Italian Sausage, Kidney Bean & Kale Soup Recipe

Beat the Cold! Slow Cooker Recipe w/ Kale

Oh man, the kids have been battling a nasty cold for almost two weeks. Sebas has been holding tough, but poor Alina got it bad. And me? Well, show me the mommy job that comes with sick time! To amp up our immune systems, we’ve been eating a lot of greens. This kale soup with Italian sausage and kidney beans made from with the crock pot is so yummy, even the kids will forget that they’re eating healthy!

I served this kale soup with a side of crunchy garlic bread and topped with shavings of Parmesan cheese. Other than the fat from the sausage, which I got from Walmart and was labeled as being free of MSG and other yucky stuff, no additional oil was used. I was also happy to see a good variety of organic, fresh produce at Walmart (with amazing prices, obviously). If I wasn’t feeling like the walking dead, I would have cooked the kidney beans from scratch too. Alas, I did open a couple cans of organic beans for this recipe.

This kale soup with Italian sausage and kidney beans made with the crock pot is clean, but very satisfying. Both of my babies gobbled it right up, with plenty of leftovers to spare. (I will add, though, that my littles aren’t the pickiest eaters.)

Italian Sausage, Kidney Bean and Kale Soup

1 pound Italian sausage, casings removed

4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 medium onion, chopped

1 pound carrots, chopped

1 cup celery, chopped

2-4 cloves fresh garlic, minced

1 (15-oz) can white kidney (cannellini) beans, drained and rinsed

1 (15- oz) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning blend (recipe for my homemade version coming soon!)

½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper

1 bunch kale, trimmed and chopped (reserve a handful to add for color)

Parmesan cheese, as desired

Crock Pot Soup Instructions

In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, add sausage and cook until thoroughly crumbled. Transfer to a slow cooker, making sure to get all the fat rendered. Add broth, veggies, beans and seasoning. Stir to incorporate. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours. Stir in kale and cook on high for an additional 1 hour. Use reserved kale to add freshness and color upon serving.