Prepare all of the mise en place.
In saucepot, heat the oil over medium-high heat.
Add the mirepoix (onions, carrots and celery) and cook until lightly browned.
Then add the garlic and stir well so the garlic doesn’t burn. Cook just until you smell the garlic - about two minutes.
Season with the salt and pepper.
Add the sausage rounds and sauté until lightly browned, stirring so the vegetables do not get very dark.
Add the vegetable stock, potato rounds, bay leaf and chopped thyme.
Once it comes to a simmer, turn the heat to medium low.
Cook until the potatoes are tender – about 20 minutes.
When the potatoes are tender, turn the heat to medium-high and add the kale and beans.
Simmer to reduce a bit.
As it reduces, there will be some fat and foam of impurities that rise to the top. Use the ladle to depouillage (skim) this off the top and put in the small bowl to cool and throw away.
When soup reduces for about 15 minutes, it should be ready.
Remove the bay leaf.
Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking.
This is a brothy version, but you can remove part of it to blend it and then stir back into the brothy part, if you prefer a thicker soup.