At last, a Kale Soup that is worth getting excited about! With flavor for days, hearty and creamy white beans, and spicy turkey sausage, this soup is everything you didn’t know kale soup could be.
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Diet food? Oh heck no.
Kale soup sounds like one of those punishing diet foods that you force yourself to eat until you end up crying uncle and ordering a burger at the drive-thru window. That is not what you get here, though. Like Minestrone, this kale soup makes for a hearty, satisfying meal.
While the zippy Italian turkey sausage, Parmesan rind, and white miso are optional, if you add them to the mix, you’ll end up with so much depth and umami flavor in this kale soup. If you’re over veggie soups with anemic, flavorless broths, this kale soup changes the game.
Eating a bowl of this soup feels like slipping on your favorite cozy cardigan. I love that it has lots of filling ingredients, which is exactly what I crave when the weather starts to turn!
Key Ingredients
You’ll find the full list of ingredients in the recipe card below, but here are some notes to keep in mind.
- Hot Italian Turkey Sausage. This is optional, but Italian sausage will add flavor and protein, making this kale soup a meal on its own.
- Yellow Onion, Carrots, and Celery. The trifecta that starts so many of our favorite soup recipes, from 15 Bean Soup to Turkey Soup.
- Garlic. Feel free to add more, but never add less.
- Red Pepper Flakes. Use as much or as little as you like.
- White Miso Paste. This may seem a little out of left field, but stick with me! Miso is an umami bomb, and white miso has a subtle sweetness. This optional addition adds a lot of depth to this kale soup.
- Parmesan Rind. Parmesan rind is your Italian grandma’s secret for an epic bowl of Pasta Fagioli.
- White Beans. I used Great Northern beans, but cannellini beans or navy beans are fantastic too.
- Low-Sodium Vegetable or Chicken Broth. Homemade or a high-quality store-bought variety.
- Kale. The star of the show! You can use Lacinato (also known as Tuscan kale or dinosaur kale) or curly kale. This leafy green is also a nutrient power house in Chickpea Soup.
- Lemon. To brighten things up and balance the flavors.
- Grated Parmesan Cheese. The perfect finishing touch. Freshly grated Parm melts beautifully into the soup.
How to Make Kale Soup
Brown the Sausage. A meat chopper makes it easy.
Sauté the Vegetables. This builds flavor.
Add the Miso and Garlic. Stir and cook for a minute or two.
Simmer. Add the Parmesan rind, beans, and broth. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
Finish. Stir in the kale; once it wilts, add the lemon juice and season to taste. Serve the kale soup topped with grated Parmesan and ENJOY!
Recipe Variations
- Not-Kale Soup. This recipe also works for chard, spinach, and other greens.
- Make It Vegan. Skip the Parmesan (or add dairy-free Parm) and add the miso. Omit the sausage or replace it with your favorite vegan sausage; crumble it up and add it with the kale.
- Add Butternut Squash. Butternut squash and kale make a great pair, as in my Quinoa Stuffed Butternut Squash with Kale. Cube the squash small and add it to the pot with the beans and broth.
- Add Potatoes. Add small diced potatoes (or sweet potatoes!) with the beans and broth.
- Try Chickpeas. Swap the canned white beans in this kale soup for chickpeas.
- Make It Creamy. After the kale wilts, pour in half-and-half for a creamy finish.
What to Serve with Kale Soup
- Salad. Soup and salad is a classic combo! Serve kale soup with Burrata Salad or a light Arugula Salad.
- Sandwich. Prefer something a little more substantive with your kale and white bean soup? Then try a Chickpea Salad Sandwich or Apple Grilled Cheese with Turkey.
- Bread. You could buy a crusty baguette from the bakery, or if you’re feeling ambitious, make Rosemary Olive Oil Bread or Cornbread Muffins.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Wash the Kale Well. Curly kale can have grit and dirt hiding in the leaves and you don’t want that in your soup! Instead of running the whole bunch of leaves under the faucet, rinse them one by one. Or, you can chop the kale and use a salad spinner.
- Add Some Umami Flavor. Both the miso and the Parmesan rind will give your kale soup a lot of depth and umami flavor. I recommend adding at least one of them for the best kale soup.
- Strip the Kale With Ease. The easiest way to do this is to hold the thick end of the stem in one hand and use the other to run a knife down both sides of the stem, stripping off the leaves.
- Cut the Kale into Bite-Sized Pieces. My rule for soup is that everything should fit onto a spoon.
Kale Soup
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Ingredients
- 4 links uncooked hot Italian turkey sausage optional (1 pound)
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion chopped
- 4 medium carrots peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
- 2 celery stalks chopped (about 1 cup)
- 3 garlic cloves minced (about 1 tablespoon)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes plus additional to taste (optional)
- 1 tablespoon white miso paste* optional
- 1 Parmesan rind* optional
- 2 15-ounce cans white beans drained and rinsed (I used Great Northern beans)
- 8 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 bunch curly or lacinato kale destemmed and chopped (5-6 cups)
- ½ lemon juiced (about 1 tablespoon)
- Grated Parmesan cheese for serving
Instructions
- If using sausage, heat a Dutch oven or similar large pot over medium heat and squeeze the sausage from the casing into the pot. Cook, breaking the sausage up into small pieces, until it’s well browned, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a bowl with a slotted spoon, leaving the drippings in the pot.
- Add the olive oil to the pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring periodically, until the vegetables are softened, about 6 minutes
- Add the miso and garlic. Stir and cook for 1-2 minutes, until very fragrant.
- Add the Parmesan rind (if using), and the beans and broth. Increase the heat and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Stir in the kale and sausage. Cook until just wilted, about 2 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice and season to taste with more salt, black pepper, and/or red pepper flakes.
- Serve hot, with grated Parmesan on top.
Notes
- TO STORE: Leftovers will keep in your refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- TO REHEAT: Warm on the stovetop or in the microwave.
- TO FREEZE: Freeze kale soup for up to 6 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Nutrition
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This was the best soup I have ever made – made it for a group of friends and all of them said it was their favorite soup and have asked for the recipe!! Turkey sausage was perfect too because it was good protein but didn’t have heartburn after haha! 10/10 Recommend!!
Yay! Thank you, Mai!
I LOVE this recipe! I used regular turkey Italian sausage, because I couldn’t find the hot variety. But the red pepper flakes give it a nice little zing. I’m definitely making this soup again!
Glad you enjoyed it, Emily! Thank you!
Have been making two different versions of Kale Soup. 1) Vegan with Kale and Cannellini beans. 2) The other with Beef Neck Bones, Kale, potatoes and carrots.
Made this recipe today with the Italian sausage. Very quick and easy to make. Used regular Spicy Italian sausage instead of turkey Italian sausage. Excellent flavor.
One thing regarding the recipe directions. If the Italian sausage is used, the first step is to brown and then transfer to a bowl. It is never mentioned when to add the Italian sausage back into the pot with the other ingredients. I added with the broth and beans.
Sounds tasty Laurie, we really love this version too!
I just made this kale soup, and it’s fantastic! The combination of flavors is perfect, and the kale adds such a nice, healthy touch. I love how the soup is both light and filling at the same time. It’s the perfect comfort food, and the recipe was so easy to make. I’ll definitely be making this regularly.
Great to hear, thank you Patricia!
I’m delighted with how this kale soup turned out! The kale is cooked just right, and the broth is full of flavor. It’s hearty and satisfying without being heavy. My family definitely enjoyed this soup. Thank you so much!
So glad to hear, thank you Ashley!
I made this kale soup for lunch today, and it exceeded my expectations! The kale is tender but still has a bit of texture, and the broth is incredibly flavorful. I love how easy it was to prepare and how hearty it is. It’s the kind of soup that warms you from the inside out. I’ll definitely be making this again soon!
So glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Athena! Thank you!
This soup was amazing!! I will definitely be adding it to my go-to recipes(which are mostly your recipes! lol)
FYI, one thing that another commenter pointed out is the directions never mention when to add the sausage back in…?
Hi Shelbe! Thank you for letting us know. It goes back in in Step 5 with the kale! Thank you!
Looking forward to making this! Could I add frozen diced (hash brown style) potatoes? If so, at what point should I add? Thanks!
Hi Emily, I haven’t tried it using the frozen ones, but maybe the last 5 minutes. I don’t know how well those cook up in soups but would love to hear your feedback on it! Thank you!
I would make this recipe again! Everything delicious – love the red pepper flakes and Parmesan block. So rich after a few days, too!