In the cold and snowy winter months, there’s almost nothing better than a hearty and cozy meal — one that warms you up, fills you up and nourishes you. This butter bean, kale and sausage stew is just that. It is super satisfying, full of flavor and best of all, it’s easy to make. This one-pot meal comes together quickly and is the perfect comfort.
The leftovers are just as enjoyable and even more flavorful, making it a lovely make-ahead meal to keep in your fridge. I am all for having large batches of nutritious meals on standby, ready to reheat when hunger beckons. Stews and soups are perfect for exactly that purpose. Here is what else I love about this stew, nutritionally speaking:
Butter Beans
Butter beans, and all other beans and legumes, are undoubtedly one of the best additions to anyone’s diet. For starters, they are full of fiber! Many Americans do not consume the daily recommended amounts of fiber (25 grams for females, 38 grams for males). Why is fiber important? It promotes gut health, aids in digestion, helps manage blood sugar levels, promotes fullness and helps us maintain healthy cholesterol levels. If you are one of those people who are short on their fiber intake, adding beans to your meals is a great way to get extra fiber in.
Beans and legumes are also fantastic sources of plant-based protein, which is great for vegans, vegetarians and even omnivores looking to lower their animal-protein intake. The fiber and protein content of butter beans are perhaps what make this stew so filling and satisfying. But, if you can’t get your hands on some butter beans, you can definitely use another type of bean, like cannellini or chickpeas perhaps.
Kale
I honestly don’t recall exactly when kale became so trendy, but I am happy that the hype is here to stay. Kale is a nutritional powerhouse loaded with a great amount of vitamins and minerals. Just one cup of raw kale contains well over our daily requirements of vitamins A and C! Kale and other dark leafy greens are especially rich in vitamin K. There are several varieties of kale that exist, and I bet any would be fine in this recipe, but I chose to use Lacinato kale. Additionally, if you have another dark leafy green, you’d like to use in this recipe instead, I’m not mad at it. Something like swiss chard and collard greens would also get the job done here.
Sausage
Psssst, I have a secret to tell you. This stew is actually vegan! But Stasia, there’s sausage in there, how is it vegan? Well, I used a wonderful vegan sausage. If I am being completely honest, the vegan sausage was a last-minute addition to this dish, as an attempt to use up some vegan sausages someone gave me. But it totally worked out and made the stew even heartier and more satisfying. If you do not prefer vegan sausage, feel free to use another type of sausage or omit it completely. I personally think a nice chicken sausage would be a great substitution.
All these ingredients, plus a few more, come together to make one delicious and nourishing meal that will warm you up from within on the coldest of winter days. I know I definitely look forward to cozying up with a big bowl of this stew on a snow day. For even more flavor, I like to top it off with a sprinkle of grated parmesan cheese. So good! If you want to keep it dairy free, you can even use a vegan parmesan or omit the cheese completely. Either way, this butter bean, kale and sausage stew will not disappoint.
Butter Bean, Kale, and Sausage Stew
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 2½ tablespoon olive oil, divided
- 1 large or 2 small shallots, diced (about ⅔ cup)
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 2 large or 4 small carrots, diced (about ⅔ cup)
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 bunch Lacinato kale, stems removed and chopped
- 1 15.5-ounce can butter beans, drained
- 1¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 4 cups vegetable stock
- 2 tablespoon sherry vinegar
- 2 sausage links (vegan or non-vegan)
- ¼ cup chopped parsley
- fresh lemon juice
Instructions
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
Add shallot, celery and carrots and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add garlic and kale and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add butter beans, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, thyme, rosemary, red pepper flakes, bay leaf, tomato paste, sherry vinegar and vegetable stock and stir to combine. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Allow to simmer for 25 minutes.
While the stew simmers, cut the sausage links into roughly ½- to 1-inch pieces. Heat the remaining ½ tablespoon olive oil in a skillet. Add sausage pieces and cook until nicely browned. Flip the pieces while cooking, to ensure both sides brown evenly.
Add the browned sausage pieces into the stew. Raise the heat to return stew to a boil. Once the stew comes to a boil, turn off the heat and stir in chopped parsley.
Serve immediately in a bowl. Finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and enjoy.
