Slow Cooker Sausage Kale White Bean Soup is hearty and packed with protein and vitamins. This soup simmers in your slow cooker while you go about your day, leaving you with the perfect dinner for your family.
Today’s Slow Cooker Sausage Kale White Bean Soup is not only hearty and warming for winter, but it packs protein and vitamins into every bowl.
This soup reminds me of olive gardens zuppa toscana but without the potatoes and heavy cream.
For this soup I used andouille sausage but you can use whatever your favorite is-chicken sausage, Italian sausage-or even leave it out to make this a vegetarian soup. This is the perfect comforting soup for the colder weather but also nice for a light spring meal.
It is versatile and can be modified to what you have in your pantry and fridge. This soup also makes great leftovers or you can freeze it for later.
If you are looking for a quick and easy soup this crock pot zuppa toscana is the recipe for you!
When I created this soup I was thinking back to this Smoked Sausage, White Bean and Spinach Pasta with Toasted Pine Nuts that I made a few years ago.
If you like soup recipes check my other soup recipes here. You might also like this Instant Pot Turkey Chili, Lebanese Lentil Soup, Moroccan Red Lentil Soup or this Chicken Lentil Soup.
Recipe Ingredients You’ll Need
- Sausage: This recipe uses andouille sausage but you also could leave out the sauce or use sweet italian sausage or ground sausage.
- Vegetables: My favorite part of this soup is that it has some great veggies in it. I added onion, carrots and celery. You could also add in bell peppers or poblano.
- Beans: The white beans add protein and are a nice addition to making it a hearty soup. You also could swap those for chickpeas or leave them out all together.
- Spices: The spice mixture adds great flavor. The mixture uses oregano, parsley, basil, thyme, red pepper flakes and bay leaves.
- Greens: The kale in this soup is hearty and holds ups nicely. You could also use spinach.
How to Make this Kale Sausage Soup
Step 1: Cook Sausage: Cook the sausage according to the package and put in the crockpot. Add the remaining ingredients except the kale and stir.
Step 2: Cook Soup in Crockpot: Cook on low for 4 hours or high for 2 hours. The last 10 minutes add the kale in and stir. Cover and let wilt. Serve warm with fresh parsley and parmesan cheese.
Recipe FAQ
Yes you should cook the sausage before adding it to the crockpot. Browning it also adds more flavor and you can drain the grease.
I love andouille for the hint of spice but you can also use Italian sausage (mild or spicy), chicken sausage, turkey sausage, or even plant-based sausage.
Other Soup Recipes to Try
Slow Cooker Sausage Kale White Bean Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 – 12 oz. package of sausage {I used andouille}
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 sweet onion, chopped
- 2 large carrots, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 2 – 15 oz. can of white beans {I used cannellini beans}
- 4 cups chicken broth {or vegetable broth}
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon parsley
- 1 teaspoon basil
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme
- 3 bay leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne red pepper {optional for spice}
- 2 cups kale, roughly chopped {or green of your choice}
Garnishes:
- Fresh parsley
- Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil and cook the sausage until it is browned, about 5-6 minutes. Add the sausage to the crockpot.
- Add remaining ingredients except the kale and cook on low for 4 hours or high for 2 hours. The last 10 minutes add the kale, stir and close the lid. Let the kale wilt. Serve warm with fresh parsley and parmesan cheese.
Notes
- You can use any green you like-try spinach instead of kale.
- You could use a different bean- try kidney beans or chickpeas.
- You can make this vegetarian by leaving out the sausage and using vegetable broth.
- You could add other vegetables, like zucchini. If you do use zucchini I would add it with 15 minutes left to cook so it doesn’t get soggy.
- You could add pasta to this soup which would be great. Try smaller shaped pastas like elbow or orzo.
