Escarole Soup

This Escarole Soup recipe is a comforting blend of Italian sausage, cannellini beans, and escarole greens in a flavorful chicken stock base. It's a hearty and soul warming dish that is easy to prepare. 

About the Recipe

When you are craving a hearty and flavorful meal on a chilly day, this soup is going to be a winner. With the perfect balance of savory flavors, it is the best choice for a cozy and satisfying meal.

If you've never had escarole, it's a leafy green vegetable often used in Italian recipes. This soup is similar to Italian wedding soup, so if you like wedding soup, you will love this recipe!

This recipe is great to make for family dinners, gatherings with friends, or even for meal prepping ahead of a busy week. I love making a big pot of this soup during the cold winter months because it's comforting and easy.

If you are looking for more soup recipes, check out our: Carrot and Lentil Soup, Great Northern Bean Soup, Roasted Red Pepper and Gouda Soup, or Classic Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe.

Jump to:

• About the Recipe
• Why You Will Love This Recipe
• Ingredients
• How to Make Escarole Soup
• Expert Tips and Tricks
• Kitchen Equipment
• Recipe Substitutions/Variations
• What To Serve With
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Recipe Storage and Reheating
• Other Recipes to Try
• Escarole Soup

Why You Will Love This Recipe

Delicious - The combination of ground sausage, white beans, and greens creates a rich flavor profile that makes it an excellent choice for a comforting dinner. 

Versatile - This soup is really quite adaptable! It is great for gatherings or as a comforting meal for any occasion, really!

Simple - It's quick to make with simple ingredients, so it is perfect for busy weeknights. 

Ingredients

Here are the ingredients you will need for this hearty soup: 

• Olive oil: Use a good quality olive oil for the best flavor.
• Italian sausage - Use 1 pound of ground Italian sausage.
• Onion
• Garlic
• Red pepper flakes
• Chicken stock - You can also use chicken broth or vegetable broth.
• Cannellini beans - You will need one can of cannellini beans that are rinsed and drained.
• Salt & black pepper
• Escarole - Use 1 pound of escarole that is washed and chopped.
• Lemon juice
• Pasta - You can use any cooked small pasta shape that you prefer. I like to use pastina or ditalini pasta.
• Parmesan cheese 

How to Make Escarole Soup

Let's make this Italian escarole soup together! 

Step 1: In a large soup pot or dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the Italian sausage and cook until browned, about 5 minutes.

Step 2: Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. 

Step 3: Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Step 4: Add the chicken stock, beans, salt, and black pepper. Stir well and bring to a simmer.

Step 5: Add the chopped escarole and lemon juice. Stir well and continue to simmer until wilted.

Step 6: Add the tender pasta and stir well. Spoon the soup into bowls and serve with parmesan cheese.

Expert Tips and Tricks

Here are some expert tips to make this hearty escarole soup: 

Leftovers - Use leftover soup to help you prepare for the rest of the week’s meals. Portion it out and store in individual containers to make it even easier!

Complete the meal - This soup would be great with a loaf of crusty bread, a nice green salad or a grilled cheese sandwich for a satisfying and complete meal. 

Canned beans - Canned beans work great because all you have to do is rinse and drain them before adding them to the soup. If you prefer to use dried beans, the process of soaking them requires a bit more time.

Kitchen Equipment

Here is some kitchen equipment you will need for this easy soup. You can find all of these products on Amazon.

Soup pot - A good quality large pot is a must for soup season! This one is of great quality.

Soup bowls - These are some of my favorite soup bowls of all time. They are the perfect size and keep the soup nice and warm.

Recipe Substitutions/Variations

Here are some common recipe substitutions and variations for this delicious soup.

Italian sausage - If you wanted to make this a meatless soup, skip the sausage and replace it with a vegetarian sausage or mushrooms.

Escarole - If escarole is unavailable, substitute with kale, spinach, or Swiss chard.

Cannellini beans - Experiment with other beans like navy beans, great northern beans, or kidney beans instead of cannellini beans. 

Chicken stock - Try vegetable stock instead of chicken stock for a slightly different flavor.

What To Serve With

Here are some recipes to serve alongside this simple soup:

Fried Chickpeas - This Fried Chickpea recipe promises a crunchy burst of savory flavors from garlic, onion, rosemary, salt, and black pepper. It is an irresistible and easy-to-make snack that will take your snacking to the next level.

5 Ingredient Apple and White Cheddar Tart - This five Ingredient Apple and White Cheddar Tart recipe is the perfect easy holiday season appetizer! Full of fresh crisp apples, savory white cheddar, and buttery puff pastry, this appetizer will delight your family and friends.

Tortellini Pasta Salad - This Tortellini Pasta Salad is one that you will want to make right away. You will love this delicious and satisfying pasta salad with its colorful and flavorful ingredients.

Frequently Asked Questions

Recipe Storage and Reheating

Here are storage and reheating instructions for this comforting soup:

Refrigerator Storage: Store in an airtight container and eat leftovers within 4-5 days.

Freezer Storage: Freeze in a freezer safe, airtight container and keep for up to 3 months. When you're ready to use, thaw in the refrigerator and reheat as instructed below.

Reheating Instructions: The best way to reheat this recipe is to heat in a saucepan over low heat until warm.

Other Recipes to Try

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