Minestrone with Italian Sausage and Red Kale

Like most soups, minestrone can include whatever the cook throws into the pot. But traditional recipes undoubtedly have pasta on the list of ingredients, and many include beans. Wide variations in recipes occur simply because minestrone is historically a dish made with seasonal vegetables—time of year dictates what’s in your bowl.

You’re most likely to find minestrone recipes without meat, since the pasta, beans, and other vegetables—without much broth—add up to a hearty, thick soup on their own. I included Italian sausage in this recipe solely for the flavor it brings to the dish. For a delicious and satisfying vegetarian version, just omit the sausage and proceed with the recipe.

I cooked great northern beans from scratch for the soup, but choose a good-quality canned variety if you prefer. (Rinse thoroughly and drain before using.) And if you can find cannellini beans, go for those instead. (An easy recipe for cooking dry beans is below.)

Great Northern Beans

Kale is one of the most nutritious foods you can bring to your kitchen, and red kale is one of the prettiest. Its rich savor and earthy undertones are a standout in this minestrone. Fresh spinach and chard are also good in the soup, but they don’t pack as much savory punch as kale.

Red Kale

Two words about the pasta: Go small. You know how much pasta puffs up when cooked, so any larger varieties, such as rigatoni or regular-sized penne or rotini, can overwhelm the soup in a hurry. There are varieties of “mini” pastas on the market that work very well in minestrone. I chose mini penne for this dish, but mini ziti, ditalini, or good ol’ elbow macaroni are fine too.

Mini Penne

Serves 5-6

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3/4 lb hot or sweet Italian sausage (2 large or 3 small links)
• 1 medium leek, thinly sliced (white and light green parts only)
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 celery ribs, thinly sliced
• 1 small zucchini, cut into small chunks
• 1 14.5-oz can diced tomatoes, with juice
• 4 cups coarsely chopped or torn red kale
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup dry mini penne or other small, short pasta
• 1 cup cooked great northern or cannellini beans (for dry beans, see recipe below)

Vegetables Ready to Cook

Preparation

1. Heat a large pot over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the sausage, leek, and garlic and cook 5 minutes, crumbling the sausage as it cooks.

Sausage, Leeks, and Garlic Beginning to Cook

Sausage after 5 Minutes

1. Add the celery and zucchini and cook until the sausage is cooked through and the vegetables are tender, about 4 minutes.
2. Add the tomatoes, kale, and vegetable broth and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook slowly 30 minutes.

Sausage with Tomatoes and Kale Added

Cooked Sausage Mixture after 30 Minutes

1. Increase the heat to medium and bring to a simmer again. Add the penne and cooked beans and simmer until the pasta is tender, about 8 minutes.

Cooked Minestrone

1. Divide the minestrone among shallow bowls, about 1 1/2-cups per servings.

To Cook the Dry Beans

Place 1/2 cup dry great northern beans in a small pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, cover, and let stand 30 minutes. Drain and rinse the beans. Return them to the pot and add 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover, and cook slowly 45 minutes, or until tender. Remove with a slotted spoon to a bowl until ready to use. (May also be covered and refrigerated overnight.)

Cooked Great Northern Beans