Sausage, Kale & White Bean Soup with Parsnips & Carrots
I love this soup. I know many of you have probably had a version of this at some point. Maybe it’s even a staple meal in your home this time of the the year. This is such a lovely, cozy, simple meal that just gets better with age and I love that you can pretty much throw any veggies you’ve got laying around the back of your fridge into this soup. It’s incredibly nourishing and takes the chill out of your bones on these breezy fall nights.
Taylor and I spent a really long, cold and wet afternoon harvesting for the Hood River farmers market yesterday and this soup was simmering on the stove when we came in wet and hungry. I prepared everything in the morning and kept it on low most of the afternoon. The flavors got really rich the longer it simmered. However, you don’t need to make this hours ahead. It can be whipped up in a flash on a busy weeknight.
Happy soup season everyone!
Sausage Kale & White Bean Soup with Parsnips & Carrots
Prep Time: overnight Cook Time: 1 hour Serves: 6-8
- 1 pound dried white beans (Great Northern, Canellini, or Navy) soaked overnight in water
- 1 pound spicy Italian sausage, casings removed
- 2 medium size onions, finely chopped
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- Fat pinch of salt
- 1 bay leaf
- 6-8 cups low salt chicken or veggie stock (start with 6 and add more to thin as needed)
- 4 large carrots, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
- 3 medium size parsnips, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
- 1 bunch of kale, tough stems removed and torn into bite size pieces
- Parmesan cheese for serving
Preparation
- Drain the soaked beans and then cover them with water by about 2 inches in a large pot. Bring to a boil and remove from the heat. Let the beans stand, uncovered at room temperature for 1 hour. Drain and rinse beans in a colander.
- Cook the sausage in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Use a wooden spoon to break up the meat a bit. Cook until no longer pink and lightly browned. Remove the meat with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- Add the onions to the pot along with the garlic, thyme, pepper flakes and salt. Cook, stirring often, until beginning to soften, about 6 minutes. Add the beans back to the pot along with the bay leaf, 6 cups of water, carrots, and parsnips. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer on low until the beans are cooked and veggies are tender. About 40-50 minutes.
- Add the sausage back to the soup along with the kale and cook until warmed through. If the soup seems too thick, add more stock to thin as needed.
- Serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.
Notes
Use this recipe as a guide and adjust measurements and ingredients. This recipe is lightly adapted from Epicurious
Just planning to make it today. I don’t have kale , instead, l have a variety of baby greens.( spinach, crucifers including kale and arugula, baby chard, radicchio, endive, baby lettuces.)
Can L substitute these greens so l can use them up.