White Bean and Kale Soup with Sausage

David says “it’s been a long weekend.”  Andrew responds “it’s the same number of hours every weekend, Dad.”  That’s our boy – black and white; literal; straightforward. 

At the end of a long weekend, you have to recharge for the coming week.  This soup has all the ingredients to do just that.  Travis liked it; Andrew hand picked out the onions; Elizabeth ate just the sausage – that’s a win in my book – I will make it again. 

Thanks, Kim and MC (and MC's mother-in-law), for sharing this recipe!

Ingredients

White Bean and Kale Soup with Sausage

1.      2 (32-ounce) boxes chicken broth, divided

2.      1 lb or a 12-ounce package of sausage – the kids liked Polish; David preferred the spicy Andouille; the original recipe listed a Chicken Sausage, such as Roasted Artichokes and Olives or Spinach & Feta, sliced

3.      1 large yellow onion, diced

4.      Salt and ground black pepper to taste

5.      7 cups cooked white beans (cannellini, navy or great northern), divided (fyi - a 15.5oz can of cannellini beans = 1 1/2c of beans so 5 cans, drained and rinsed)

6.      1 bunch kale, stems and tough ribs removed, leaves roughly chopped

Heat 1/4 cup broth in a large pot over medium heat. Add sausage slices and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has evaporated and sausage is just browned, about 10 minutes. Add onions, salt and pepper and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 10 minutes more. (Add a generous splash of broth to the pot if onions begin to stick.)

Put 3 cups beans and 2 cups broth into a blender and purée until smooth; set aside.

Add remaining broth to sausage mixture in pot and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits.  Add kale, reduce heat, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until wilted and softened, about 5 minutes.  Uncover, add remaining 4 cups of beans, bean puree, salt and pepper and simmer until hot throughout, about 5 minutes more.