Herby White Bean, Sausage, and Kale Soup
Oh look, I’m back with another soup recipe! Surprise, surprise. Soup is always on my mind in the fall, and when my friend Kirby of @leisurefanclub on Instagram decided to host a #soupmoodcollab, I just knew I wanted in. I’m in a permanent soup mood. So today, I bring you this Herby White Bean, Sausage, and Kale Soup.
This soup comes together easily, but if you listen to nothing else I say here, please read this: in order to maximize the depth of flavor, I highly suggest using homemade stock. I admit to using homemade ham stock when I made it (from a leftover Easter ham bone! Bless the freezer!), but you can easily use chicken stock and add a smoked ham hock to the cooking process to achieve similar results. If you don’t already, SAVE YOUR BONES! All kinds of bones are useful when making stock, and allow you to extract maximum flavor and create a really wonderful silky stock. I generally tend to keep poultry, beef, and pork bones in separate gallon bags in the freezer and when the bag is full, I make stock. Bones (preferably with a bit of meat left) + aromatics such as carrot, onion, and celery + a splash of apple cider vinegar + salt to taste results in a delicious stock without fail. If you have a pressure cooker, 1-2 hours is sufficient, but if you’re going the old fashioned way on the stove top, I recommend a low simmer for several hours. The time and effort of making your own stock is so worth it…trust me. Freeze it in quart containers or ice cube trays for easy use later!
Now that I’ve stood on my soap box about stock, let’s talk about the rest of the soup. Shallots and smashed whole cloves of garlic sautéed in olive oil make up the base. Then the sausage gets browned along with them, and once ready, the beans, kale, a bouquet garni of herbs, and stock are added. If using a ham hock, that would go in, too. You could also use a parmesan rind to improve store-bought stock, a soup-maker’s favorite trick. After a quick simmer, this soup is ready to eat. Of course, the flavor of dishes like this are almost always better the day after, so make sure you leave some leftovers if you can!
Herby White Bean, Sausage, and Kale Soup Recipe
Makes 4-6 servings
Ingredients
Fresh herbs such as sage, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 medium shallots, diced
4 cloves of garlic, smashed and peels removed
3/4 lb sweet Italian sausage
2 cans small white beans, one drained and one with liquid reserved
5 cups roughly chopped flat leaf kale
1 1/2 quarts (6 cups) ham, pork, or chicken stock
1 smoked ham hock (optional, use if not already using ham/pork stock)
Parmesan cheese, for serving
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Method
Use a small piece of cotton thread or kitchen twine to tie together herbs into a bouquet garni (see above photo). Set aside.
Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large stock pot or Dutch oven. Once oil is shimmering, add shallots and cook, stirring frequently, until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for an additional 5 minutes or until garlic is softened and just beginning to brown.
Remove sausage from casing and crumble into pot. Stir occasionally, allowing sausage to brown.
Once sausage is fully cooked through, add both cans of beans plus reserved liquid, kale, stock, ham hock if using, and bouquet garni. Bring to a simmer and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 30 minutes, or until slightly reduced and flavors have melded.
Taste for any additional seasoning and add. Serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Soup is often better the day after it is made.
Looking for more soup? Try my Spiced Butternut Squash Soup!
