I love a great bowl of soup! On a super cold day, a beautiful bowl of soup not only warms me up, but also lifts my spirits.
The smell of this Tuscan Cannellini and Kale Soup simmering on the stove, will have the family hovering around. Enjoy some quality time…add a glass of good wine…and Spring will be here before you know it!
Turn this….
Into this!…Soups are super satisfying to whip together on a cold day. This Tuscan Cannellini & Kale Soup will cook up in forty minutes. Add twenty minutes for prep time and you will have a healthy lunch or dinner on the table in just about an hour!
To make this soup you will need:
2 cups of fresh kale; rinsed, chopped, stems removed.
2 cups of fresh baby spinach
4 large shallots; sliced
2 ribs of celery; sliced thin
3 small carrots; diced
3-4 sprigs of thyme; leaves removed from stems
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary; chopped
3 sprigs of fresh sage; whole
3 cloves of garlic; minced
2 15.5 oz. cans of cannellini beans; drained, but NOT rinsed.
1 cup (or half of 28 oz can) whole peeled tomatoes; diced.
5 links of Sweet Italian Sausage; remove meat from casings.
6 cups of chicken stock
3 tablespoons of olive oil
Fresh ground salt and pepper
Freshly grated parmesan or Locatelli cheese for serving.
Directions:
Use a heavy pot placed over medium high heat.
1. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium high heat. Add the sausage meat and sauté for five minutes.
2. Add the celery, scallions and carrots and continue to sauté for another two minutes before adding the minced garlic. Give the pot a good stir and sauté for an additional eight minutes.
3. Stir in the kale, beans, tomatoes and six cups of chicken broth. Bring the soup to a boil over high heat.
4. Add the fresh herbs give it another stir and reduce heat to medium low for a simmer. Cover and continue to simmer the soup for forty minutes.
5. Just before serving, add seven twists each of fresh ground salt and pepper as well as two cups of fresh baby spinach.
6. Serve with freshly grated parmesan or Locatelli.
Enjoy!
For step by step instructions, click through the gallery below:
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- Simmer up this yummy Tuscan Style Cannellini & Kale Soup. Give yourself an hour, and you will be happy that you did!
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- You will need 2 cups of kale; chopped with stems removed, 2 cups of baby spinach leaves, 4 large shallots; sliced, 2 ribs of celery; sliced, 3 small carrots; diced, 2 sprigs of rosemary; chopped, 3-4 sprigs of Thyme; leaves removed from stems, 3 sprigs of fresh sage; whole, 3 cloves of garlic; minced, 2 cans of cannellini beans; drained but NOT rinsed, One cup (or 1/2 of a 28 oz can) of whole peeled tomatoes; diced, 5 sweet sausage links; meat removed from casings, 6 cups of chicken stock, 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Several twists of fresh salt and pepper and grated parmesan or Locatelli for serving.
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- The Butcher brought me these sausage links, and I used a sharp knife to open the casings and remove the meat.
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- It really helps to prepare all of your ingredients before starting the soup. “Mise en place” always makes the process go smoothly!
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- Start by heating 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium high heat. Add the sausage meat and sauté for about 5 minutes.
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- This is what the sausage meat should look like after about 5 minutes of browning.
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- Now you can add the chopped carrots, celery and scallions.
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- Sauté for about 2 minutes and then add the minced garlic. Sauté for another 8 minutes.
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- Now you can add the kale…
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- And the beans and tomatoes.
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- Also add 6 cups of chicken broth and give it a stir.
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- Bring the soup to a boil over high heat…This should take just a couple of minutes….
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- I keep these leftover Reggiano parmesan cheese rinds in the freezer…but you can toss a small chunk of Reggiano into the soup for added flavor if you’d like.
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- Once the soup has reached a boil, add the chopped herbs, I like to add the sage whole and scoop it out just before serving. ( Although you could just chop that too…) Cover the pot, reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 40 minutes.
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- When the soup is done, add 7 twists each of fresh ground salt and pepper. Give it a stir and add 2 cups of fresh baby spinach leaves.
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- Mmmmmm, Can’t you taste it already?
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- I serve this soup with corn bread, because it’s my favorite, but a loaf of Sullivan Street Strecci would be a delicious accompaniment as well…
My Gluten Free Friends…I use Kitchen Basics Chicken Stock because it is gluten free. Just be sure to check the label on the canned beans and tomatoes as sometimes these products can contain added wheat. Otherwise…this soup is Gluten Free! I serve mine with Pamela’s Gluten Free Cornbread…I just love it and my boys cannot tell the difference:)
Chowfancy 
Just Excellent.
So happy you enjoyed Mark!