Creamy Tuscan Bean and Kale Soup with Italian Sausage and Pancetta
I love soup! If you go through the history of my blog posts or on Instagram, you will see that I share a lot of soup recipes.
I think that my love for soup stems from my mom. There was something about smelling soup on the stove as a kid that makes me want to hug my mom and say thank you. She made a variety of soups from Cream of Broccoli to a fantastic Potato Soup. My mom killed it with her asparagus soup and it was especially good if we went “hunting” for wild asparagus after church on Sunday in the shelter belts surrounding my hometown of Watertown, SD. There was something so satisfying about that soup, the thought of it makes me home sick.
When someone in my life is sick, the first thing I want to do is make them a pot of soup. I love to make a Chicken Noodle soup, aka Jewish penicillin, that truly can be magical. Anything warm and hearty can do the job.
My husband, on the other hand, is a meat and potatoes kind of guy. He loves soup, but always asks what comes with it. I might be able to squeeze by if I make a grilled cheese or serve up a salad alongside the soup. The exceptions are chili (which in my book is actually a stew, but let’s not split hairs) and this soup.
My friend Jaclyn (@jaclynjames.co on Instagram) makes a Zuppa Toscana and has shared about it on her social media for a long time. It looked so good, I had to give it a go. I gave it my own twist by adding a few different ingredients. Thanks for the inspiration! It did not disappoint.
Combining the sausage and pancetta with the heartiness of potatoes, carrots and white beans is a home run in my book. Adding the kale in there for some texture and nutritional value notches it up.
When it comes to kale, I am a bit picky. I don’t love curly kale. When I would receive curly kale in my CSA from the farm, I typically would make kale chips. For salad and soup, my go to is the Tuscan, Lacinato aka Dinosaur Kale. It is a little more tender and softer to the bite. Curly kale will work in this dish, you might want to cook it a bit longer to make it tender.
I hope you will give this soup a try. Would love to hear from you.
Creamy Tuscan Bean and Kale Soup with Italian Sausage and Pancetta
The perfect soup for a chilly night.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 8 ounces diced pancetta
- 1 pound ground Italian Sausage, mild or hot, your choice
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1 inch slices
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 6 cups good quality chicken broth
- 2 large russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground fennel
- 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups finely chopped Tuscan kale, with hard stems removed
- 1 can white beans, drained and rinsed
- Fresh grated parmesan cheese, for serving
Instructions
In a Dutch oven, over medium-high heat add the olive oil. When it is hot, add the pancetta and sauté until crisp. Remove from the pan and place on paper towel lined plate to drain.
Add the Italian sausage meat into the pot and break it up into small pieces with a spoon or potato masher. Once it is cooked through, approximately 10 minutes, remove with slotted spoon and place onto the same plate as the pancetta. Drain all but 1 teaspoon of drippings in the pot.
Add the onions and carrots to the pot and cook until soft and onions are translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Do not burn the garlic.
Deglaze the pan with the wine and let reduce to half. Increase heat to high, pour in the chicken broth and bring to a boil. After 5 minutes add the salt, pepper, fennel and chili flakes to the broth. Add the potatoes and boil until fork tender.
Reduce heat to medium. Stir in the heavy cream, cooked sausage, pancetta, kale and beans. Let simmer for 2 minutes, until kale leaves have softened.
Serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese on top with some warm crusty bread.
With grace, grit & gratitude,
xx, JeriLynne
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