Sausage, Kale + White Bean Soup -- Red Version
I have two versions of this soup. One I make when I have tomatoes on hand, and one when I don’t. This is your tomato version. It's super hearty, super healthy (just pick a good sausage from a local farmer you trust please), and it will keep you full for hours. It’s gluten-free and easily dairy-free (lactose-free) without the cheese or subbing sheep’s pecorino for cow’s Parmesan.
Ingredients
1 tbsps olive oil
1 pounds Italian sausage, sliced or whole without casing
4 large carrots, sliced into rounds
4 large celery, sliced
8 ounce mushrooms (cremini, white button, portobello), sliced
4 clove garlic, minced or grated
4 sprig herbs -- thyme, rosemary, lemon balm, 2-4 each
2 medium bay leaves
2 tbsps tomato paste
2 tsps paprika
26 fl. oz. tomato puree, depending your brand, it may be 26-28oz
2 quarts chicken or veg stock, homemade if you can!
1 bunch kale, thick ribs/stems removed and leaves chopped
14 ounce cannelonni beans, 1 can or 1/2 bag soaked, cooked, and drained
3 tsps salt, season throughout and add to taste
1 tsps black pepper, add to taste
4 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated
1 medium onion or leek, sliced or diced
Preparation
1.Heat large pot over medium high heat. Add oil. Once oil is shimmering, add sausage and cook until brown and thoroughly cooked. Remove using a slotted spoon, set aside.
2. Reduce heat to low. There should be enough rendered fat from the sausage, but add a little more olive oil, if needed. Sweat onion/leeks in oil until soft and translucent, about 15 minutes. (The oil shouldn’t be super hot when you add the onions/leeks because we don’t want to fry them, just low and slow cook, so you can remove the pan from the heat for a few minutes if your oil is too hot.) Season with salt.
4. Add carrots and sweat for about 5 - 7 minutes. Season.
5. Increase heat, add mushrooms and spread in one layer, getting as close to the bottom of the pot as possible. Cook, without moving, until browned on one side, about 3 – 5 minutes. Stir and then cook another 3 – 5 minutes until golden on both sides. Season.
6. Add garlic in last 2 minutes of cooking mushrooms and cook until just fragrant.
7. Stir in tomato paste and paprika and cook about 1 - 2 minutes to bloom and release the fragrance.
8. Add tomato puree, stock, and herbs. Simmer for about 15 minutes to reduce and create a little thicker of viscosity.
9. Season with salt and pepper, as needed.
10. Add chopped kale and cooked beans, stirring to cook the kale.
11. Enjoy!
View Recipe 
