Healthy Fava Bean Soup With Italian Sausage, Kale & Bacon

Winter is far too long, don’t you agree?

And March is a tricky month. Yes, spring technically starts March 20th, but let’s face it, winter sticks around far beyond that.

While I’m already dreaming of ripe tomatoes and vibrant zucchini, they will have to wait a little bit. Temperatures are still mercilessly low and my winter boots will not be collecting dust anytime soon.

I’m celebrating this slow transition from winter into spring with a hearty yet light fava bean, sausage, and kale soup.

Let’s Talk Fava Beans!

Since fava beans (also known as broad beans) prefer a Mediterranean, milder growing season, sadly I won’t find them at my local farmers market. Not to despair, however, as dried fava beans are available year round and they work beautifully in this soup, and many other recipes.

Sure, it would be lovely sitting at a table with a cup of Earl Grey tea, meditatively shelling fresh fava beans… Yet since this is not my reality, I’ll take the next best thing.

I’ve always enjoyed the process of turning beans from flavorless and hard-as-a-rock to creamy, melt-in-your-mouth goodness. You can find these dried fava beans in nearly every grocery store or online.

Get them soaking the night before, and in roughly an hour the next day, you will have a hearty, healthy soup that’s full of flavor. Dried fava beans do still have to be shelled, however this easy step takes only 5 minutes and is quite fun!

Oh, and did I the mention bacon? Yes, there’s bacon involved and we all know that bacon makes everything better! Now let’s get cooking.

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Healthy Fava Bean Soup With Italian Sausage, Kale & Bacon

Celebrate the slow transition from winter to spring with a healthy soup! Fava bean soup -- featuring Italian sausage and vegetables like kale and potato -- is creamy, melt-in-your-mouth goodness. Families in kitchens around the world will enjoy the savory flavor... especially because there's bacon involved, which makes everything better! Since I soak the beans overnight in this recipe, it takes only about an hour of cooking the next day!

Course Main, Soup

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes

Soaking Time 12 hours

Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Author Daniela Modesto

Ingredients

• 2 cups dried fava beans
• 12 cups pure water divided
• 1 thick-cut slab bacon chopped into pieces
• 1 pound Italian sausage sweet or spicy, casings removed
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2 large shallots chopped
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon fresh dill chopped
• 6 cups broth chicken or bone
• 1 small head kale ribs removed and chopped into bite-sized pieces
• 1 russet potato peeled and chopped into 1/2" pieces
• 2 teaspoons fresh chives

Instructions

1. Soak dried fava beans in 10 cups water (the beans will expand) overnight in a large pot or bowl.
   

2. The next day, drain the beans. Shell them by peeling away the hard outer skin of each bean. This skin should slide right off. Discard the skin and reserve the beans. This whole step should take only about 5 minutes, and it's actually pretty fun!
   

3. Cook chopped bacon for 5 minutes or until browned in a large soup pot over medium heat. (Feel free to add a little oil if it's not fatty enough)
   

4. Remove bacon from pot and let rest on towel lined plate.

5. Add sausage to pot. Break up into small pieces with wooden spoon. Cook until sausage is fully done (about 10 minutes).

6. Remove sausage from pot onto a plate.

7. Add olive oil, shallots, and garlic to the pot. Cook for 5 minutes until golden.

8. Add fava beans, salt, pepper, cumin, dill, broth, and remaining 2 cups water.
   

9. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook for 30 minutes.

10. Add chopped kale and potato. Cook for another 15 minutes, until potatoes and beans are soft.

11. Ladle into soup bowls. Garnish with chopped bacon and chives. Enjoy!

Fava beans contain a substance that can lead to a type of life-threatening anemia in individuals with G6PD — a hereditary enzymatic deficiency. Please do not consume fava beans if you’ve been diagnosed with G6PD, and if you ever experience symptoms or discomfort after eating them, consult your healthcare practitioner.

Want more easy soup recipes? Check out these posts!

• Homemade Cream Of Vegetable Soup Without The Can (low-carb option!)
• 27 Instant Pot GAPS Diet Soup & Stew Recipes
• Tom Kha Gai: A Nourishing Thai Broth-Based Soup
• Instant Pot Tomato Basil Soup {nourishing & THM-friendly!}
• Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Fried Sage Leaves
• Bean and Barley Soup (Instant Pot, Stove Top)

What is your favorite healthy and easy soup for the transition between winter and spring? Have you ever cooked with dried fava beans before? What are your favorite fava bean recipes?