Heat a large soup pot over medium-high heat and spray with olive oil non-stick spray. Remove sausage from casings and add to pot.
Brown sausage for 7-8 minutes using a potato masher or wooden spoon to break into bite-sized pieces.
Add garlic, diced onion, and red pepper to pan (as well as a pinch of salt and pepper) and cook until softened, about 5-6 minutes.
When sausage is nicely browned, add broth to pan using a wooden spoon to deglaze and scrape up all of the delicious brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
Raise heat to high then bring soup to a boil. Add butternut squash cubes and cook for 15-20 minutes or until softened.
Five minutes before serving, add kale and beans. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve with freshly grated Parmigiano reggiano if you wish.
Notes
When browning the sausage, don't be afraid of a little color! The longer it browns, the more it caramelizes which means more flavor when you deglaze the pan with chicken broth. The amount of salt needed will vary depending on the brand of sausage, chicken broth and beans that you use so season accordingly.