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A bowl containing a generous portion of Brothy Beans with Sausage and Kale, with a slice of baguette and charred lemon slice on the side.

Brothy Beans with Sausage and Kale

Simple, quick, healthy, comforting, what more can we ask for in such a versatile bean dish. Think of this as a cross between soup and stew, with all the comforting vibes from the grated cheese. Leftovers are even better!
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian, North American
Keyword brothy beans, cannellini beans
Prep Time 28 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

  • 3/4 lb Italian Sausages, casings removed, see Notes
  • 1 medium onion, small dice
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 medium carrots, small dice
  • 3 14 oz cans or jars (398 ml) Cannelini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 cups chicken broth plus more as desired, see Notes
  • 1/3 cup (31 g) grated Pecorino cheese, or more as desired
  • 3 cups finely sliced Lacinato kale, see Notes
  • salt and pepper
  • lemon for finishing, see Notes
  • 2 tbsp chopped parsley for garnish

Instructions

  1. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Remove the meat from the sausage casings and crumble into the pan. Sauté until cooked through and crisped up. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked sausage to a paper towel lined plate. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the skillet.
  2. Add the onion and sauté till softened, about 3 minutes or so. Add the garlic and carrot and cook, stirring regularly till getting soft.
  3. Set aside 1/3 cup of the drained beans, along with 1/2 cup of the chicken broth, and add the remaining beans and broth to the skillet. Cook over medium heat till the vegetables are softened, and the beans are warmed completely through.

  4. Meanwhile, in a blender, combine the reserved beans, broth and 1/3 cup grated cheese till smooth. Add this to the skillet and stir through. Return the sausage to the skillet. Add the finely sliced kale and let the warmth of the broth soften and warm the kale through.

  5. Taste and add salt sparingly since the sausage and cheese will have added a saltiness already. Then add in 1 tsp pepper. Taste and adjust as desired.

  6. Use the juice from 1/2 lemon to finish the dish, stir through. This will brighten and lighten the rich nature of the beans.
  7. If the beans are too thick for you, just add a bit more broth to thin out the consistency.

  8. Finish with the chopped parsley, and more grated Pecorino if you want, and serve with toasted baguette or focaccia.

  9. If storing any leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge overnight, you will need to add more stock or water to them as you re-heat them over medium low heat. They will have thickened overnight.

Recipe Notes

If three average sized sausages come close to 3/4 lb or so, this is fine. Use hot Italian or mild Italian sausages, as per your liking.
Feel free to use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. Add a spoonful of my Faux Chicken Bouillon Powder for added depth of flavour.
You can replace the kale with chiffonade-ed spinach. If you use a curly kale, you wil need to let it cook longer before finishing the dish, as it needs more time to break down and soften.
You can swap out red wine vinegar for the lemon if you desire.