Ingredients:

  • 1 lb bulk Italian sausage
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 cans (15 oz each) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 6 cups chicken bone broth
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) fire-roasted diced tomatoes
  • 2 medium carrots, diced
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 4 cups fresh kale, chopped
  • 1 Parmesan rind
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • salt to taste
  • black pepper to taste

Instructions:

  1. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the Italian sausage, breaking it into small crumbles, and cook until deeply browned and crisp.
  2. Add the diced onion and carrots to the pot, sautéing for 5–7 minutes until the onion is translucent.
  3. Stir in the minced garlic and red pepper flakes, cooking for 60 seconds.
  4. Pour in the fire-roasted tomatoes with their juice, scraping the bottom of the pot to release the browned bits.
  5. Add the drained beans, chicken broth, oregano, basil, and the Parmesan rind.
  6. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 15–20 minutes until carrots are tender.
  7. Use an immersion blender to pulse the soup 3–4 times, or mash 1 cup of beans into a paste and stir back in to thicken the broth.
  8. Stir in the chopped kale and cook for 2–3 minutes until wilted.
  9. Remove the Parmesan rind, stir in the lemon juice, and season with salt and black pepper.