Tuscan White Bean Soup with Sausage and Kale

This Tuscan White Bean Soup is a hearty one-pot dinner made with Italian sausage, creamy cannellini beans, sun-dried tomatoes, and kale in a tomato-herb broth. It is filling, protein-packed, and ready in 45 minutes, which makes it perfect for cold-weather weeknights, meal prep, and casual dinners with friends. Make it in the oven, in an Instant Pot, or in a slow cooker.

📝 Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 8 oz Italian sausage (or 4 pork sausages, casings removed)
• 1 medium yellow onion (finely diced)
• 2 large carrots (sliced into rounds)
• 2 large celery stalks (diced)
• 3 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (crushed )
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 30 oz white beans (2 (15 oz) cans white beans (cannellini or Great Northern), drained and rinsed)
• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes (finely chopped)
• 3 cups packed kale (chopped)
• salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
• flat-leaf parsley (chopped, for garnish)
• Parmesan cheese (finely grated, for serving)

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1Cook the sausage. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the sausage and break it up with the back of a wooden spoon as it cooks, about 6 to 8 minutes, until browned and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and leave a little of the rendered fat in the pot.
2. 2Soften the vegetables. Add the onion, carrots, and celery to the same pot. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring now and then, until softened and fragrant.
3. 3Add the aromatics. Stir in the garlic, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and tomato paste. Cook for 1 minute, stirring, until the tomato paste darkens slightly.
4. 4Simmer. Pour in the chicken broth and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the white beans and sun-dried tomatoes. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 10 to 12 minutes.
5. 5Finish. Stir in the kale and return the sausage to the pot. Simmer 5 more minutes, until the kale wilts and the soup thickens slightly. Season generously with salt and black pepper.
6. 6Serve. Ladle into bowls and top with chopped parsley and finely grated Parmesan. Serve with crusty bread.