Kale, White Bean and Sausage Soup

This recipe is one of Brian's many specialities and one of our favorite winter meals. It's healthy, wholesome, and heart warming.  Add a chunk of warm crusty bread and French butter, and that'll just about cover everyone!

Ingredients - Serves 10

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 8 cups / 64 oz chicken broth (we use Trader Joes Organic Free Range Chicken Broth)
• 2 cups water
• Mirepoix - 1 cup chopped carrots / 1 cup chopped white onion / 1 cup chopped celery
• 3 large cloves garlic finely chopped
• 1 bunch organic Tuscan kale (about 6 leaves), washed, pat dry and stems removed, roughly chopped
• 2 15oz cans of cannellini (white kidney beans), drain and lightly rinse
• 1 lb spicy chicken  sausage (we use Trader Joes Spicy Italian Chicken Sausage) casings removed and roughly chopped
• Pinch of salt
• 1/2  teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 bay leaf
• The rind of a piece of parmesan reggiano, approximately 1x2 inch piece (this is used for flavour)
• Garnish with some grated parmesan and chopped Italian parsley

Mirepoix (chopped carrots, onion and celery), Tuscan kale and 3 cloves of garlic

To remove the stems from the kale, tear a small part of the leaf at the start of the stem, then drag the leaf along the remainder of the stem

To remove the sausage casing, slit through the casing along the length of the sausage with a sharp knife

Then peel the skin away from the meat

Brown the chopped sausage on the stove top

Saute the mirepoix for about 3 minutes, then add the garlic, and continue tossing for another minute or so

Add the kale and toss until it wilts

Add the seasoning, broth and water

Cut a 2x1 inch piece of rind off a piece of parmesan reggiano cheese

Add the beans, sausage, and parmesan rind

Preparation Steps

1. Brown the chopped sausage on the stove top in a saute pan.
2. In a 4 quart large saucepan, heat the olive oil and saute the mirepoix (chopped onion, carrot and celery) for about 3 minutes until the onion is translucent on a medium high heat.
3. Then add the chopped garlic for a further 1 minute constantly stirring so nothing has a chance to burn.
4. Stir in the chopped kale and toss it about until it starts to wilt.
5. Add the beans, the broth and the water.
6. Add the seasoning - salt, ground black pepper, smoked paprika, oregano, bay leaf and the parmesan reggiano rind.
7. Bring to the boil.
8. Then add the sausage.
9. Lower the heat and let simmer for 1 hour, stirring ocassionally.
10. Add a sprinkle of grated parmesan and some chopped fresh Italian parsley and serve with a chunk of warm crusty bread.

Garnish with fresh chopped Italian parsley, some grated parmesan reggiano and tuck in!

Nutrition Values (using exact products we use)

​I used MyFitnessPal app to calculate the nutrition values.  I've been using this app for years for fitness and nutrition guidance. I have it downloaded on my phone.
​
​One Serving provides:

Calories 234
Fat 9g
Saturated 2.2g
Polyunsaturated 0.5g
Monounsaturated 3.0g
Trans 0.0g

​Cholesterol 24.5mg
Sodium 917mg
Potassium 184mg
Carbohydrates 23.3g
Dietery Fiber 8.6g
Sugars 2.2g

​Protein 
Vitamin A 220%
Calcium 87.5%
Iron 12.7%
(Percent values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet)

I hope you enjoy this dish as much as we do. It's even better left over.  I've shared this recipe with many friends before, and it's become one of their winter favorites too.  I would love to hear about your favorite winter dishes, and perhaps share those also. Write to me on the contact form.

​
Love 
​Karen xox