This easy and healthy one pot sausage, kale and butternut squash soup with chickpeas is a quick and cozy meal for cool fall nights. (gluten-free, dairy-free)
This cozy soup was born from a fridge clean out years ago. In an effort to use up some leftover sausage, kale that was past its prime, and an opened can of chickpeas, I threw lots of random contents of our fridge into a pot and created a delicious, hearty and healthy soup that we still make all the time!
Why You'll Love This Sausage, Kale and Butternut Squash Soup
This soup is everything you need in a warming winter meal. It's cozy and comforting, hearty and filling, yet deeply nourishing. It's so easy to make on the stovetop with just one pot, and it's super flexible, so you won't have to make any last-minute trips to the grocery store.
What You'll Need
- Sausage - I like Belcampo Organic Tuscan Sausage, but any kind of sausage will do! Try to keep it lean and nitrate-free, if you can. Whether you have ½ lb, 12 oz or a full pound, anything goes! (PS - get 10% off your Belcampo order with code LivelyTable)
- Onion, Celery and Garlic - for lots of aromatic flavor.
- Butternut Squash - This soup is perfect for using up that other half of butternut squash in your fridge! You could also use frozen butternut squash cubes, or even sweet potato.
- Chickpeas - Drained and rinsed. Have half a can in your fridge? Perfect! White beans work well, too.
- Kale - This soup is great for using greens that are a little wilted and sad. Collard greens, chard, and beet greens also work.
- Thyme - I love the flavor of fresh thyme in soups and stews. If you don't have any, you can use rosemary or dried thyme instead.
- Broth - Vegetable, Beef, Chicken. Whatever you have works. Adjust the salt you use based on how much salt is in your broth. If it's the full sodium kind, you probably won't need to add any salt.
How To Make Sausage, Kale and Butternut Squash Soup
- Brown the sausage in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Stir in the onion, celery and garlic and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.
- Add the squash, broth, thyme, salt and pepper and cook, covered, until the squash is fork-tender, about 10-15 minutes.
- Add the chickpeas and kale and cook just until the kale is wilted, about 5 more minutes.
- Enjoy!
The Best Bright Topper For Soup
I was recently inspired by Sarah from Edible Living and the topper she uses on her Winter Minestrone. It's herby, citrusy and salty, and it adds a lovely punch to hearty winter soups. Again, use what you have on hand and make it your own. HIGHLY recommend the topper, though!
Can This Soup Be Frozen?
Yes! Pour any leftover soup into freezer-safe containers or soup cubes and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat when needed.
More Healthy Soup Recipes You'll Love
Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating in the comments!
PrintSausage, Kale, and Butternut Squash Soup
This easy and healthy one pot sausage, kale and butternut squash soup with chickpeas is a quick and cozy meal for cool fall nights. (gluten-free, dairy-free)
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: about 6 servings 1x
- Category: soup
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- ½ lb lean sausage of choice, casing removed (if there is one)
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ large butternut squash, peeled and cubed (about 2 cups)
- 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 small bunch kale, chopped (about 3 cups)
- 4 cups low sodium broth, beef or vegetable
- 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves (or 1 tsp dried)
- ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- ½ tsp salt, or to taste
Instructions
- In a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, brown the sausage.
- Lower heat and add celery, onion, and garlic. Cook until fragrant and semi-soft.
- Add squash, broth, water, thyme, and pepper. Cover and simmer until squash is cooked through, about 10-15 minutes.
- Add chickpeas and kale, and let simmer, covered, until beans are warmed through and kale is wilted, about 5-10 more minutes.
- Serve hot.
Notes
- I use Belcampo Tuscan grass-fed sausage in this recipe. (Get 10% off your order with code LivelyTable).
- This recipe is super flexible. Use what you have! You can use frozen butternut squash cubes or sweet potato in place of fresh butternut squash. Use white beans instead of chickpeas, or rosemary instead of thyme.
- For a vegetarian version, omit the sausage.
- The amount of salt will vary based on the sausage and broth that you use. I use homemade broth with no salt added, and I like about ½ teaspoon salt for the recipe. Adjust based on the broth you're using.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 4 days or in the freezer up to 3 months.
Keywords: sausage kale and butternut squash soup
Andrea Cimmiyotti says
One of my all time favorite soups to make! Do you know that calories and serving size?
Kaleigh says
I'm so glad you like it! Would you mind leaving a star rating? It really helps out if you like a recipe. Just added the nutrition info for you!
Andrea Cimmiyotti says
Thank you!
★★★★★
Lisa says
Loved it! I used cannellini beans and added a little smoked paprika, cayenne, and a tiny bit of lemon juice at the end. Will be making this one regularly, thanks!
★★★★★
Kaleigh says
I'm so glad you liked it! Thanks for sharing your tips.