This Tuscan White Bean Soup is made with sautéed carrots, onion and celery plus white beans, Italian sausage and kale in a flavorful, creamy tomato-flavored broth. It is a cozy, hearty meal that's perfect with some crusty bread for dunking!
¾lbground Italian sausage(375 grams) mild or spicy
3large carrots(peeled and sliced)
2ribscelery(sliced)
1medium onion(finely chopped)
3tablespoonstomato paste
4clovesgarlic(finely minced)
1teaspoonsalt
1teaspoondried thyme
1teaspoondried oregano
1teaspoondried parsley
¼teaspoonblack pepper
¼teaspoonred pepper flakes(optional -- will add spice)
5cupslow sodium chicken broth
2canswhite kidney beans(540 ml or 19 oz each)
2cupsfresh, chopped kale
½cupheavy cream or evaporated milk
¼cupfreshly grated Parmesan
1teaspoongranulated sugaroptional
Instructions
Heat a large dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat.
Add the sausage and cook, stirring often, until light5ly browned.
Add carrots, celery and onion and cook over medium-high heat until onion is softened and beginning to brown, about 4-5 minutes. (if there's still a lot of excess fat after this point, you can dab some up with a paper towel if you prefer)
Add the tomato paste, garlic, salt, thyme, oregano, parsley, pepper and red pepper flakes and cook 1 minute.
Add broth and scrape the bottom of the pan to release any stuck on bits.
Drain and rinse the beans. Add them to the soup and bring to a simmer. Cover and reduce heat to medium low. Simmer until vegetables are tender.
Stir in kale, cream and parmesan. Taste and add sugar if needed (it balances out the acidity of the tomato paste) and serve.
Video
Notes
Ingredients and Substitutions:
Italian sausage: Italian sausage adds a ton of flavor! Feel free to swap for Italian turkey or chicken sausage for a lighter option or omit for a meatless version.
Tomato paste: I love the flavor tomato paste adds (faintly but not overly tomato-y), but you can skip if you prefer or if you have allergies.
Chicken broth: I always choose low or no-sodium broth and add salt as needed. Feel free to swap this for vegetable broth if desired.
Kale: Kale is loaded with nutrition, but if you don't enjoy it you can easily swap for spinach -- just be sure to stir it in before serving.
Cream or milk: Cream adds a touch of richness without being overpowering. For a lighter option, you can use evaporated milk. If you prefer, you can stir in 1 teaspoon of corn starch with the milk for a thicker soup.
Make it vegetarian: to make this soup vegetarian, skip the sausage and saute the veggies in oil. Choose vegetable broth over chicken broth and choose a vegetarian cheese (or omit).Make it dairy-free: You can omit the cream and cheese or add in non-dairy options.