Instant Pot Kale Sausage Bean Soup

What makes Italian sausage different from breakfast sausage?

Both Italian and the common American breakfast sausages use pork as their main ingredient. However, the Italian sausage’s flavor differs slightly from the American ones due to the unique seasoning it uses called fennel. 

This scented herb has a sweet, anise-like taste and enhances the aroma of the sausage, giving this soup its highly comforting flavor.

❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Aside from being a comforting, nourishing, and hearty soup, there are more things that stand out about this sausage kale and white bean soup recipe. Listed below are some reasons that busy moms would love.

• It’s so effortless to make this soup. Just a little sauteing and stirring, you’ll get that flavorful soup that both adults and kids will love.
• This great recipe is a time-saving delight. Satisfy the cravings of the soup lovers in the family in just 25 minutes.
• It’s a healthy meal. This kale and white bean sausage soup incorporates vegetables and other healthy ingredients that will nourish and satisfy everyone at the table.

If you love Instant Pot sausage recipes, you may also want to try this Instant Pot Stuffed Shells with Sausage and Cheese the next time you’re having a meal.

🥘 Ingredients

The sausage kale soup recipe mostly calls for pantry staples, so just a quick trip to the grocery store is all you need if you don’t have some of these on hand.

• Italian sausage: Savory and seasoned sausage adds a rich and meaty flavor to the soup. Choose spicy Italian sausage if you want heat in your dish or the sweet one if you’re serving it for kids. 
• Garlic: Chopped garlic infuses the soup with aromatic depth, enriching the flavor profile with its pungent yet savory notes.
• Carrots: Fresh carrots offer a natural sweetness and add some color to the soup. 
• Onion: This pantry staple delivers a savory foundation that adds depth and complexity to the bean and kale soup recipe.
• Celery: Chopped celery gives a refreshing and slightly tangy taste to the soup’s base of chicken broth.
• White beans: These beans provide a velvety texture and a mild, nutty taste that enhance the overall flavor profile of the dish.
• Low-sodium chicken stock: Used as the base of the soup, the chicken stock brings savory depth to the dish while allowing you to control the salt content with its low sodium levels.
• Italian seasoning: This ready-made blend of aromatic herbs like basil, oregano, and thyme will amplify the Italian flavors of the sausage.
• Kale: We add kale for its nutrients and slightly bitter notes that balance the taste of the dish. You can use any type of kale, like baby kale, as long as it’s fresh to ensure the soup you make is fresh and delicious.
• Heavy cream: This common baking ingredient brings a silky mouthfeel that absorbs all the flavors and balances the broth’s savory flavor and richness.

See recipe card for complete list of ingredients and quantities.

🔀 Substitutions

Italian sausage: Those concerned with the fat content of a hot Italian sausage can opt for chicken sausage or turkey sausage.

Fresh kale: You may use spinach instead of kale if the latter is not available. When chopped, this alternative looks similar to kale and is packed with nutrients.

White beans: Add more fiber content to this easy-to-make soup by using cannellini beans, navy beans, or great northern beans as an alternative to white beans.

🌈 Variations / Options / Add-Ins

Keep things new and discover new flavors with some indulgent variations of this fall soup dish.

• Tuscan Treat: Get that full Tuscan white bean soup experience by adding sun-dried tomatoes, cannellini beans, and a drizzle of olive oil to your sausage white bean soup.
• Spicy Twist: If you love heat, add some red pepper flakes or diced jalapeños while sautéing the vegetables for a fiery twist on the classic soup season dish.
• Zesty Delight: For a refreshing twist, put in a bit of freshly grated lemon zest and chopped fresh herbs like parsley or basil just before serving. This will add brightness and a burst of freshness to the soup.

Love sausage soups and seafood? Why not combine the two with this Instant Pot Shrimp and Sausage Gumbo? In just 20 quick minutes, your family’s next dinner will be all set.

🥄 Equipment Needed / Helpful Tools

Get these tools out so you can cook this sausage kale and bean soup with no delays. 

• Cutting board and knife: These tools are needed to chop vegetables and remove the sausage links’ casings.
• Wooden spoon: This tool will be used for stirring and sautéing ingredients in the Instant Pot.
• Measuring cups and spoons: Precise measurements ensure the perfect balance of flavors so that one ingredient does not overpower any other.

🔪 How to Make Instant Pot Kale Sausage Bean Soup

This recipe is super easy to make, it just takes 6 steps before you and your kids can relish in this meaty soup’s deliciousness.

Step 1: Cook the sausage

Let the Instant Pot heat up using the Saute-High setting. Add the sausages and cook them until browned. This step should take around 5-8 minutes.

Step 2: Saute the vegetables

Remove the Italian sausage from the pot using your slotted spoon. Then, add the garlic, onion, celery, and carrots. Let them cook for about 10 minutes or until they have softened.

Step 3: Incorporate more ingredients 

Along with the cooked sausage, add the white beans and chicken broth to the instant pot. Season the soup with salt, pepper, and the Italian seasoning.

Step 4: Continue cooking

Close the lid on the Instant Pot, ensuring that the valve is in the sealing position, and then set the timer for 5 minutes. When the timer stops, switch the valve into its venting position to allow this heavy pot to release its pressure manually. 

Step 5: Add kale and heavy cream

Add the kale and heavy cream to the pot. Then, allow the soup to wilt the kale for about 2 minutes.

Step 6: Serve

Bring out your bowls and slurp the goodness of sausage, beans, and kale soup. Your leftovers can be stored for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

👩‍🍳 Pro Tips

• Feel free to get creative with the type of Italian sausage you use for this recipe. 
• Avoid substituting the cream in this recipe with milk, as the milk can make the soup too thin.

❓ Recipe FAQs

🙏 Pairing

These are my favorite dishes to serve with Kale Sausage Bean Soup: