Kale, Sausage, & White Bean Soup

 In

From Dishing Up the Dirt, by Andrea Bemis.

Yields1 Serving
 2 T olive oil
 1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage (about 3 links), casings removed
 1 cup chopped finely chopped leek
 2 carrots, cut into 1/4 inch chunks
 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
 1 large russet potato, cut into 1/4 inch chunks
 2 cloves of garlic, minced
 2 bay leaves
 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
 2 cups cooked cannellini beans (rinsed and drained from a can)
 1 large bunch of kale, tough stems discarded, torn into bite-sized pieces
 fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
 freshly grated Parmesan cheese for serving
1

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium. Add the sausage and brown it, stirring occasionally to break it into smaller pieces, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in the leek, carrots, celery, potato, and garlic. Continue to cook until the vegetables soften up a bit and become fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add the bay leaves and stock, and bring the liquid to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

2

Stir in the beans, kale, and a generous. pinch each of salt and pepper. Continue to simmer the soup for and additional 15 minutes. Taste test and adjust seasonings as needed. Serve with grated Parmesan.

Ingredients

 2 T olive oil
 1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage (about 3 links), casings removed
 1 cup chopped finely chopped leek
 2 carrots, cut into 1/4 inch chunks
 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
 1 large russet potato, cut into 1/4 inch chunks
 2 cloves of garlic, minced
 2 bay leaves
 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
 2 cups cooked cannellini beans (rinsed and drained from a can)
 1 large bunch of kale, tough stems discarded, torn into bite-sized pieces
 fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
 freshly grated Parmesan cheese for serving

Directions

1

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium. Add the sausage and brown it, stirring occasionally to break it into smaller pieces, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in the leek, carrots, celery, potato, and garlic. Continue to cook until the vegetables soften up a bit and become fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add the bay leaves and stock, and bring the liquid to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

2

Stir in the beans, kale, and a generous. pinch each of salt and pepper. Continue to simmer the soup for and additional 15 minutes. Taste test and adjust seasonings as needed. Serve with grated Parmesan.

Notes

Kale, Sausage, & White Bean Soup