to carry the aromatics. Yellow onion, carrot, celery, and minced fresh rosemary need six minutes over medium heat to soften properly without scorching.
Substitutions ripple outward through the remaining components. Swapping canned cannellini beans for dried requires an overnight soak and a separate preliminary boil, since canned varieties are already fully cooked and contribute starch immediately upon simmering. Lacinato kale yields a tender texture with minimal stringiness once the center ribs are removed, whereas curly kale retains a tougher chew after fifteen minutes of gentle boiling. Tossing in a 1-by-3-inch Parmigiano-Reggiano rind introduces umami depth through long-simmering glutamates, a technique that requires constant stirring during the initial tomato paste and garlic stage to prevent burning the sugars.
Vegetarians can omit the meat entirely while retaining structural integrity by doubling the quantity of cannellini beans or introducing canned chickpeas for varying density. For households splitting dietary preferences, cook the sausage meatballs separately in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-low heat for ten minutes until browned, then portion the meat into individual bowls just before serving rather than blending it into the main pot.
