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Tuscan White Bean & Sausage Soup

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A cozy, comforting Tuscan-inspired soup featuring creamy cannellini beans, savory Italian sausage, and fragrant herbs simmered in a rich chicken broth. Perfect for chilly winter nights, this easy recipe comes together in under 45 minutes and is a true crowd-pleaser.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
  • 2 celery ribs, diced
  • 12 ounces Italian sausage, casings removed (mild or spicy, chicken or turkey sausage optional)
  • 2 cans (15 ounces each) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 5 cups chicken broth (low sodium preferred)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream (optional, or half-and-half, or omit for dairy-free)
  • 2 cups packed baby spinach (or kale or Swiss chard)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
  • Grated Parmesan cheese (for serving, optional)

Instructions

  1. Dice the onion, carrots, celery, and mince the garlic. Chop rosemary, thyme, and parsley. Drain and rinse the beans. Remove sausage casings.
  2. Heat olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add sausage, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Cook until browned and crumbly, about 6-7 minutes.
  3. Add diced onion, carrots, and celery to the pot. Sauté for 5 minutes until softened. Add garlic, rosemary, and thyme; cook for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
  4. Stir in drained cannellini beans. Pour in chicken broth and add the bay leaf. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Bring to a gentle boil.
  5. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Beans should be creamy, not mushy. For a thicker soup, mash a cup of beans against the side of the pot and stir them in.
  6. Remove bay leaf. Taste and add kosher salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes if desired.
  7. Stir in baby spinach and heavy cream. Let spinach wilt for 1 minute. (Skip the cream for dairy-free.)
  8. Ladle into bowls and top with chopped parsley and grated Parmesan if desired. Serve hot.

Notes

For a vegetarian version, skip the sausage, double the beans, and use vegetable broth with a dash of smoked paprika. For dairy-free, omit the cream or use coconut cream. Mash some beans for extra creaminess. If soup thickens after storing, thin with extra broth. Always rinse canned beans to avoid excess salt and starchy residue. Browning the sausage well adds depth of flavor.

Nutrition

Keywords: Tuscan soup, white bean soup, sausage soup, winter comfort food, easy soup recipe, Italian soup, hearty soup, one-pot meal, family dinner, gluten-free option

Find it online: https://emmayum.com/tuscan-white-bean-and-sausage-soup-easy-cozy-winter-recipe/