Sausage, Kale and White Bean Soup

Even though spring feels like it's just around the corner, it's still very much winter around here. Today was definitely not the day to have forgotten to wear a hat.

The cold has put me in the mood for soup. And my focus lately on things like Oscar Cocktails, Valentines Day Sundaes and Mac & Cheese has me wanting something healthy: low fat, low sodium, but still quite delicious. Looking for a white bean and kale soup, I found this recipe on the Whole Foods website. I used this as the jumping off point for my soup, adding some additional flavors with the fennel, sausage and herbs. This soup is perfect for weeknights: it came together in about 30-35 minutes.

Sausage, Kale and White Bean Soup
Inspired by Vegetarian Tuscan Kale and White Bean Soup, Whole Foods Market

2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 large sweet onion, diced
1 fennel bulb, core removed and diced
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
4 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
4 kale leaves, stemmed removed and leaves chopped
1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes (I used fire-roasted)
12 oz. cooked Italian chicken sausage, sliced into 1/4-inch thick coins
32 oz. container of low-sodium chicken broth
2 tsp. dried thyme
1 tbsp. dried oregano
Salt and fresh-ground black pepper, to taste
1 15 oz. can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
Grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese

Heat olive oil in a dutch oven or large soup pot over medium heat. Add onion, fennel, carrot and garlic and sauté until softened, about 8 minutes. Add the kale and stir to combine. Cook about 2 minutes until it begins to wilt. Add the tomatoes, sausage and chicken broth. Increase heat to medium-high. Season with thyme, oregano, salt and pepper. Bring to boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer about 10 minutes. Stir in the beans and heat through (won't take long). Serve in bowls topped with grated parmesan.