This rustic white bean soup with kale and chicken sausage is thick and hearty and makes a perfect dish for fall and winter; best of all it can be made on the stovetop or quick and easy in an Instant Pot!
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Why This Recipe Works
This dish is based on the braised white beans side dish from Zoe's Kitchen. I wanted to replicate the flavor of that dish but incorporate some greens and meat to make it into a heartier main dish.
For the greens, I chose kale, but chard, collards, or other hearty greens are great options. For the meat, I use chicken sausage with apples to give a little sweetness to balance the savory flavors.
If you're following a vegetarian or vegan diet, you can leave out the sausage or use a plant-based alternative and substitute vegetable broth for the chicken broth in this recipe.
Ingredients
- Olive oil
- 1 pack of chicken sausage with apples, 10-12 ounces
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 lb dry white beans
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 6 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 3 cups chopped kale
If you're following a vegetarian or vegan diet you can leave out the sausage or use a plant based alternative and substitute vegetable broth for the chicken broth in this recipe.
How to Prepare Dry White Beans for Cooking
If you're using an Instant Pot, there is no need to pre-soak your beans. The pressure cooking step will soften the beans. If you're cooking on the stovetop, you can either pre-soak the beans or just extend the cooking time of the soup by another 45 minutes or so. To pre-soak the beans, there are two options:
- The first option is to soak the beans in 6 cups of water for 6-8 hours or overnight.
- Alternatively, you can add the beans and 6 cups of water to a large pot and bring to a boil. Cover and turn off the heat, then let the beans soak in the hot water for an hour.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Note: this recipe was developed on a 6 qt Instant Pot Duo Evo Plus.
- Set the Instant Pot to saute and allow it to preheat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the sliced chicken sausage, then cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned. Transfer to a dish and set aside.
- Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, then add your diced onion and cook for about 2 minutes until translucent. Turn off Instant Pot and cook onion for another minute. Then add garlic and cook for another minute, stirring frequently to avoid burning. I find the saute setting gets pretty hot, so turning it off for a minute before adding the garlic helps reduce the chance of your garlic burning.
- Add your broth and scrape up any brown bits on the bottom to avoid triggering a burn warning. Then add the dry beans, kale, rosemary, salt, pepper, and bay leaf, then stir to combine. The beans should be covered by around 1 inch of liquid. Cover the Instant Pot and set it to manual for 25 minutes. Allow the steam to release naturally after complete.
- After the steam has released, carefully remove the lid from the Instant Pot and mash some of the beans with a wooden spoon, then add back the chicken sausage and stir to combine.
Stovetop Instructions
- Soak the beans in 6 cups of water for 6-8 hours or overnight, then drain. Alternatively, you can use the quick soak method or just extend the cooking time another 45 minutes or so until the beans are softened.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a Dutch oven or stock pot, then add the chicken sausage and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes until browned. Remove and set aside.
- Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the onions to the pot and cook for 2-3 minutes until softened and translucent. Next, add the garlic and cook for 30-45 seconds until fragrant, stirring constantly to avoid burning. Then add the kale and cook for around 2 minutes until softened. Add beans, broth, rosemary, salt, pepper, and bay leaf and stir to combine.
- Cook uncovered for 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beans are softened. In the last 5 minutes of cooking, mash some of the beans with a wooden spoon to help thicken the soup.
How to Serve White Bean Soup
This white bean soup is really hearty and flavorful, but it's awesome to add some extra flavor by topping it with a drizzle of good olive oil and shaved parmesan cheese. Some good crusty garlic bread is perfect on the side.
Recipe Tips and FAQs
Like many soups and stews, this dish is even better the next day since the flavors have more time to come together. Allow the soup to cool and transfer to a storage container. Refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Reheat in a pot over medium heat until warmed through or reheat smaller portions in the microwave.
Yes, absolutely! You can replace the dry beans with 2 16-ounce cans of white beans, drained and rinsed. Omit the added salt unless using reduced-sodium white beans. Reduce the cooking time to around 20 minutes for the stovetop. Reduce the pressure cooking time to 5 minutes for the Instant Pot and use the quick-release method to vent the steam.
The Instant Pot seals in the moisture really well, so the consistency is thinner than the stovetop method. For a thicker soup, set the Instant Pot to saute and let simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until it reaches your desired consistency.
More Fall and Winter Favorites
This is one of my favorite fall and winter recipes. Be sure to check out some of my other favorites below!
- Instant Pot London Broil
- Instant Pot Pork Roast and Potatoes
- Homestyle Chili
- Sweet Potato Breakfast Skillet
- Sheet pan Pork Tenderloin and Potatoes
📖 Recipe
White Bean Soup with Kale and Chicken Sausage
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoon olive oil, divided
- 1 pack of chicken sausage with apples, 10-12 ounces, sliced
- 1 medium yellow onion , diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lb dried white beans, rinsed
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 6 cups chicken broth, or vegetable broth
- 3 cups chopped kale
Instructions
Instant Pot Instructions
- Set Instant Pot to saute and allow to preheat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sliced chicken sausage then cook for 3-4 minutes stirring occasionally until browned. Remove and set aside.
- Add remaining tablespoon of olive oil then add diced onion and cook for about 2 minutes until translucent. Turn off Instant Pot then add garlic and cook for another minute stirring frequently to avoid burning.
- Add broth, beans, kale, rosemary, salt, pepper, and bay leaf then stir to combine. The beans should be covered by around 1 inch of liquid. Cover the Instant Pot and set to manual for 25 minutes. Allow steam to release naturally after complete.
- After the steam has released, carefully remove the lid from the Instant Pot and mash some of the beans with a wooden spoon then add back the chicken sausage and stir to combine.
- For a thicker texture, set the Instant Pot to saute and let simmer, stirring occasionally, until it reaches your desired consistency.
Stove Top Instructions
- Soak the beans in 6 cups of water for 6-8 hours or overnight then drain.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a dutch oven or stock pot then add the chicken sausage and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes until browned. Remove and set aside.
- Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the onions to the pot and cook for 2-3 minutes until softened and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 30-45 seconds until fragrant, stirring constantly to avoid burning. Add Kale and cook for around 2 minutes until softened. Add beans, broth, rosemary, salt, pepper, and bay leaf and stir to combine.
- Cook uncovered for 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beans are softened. In the last 5 minutes of cooking mash some of the beans with a wooden spoon to help thicken the soup.
Nutrition
* All nutrition information we provide are estimates based on third party calculators. We encourage you to calculate these on your own for accurate results.
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