This Creamy Sausage Kale White Bean Soup is the definition of hearty, comforting, and delicious! It’s absolutely packed with amazing textures and flavors, featuring savory kielbasa sausage, crispy bacon, tender potatoes, white beans, nutritious kale, and aromatic vegetables, all simmered in a rich, creamy broth enhanced with a blend of Italian cheeses. I love making this Sausage Kale White Bean Soup because it’s creamy without being overly heavy and makes for such a satisfying meal, especially on a cooler evening – even these pleasant ones we’re having around April 20th! It’s a fantastic one-pot meal that the whole family will adore.
Why You’ll Love This Sausage Kale White Bean Soup
- Hearty and Satisfying: Loaded with sausage, bacon, potatoes, beans, and kale, this soup is a truly filling meal.
- Creamy Comfort: The heavy cream and cheese blend create a rich, comforting broth without being overly thick.
- Packed with Flavor: Savory meats, aromatic vegetables, herbs, and cheese create layers of delicious taste.
- Easy One-Pot Meal: Most of the cooking happens in one large stockpot or Dutch oven, making cleanup easier.
- Great Texture: Offers a wonderful contrast of creamy broth, tender veggies/beans, chewy kale, and crispy bacon.
Ingredients for Sausage Kale White Bean Soup
Here’s what you’ll need to make this hearty and comforting soup. The full list with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Meats & Veggies
- Thick-cut bacon, roughly chopped (Meat)
- Fully cooked kielbasa sausage (or Andouille), sliced (Meat)
- Large yellow onion, diced (Vegetable)
- Carrots, diced (Vegetable)
- Celery ribs, diced (Vegetable)
- Minced garlic (Aromatic)
- Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cubed (Vegetable)
- White beans (canned), rinsed and drained (Beans)
- Diced kale, tough stems removed (or chopped spinach) (Vegetable)
Broth, Cream & Cheese
- Chicken broth (low-sodium) (Liquid)
- Heavy cream (Dairy)
- Finely grated Romano, Asiago, and Parmesan cheese blend (or just Parmesan) (Dairy)
Seasoning
- Italian seasoning (Spice Blend)
- Dried rosemary (Herb)
- Dried thyme (Herb)
- Salt (plus more to taste) (Seasoning)
- Pepper (Spice)
- Crushed red pepper flakes (for garnish, optional) (Spice)
- Homemade croutons (for garnish, optional)
(Note: the full ingredients list, including measurements, is provided in the recipe card below.)
Variations
I love the classic combination in this Sausage Kale White Bean Soup, but feel free to customize:
- Different Sausage: Use hot or mild Italian sausage (casings removed and crumbled), turkey sausage, or even chorizo.
- Add More Vegetables: Stir in some diced bell peppers, corn, or zucchini.
- Make it Spicy: Add a pinch of cayenne pepper or use a spicy sausage.
- Different Beans: Use Great Northern beans, cannellini beans, or even kidney beans.
- Lighter Option: Substitute half-and-half or evaporated milk for the heavy cream for a less rich broth.
How to Make Sausage Kale White Bean Soup
Let me show you how easy it is to make this hearty Sausage Kale White Bean Soup:
Cook Bacon and Sauté Base
- I place the roughly chopped bacon in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
- I cook the bacon until it’s crispy. Using a slotted spoon, I remove the cooked bacon and set it aside on a paper towel-lined plate, but I leave the rendered grease in the pot (that’s flavor!).
- To the hot pan and bacon grease, I add the sliced kielbasa sausage, diced onion, diced carrots, and diced celery.
- I cook, stirring often, until the sausage is browned and the vegetables begin to soften, which takes about 10 minutes.
- I add the minced garlic, Italian seasoning, dried rosemary, dried thyme, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. I cook for another minute, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant.
Simmer the Soup
- Carefully, I pour in the chicken broth, making sure to scrape up any flavorful browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- I stir in the peeled and cubed Yukon gold potatoes.
- I bring the soup to a simmer, then cover the pot and let it simmer until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, about 15 minutes.
Finish with Cream, Greens, and Cheese
- I stir in the heavy cream, the rinsed and drained white beans, the chopped kale, the grated cheese blend, and the reserved cooked bacon (saving a little extra bacon for garnish if I like!).
- I continue to simmer gently, stirring, just until the kale is wilted and the cheese is melted into the soup. Avoid boiling rapidly after adding the cream and cheese.
- I taste the Sausage Kale White Bean Soup and re-season with more salt and pepper, if necessary.
Garnish and Serve
- Garnish and serve
Tips and Tricks for the BEST Sausage Soup
Here are my secrets for making this Sausage Kale White Bean Soup truly exceptional:
- Brown the Meats: Taking the time to crisp the bacon and brown the sausage adds significant depth of flavor.
- Sauté Vegetables Well: Softening the onion, carrots, and celery builds the soup’s aromatic base.
- Use Yukon Gold Potatoes: They hold their shape well but become creamy, perfect for this soup.
- Add Kale at the End: Stirring in the kale just until wilted preserves its texture and vibrant color. Spinach can also be used and wilts even faster.
- Freshly Grated Cheese: Melts much more smoothly and tastes better than pre-shredded cheese blends.
How to Serve
This Sausage Kale White Bean Soup is a hearty meal in a bowl! Serve it hot, garnished with:
- Extra crumbled bacon
- A sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes (for heat)
- Homemade croutons for crunch
- Extra grated Parmesan cheese
- Fresh chopped parsley
It’s also fantastic served with:
- Crusty bread or warm dinner rolls
Make Ahead and Storage
This soup is excellent for making ahead, and the flavors meld beautifully overnight!
- Storage: Store leftover Sausage Kale White Bean Soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the microwave. Add a splash of broth or water if the soup has thickened too much upon standing. Avoid boiling vigorously.
- Freezing: Cream-based soups with potatoes can sometimes experience texture changes upon freezing (cream separating, potatoes becoming slightly grainy). While possible, freezing might compromise the texture slightly. Cool completely before freezing for up to 2-3 months.
FAQs about Sausage Kale White Bean Soup
- Can I use a different kind of sausage?
- Yes! Andouille, Italian (hot or mild), turkey, or chicken sausage would all be delicious substitutes for kielbasa.
- Can I make this soup dairy-free?
- You can try substituting full-fat canned coconut milk or an unsweetened cashew cream for the heavy cream and using nutritional yeast or a dairy-free Parmesan alternative instead of the cheese, but the flavor profile will be significantly different.
- What other beans can I use?
- Great Northern beans, cannellini beans, or even kidney beans would work well in this Sausage Kale White Bean Soup.
Enjoy this hearty, creamy, flavorful, and comforting Sausage Kale White Bean Soup! It’s a perfect one-pot meal.
Print
Sausage Kale White Bean Soup
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 8 1x
- Category: Soup, Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Description
This Sausage Kale White Bean Soup is creamy without being overly heavy and absolutely packed with amazing texture and flavors. Kielbasa sausage, potatoes, kale, and white beans simmer in a rich, seasoned broth finished with cream and cheese.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 slices thick-cut bacon, roughly chopped
- 1 pound fully cooked kielbasa sausage (or other smoked sausage), sliced into rounds
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 ribs celery, diced
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 3–4 cloves)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste, if necessary
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 (32 oz) carton low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 pound Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 pint (2 cups) heavy cream
- 1 (15 oz) can white beans (such as cannellini or great northern), rinsed and drained
- 2 cups chopped fresh kale, tough stems removed (can substitute chopped spinach)
- ½ cup finely grated cheese blend (Romano, Asiago, Parmesan recommended)
Optional Garnishes:
- Homemade croutons
- Crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Cook Bacon: Place the chopped bacon in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is crispy.
- Reserve Grease & Bacon: Using a slotted spoon, remove the crispy bacon from the pot and set it aside on a paper towel-lined plate. Leave the rendered bacon grease in the pot (you should have about 2-3 tablespoons; drain any excess if needed).
- Sauté Sausage & Vegetables: Add the sliced kielbasa sausage, diced onion, diced carrots, and diced celery to the hot bacon grease in the pot. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.
- Add Garlic & Seasonings: Add the minced garlic, Italian seasoning, dried rosemary, dried thyme, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper to the pot. Cook, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute more, until fragrant.
- Add Broth & Potatoes: Slowly pour in the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Stir in the cubed potatoes.
- Simmer: Bring the soup to a simmer, then cover the pot and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork-tender.
- Add Remaining Ingredients: Stir in the heavy cream, rinsed and drained white beans, chopped kale, and the grated cheese blend. Stir until the cheese is melted and the kale begins to wilt.
- Add Bacon Back: Stir the reserved cooked bacon back into the soup.
- Final Seasoning & Serve: Taste the soup and re-season with additional salt and pepper, if necessary. Serve hot, garnished with homemade croutons and a sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes, if desired.
Notes
- Sausage: Kielbasa or Andouille sausage works well. Ensure it’s fully cooked sausage.
- Potatoes: Yukon Gold potatoes hold their shape well. Russets can be used but may break down more, slightly thickening the soup.
- Kale: Remove the tough stems before chopping. Spinach is a good substitute; stir it in just before serving as it wilts quickly.
- Cheese: A blend of hard Italian cheeses adds great flavor. Use freshly grated for best melting.
- Creaminess: Heavy cream makes the soup rich. You can substitute half-and-half for a lighter version.
- Storage: Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat gently.