Name: Sausage, Kale, and White Bean Soup
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 8 Servings
Cuisine: American

Balancing Bowls Verified

January 29, 2026

This sausage kale and white bean soup starts with a deeply savory broth built from browned turkey sausage, onion, garlic, and a Parmesan rind simmered right in the pot. Creamy white beans soak up all that flavor while adding body, and the kale softens into the soup without losing its structure. Fresh herbs, a touch of smoked paprika, and an optional dried chili give the broth warmth and depth, and a splash of lemon at the end pulls everything together. It's a satisfying, well-balanced soup that feels comforting without being heavy-and tastes even better the next day.

Sausage, Kale, and White Bean Soup cover

From the Cook

1/10

Sausage, Kale, and White Bean Soup

Balancing Bowls Verified

Ingredients

WarningMilk and 4 other allergens identified

Instructions

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Brown the sausage

Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add the ground turkey sausage and cook, breaking it up into small pieces, until browned and cooked through. Remove the sausage from the pot and set aside.

Sauté the vegetables

Add the onion, celery, and salt to the pot. Cook until the vegetables are softened, then add the garlic and cook briefly until fragrant.

Add seasoning, broth, and beans

Stir in the smoked paprika, then pour in the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the beans, Parmesan rind, cooked sausage, bay leaf, rosemary, oregano, and dried Thai chili, if using.

Simmer

Bring the soup to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat and cook until the flavors have melded and the chili (if using) has infused the broth. Season with freshly ground black pepper and additional salt to taste.

Add kale

Before adding the kale, remove the thick rib from each leaf and discard it. Roll the leaves up tightly, slice into ribbons, then stir the kale into the soup and let it wilt just until tender.

Finish and serve

Remove the Parmesan rind, bay leaf, and herbs. Stir in the lemon juice, then ladle the soup into bowls and top with grated Parmesan and freshly ground black pepper.

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Tips & Tricks (5)

Parmesan Rind Magic 🧀
Save your Parmesan rinds and add them directly to the soup for an incredible depth of umami flavor that cannot be replicated by simply grating cheese.
Kale Prep Pro Tip 🥬
Remove tough kale stems by folding the leaf in half and slicing along the stem, then chop into bite-sized pieces to ensure even cooking and better texture.
Sausage Browning Technique 🍳
Break down ground sausage into small, irregular pieces while cooking to maximize caramelization and create more surface area for developing rich, complex flavors.
Bean Softening Hack 🫘
If using canned beans, rinse thoroughly and add them towards the end of cooking to prevent them from becoming mushy and maintain their creamy texture.
Lemon Brightness Trick 🍋
Add fresh lemon juice just before serving to brighten the entire dish and cut through the richness of the sausage and beans.

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About the Cook

Balancing Bowls

I'm Nora! Balancing Bowls is the product of a slightly chaotic life, a need to make and grow things, and a love of creative cooking. If you're here because you're trying to feed your family well without losing your mind, you're in the right place.