Mediterranean Kale & White Bean Soup with Sausage - Polidori Sausage

Ingredients

• 2 links Polidori Sweet Italian Sausage
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 small yellow onion (diced small)
• 1 medium carrot (diced small)
• 1 rib celery (diced small)
• 5 large cloves garlic (minced)
• 1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• Kosher salt and ground pepper to taste
• 6 cups lower-salt chicken broth
• 1 19 oz can cannellini or white kidney beans (rinsed and drained)
• 1 lb. kale (8 cups firmly packed) (rinsed, stems removed, leaves torn into bite-size pieces)
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp lemon zest (optional) (finely grated)