Brown the sausage: Place sausage in a large 7-quart Dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat. Cook for 5–7 minutes, breaking it into crumbles with a wooden spoon as it browns. Once cooked, transfer to a plate lined with paper towels and set aside.

Cook the aromatics: Reduce the heat to medium. If needed, add a touch of olive oil to the Dutch oven, then add the onion, carrots, and celery. Season with 1/2 teaspoon sea salt and course black pepper to taste. Stir occasionally, cooking for 5–7 minutes until the vegetables are softened.

Build and simmer the soup: Once the vegetables are tender, add the halved head of garlic, bay leaves, fresh herb bundle (tied with kitchen twine for easy removal), along with crushed tomatoes and chicken stock. Stir and increase the heat to medium-high to bring the soup to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a steady simmer and let it cook for 20 minutes.

Finish the minestrone: After the soup has simmered, return the sausage to the pot, along with the beans and kale. Stir to combine, cooking for an additional 5 minutes until the sausage and beans are heated through and the kale is wilted. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed, depending on the saltiness of the sausage and stock.

Serve: Before serving, remove the bay leaves, herb bundle, and parmesan rind. You can also discard the garlic, or squeeze the soft cloves into the soup for extra flavor. To serve, place some of the cooked pasta in the bottom of a soup bowl, ladle the minestrone over it, and finish with freshly grated parmesan. Serve with crusty buttered bread if desired. Enjoy!