Keepin' Recipes Real with Christie Vetter 

Looking for a hearty yet healthy soup this fall? Look no further. This Lemony Sausage Kale & White bean soup is simple, super nutrient dense, and will keep you full for hours. It stores amazingly so you can heat it up for lunch all week. It can easily feed the whole family, which is why I recommend serving the shaved parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes on the side so the adults can spice it to taste. 

My kids love this soup! It took a few introductions for it to catch on with them (as it often does with new foods), but now they ask for this soup by name. I serve most soups to my kids on their little divided kids plates so that it looks more like a meal than a soup (less broth, more “stuff”) and with a piece of buttered crusty bread. I’ve found they’re more likely to eat soup this way than in a traditional bowl with a spoon, for what it’s worth! 

What you need:

4 tablespoons Tessemae’s Lemon Garlic Dressing
1 pound mild Italian pork sausage
1 large yellow onion, chopped 
4 large carrots
3 celery stalks
3 garlic cloves
Sea salt and cracked pepper to taste
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
4 cups kale, de-stemmed
2 cans cannellini beans (washed and drained)
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ tablespoon red pepper flakes 

 

What you do:

1. In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat 2 tablespoons of Tessemae’s Lemon Garlic Dressing over medium high heat. Add sausage and cook until browned, breaking up with a wooden spoon, for about 7 minutes. Scrape any browned bits from the pot and set the sausage aside on a plate.
2. Return pot to heat and add remaining 2 tablespoons of Lemon Garlic Dressing. Once sizzling, add onion, carrots, celery, sea salt and pepper. Cook until onions are soft, about five minutes.
3. Add garlic to mix and cook until fragrant, stirring constantly, about 30 seconds. 
4. Stir in the chicken broth, water, and cooked sausage. Bring to a boil.
5. Once soup is boiling, reduce heat to a simmer and cook over medium until carrots and celery are tender, about 5 minutes. 
6. Add the Italian seasoning, kale, and beans, and cook until kale is wilted, about 5 minutes.
7. Season with salt and pepper, and serve sprinkled with Parmesan and red pepper flakes. 

Note: This is an excellent soup to make earlier in the day. The longer it simmers the better it tastes. Just add the kale a few minutes before you eat for best results.