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There are nights when only a big pot of soup will do…the kind that fills the kitchen with the smell of garlic, sausage and simmering aromatics. This White Bean Sausage Soup is my go-to Italian winter dinner, rich with creamy cannellini beans, earthy spinach and a tomato pecorino-infused broth that tastes like home.
Pork and beans go together like tomato and basil, peanut butter and jelly, chicken cutlets and broccoli rabe and Bogie and Bacall if you ask me. It’s a winning combo of fat, flavor, protein, fiber and texture.
By the way, I pair beans (lentils) with pork in this lentil sausage soup and this smoky ham and lentil soup–both year-round favorites!
This Cannellini Bean Soup with Sausage is one of my go-to recipes for an easy weeknight, one pot meal that I can easily pair with a large green salad and some crusty bread for a complete dinner.
It’s a great reason to always have some canned beans and tomato paste in the pantry and spinach and Italian sausage in the freezer! Combine it with classic aromatics and a bit of white wine and you’ll wish you made extra to freeze…
I love the thickened texture here from smashing half the beans, similar to escarole and white bean soup. In fact, you can make this sausage and bean soup recipe as brothy or as chunky as you want by adjusting the amount of stock.
But be sure to include the savory cheese rind as it makes all the difference, not to mention a sprinkling of sharp pecorino cheese and drizzle of your best extra-virgin olive oil over your piping hot bowl!
If you grew up around a pot of soup bubbling on the stove, then you already know the comfort this one brings. Mangia bene!
If you enjoy recipes with beans, also check out Greens and Beans, Tuna Pesto Pasta with Chickpeas and Pasta with Chickpeas.
How to Make Sausage White Bean Soup
- Prep all ingredients: remove sausage from casings, dice onions, celery and carrots, chop garlic. Cook the beans if using dried.
- Mash half the beans with either a potato masher or large fork.
- Brown sausage in olive oil, then set aside. Sauté onions, celery, carrots, garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until the vegetables start to soften.
- Add tomato paste and caramelize it for 2-3 minutes.
- Deglaze with wine, then add broth, beans, cheese rind, fresh and dried herbs, black pepper and bay leaves and stir well.
- Simmer, uncovered, about 10 minutes, stirring regularly.
- Then, stir in spinach and reserved sausage and simmer a few more minutes.
- Turn off heat, whisk in grated cheese and season to taste. That’s it!
More Italian Soups
If you love soup as much as I do, check out these other recipes:
- Pasta with Potatoes and Pasta with Peas–both classic Italian American “brothy pastas”
- Wedding Soup–a hearty meatball and escarole soup in meat broth
- Ribollita–a classic Tuscan vegetable and bean soup thickened with bread and served on day 2
- Minestrone–a seasonal classic!
- Tortellini Soup with Chicken or Turkey–brothy and soul-satisfying
- Zucchini Soup with Chickpeas–a year-round favorite
- Split Pea Soup with Ham and Potatoes and Smoky Lentil and Ham Soup–got ham leftovers???
- Easy Sweet Potato, Kale and Red Lentil Soup–the first soup I make every fall!
For even more soup recipes, check out my cookbook, SOUPified, Soups Inspired by Your Favorite Dishes, which is filled with hearty soup versions of classic, comfort food recipes like Sausage and Peppers Soup, Chicken Scarpariello Soup, Chinese Egg Roll Soup and Garlic Bread Soup.
Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Use a Different Bean: Chickpeas, navy and red kidney beans are all great alternatives. Almost any cooked bean can be used here.
- Use a Different Green: Escarole, cabbage, broccoli rabe, Swiss chard and kale (or a mixture of these) are all great green alternatives for the spinach. Note that cooking times will be longer for these greens.
- Add More Vegetables: More veggies can be included here, such as green beans, peas, corn, yellow squash, mushrooms, etc.
- Keep It Vegetarian: Just omit the Italian sausage for a vegetarian soup, similar to this escarole cannellini bean soup.
- Sausage: Use chicken or turkey sausage if you prefer. This recipe would also work with spicy chorizo or even kielbasa!
- Add Pasta: Add 1 cup small pasta and increase the broth a bit. Then it will be a bit like a minestrone with sausage. Cheese tortellini is especially great here!
- Make It Creamy! For a richer and thicker broth, whisk in about ½-¾ heavy cream after adding the spinach and reserved sausage and be sure to simmer a few minutes to allow the cream to thicken a bit.
- Dairy-Free: To make this sausage white bean soup dairy-free, omit the cheese rind and grated cheese and whisk in 3-4 tablespoons white miso (or to taste) after the spinach has been added.
TOP TIPS for White Bean Sausage Soup
- Beans: Either canned cooked beans (or jarred) or dried beans that have been cooked at home can be used in this recipe. (See more about beans in the recipe notes below.)
- Sausage: Be sure to brown the sausage well for the best flavor. A bit of a caramelized crust on the sausage will make everything taste better!
- Broth, Beans and Salt: The amount of salt in this recipe is “to taste” as it really depends on the sodium- level in both the broth and (canned) beans. The cheese rinds also contribute salt. Use your judgment and adjust seasonings at the very end, if necessary. Also, it’s always best to use no- or low-sodium broths and stocks if possible so you have more control over the dish’s saltiness.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat it slowly over medium low heat while stirring, adding additional broth or water if needed.
Serving Suggestions
Cannellini Bean Soup with Sausage is easily be a meal in and of itself in a larger portion. A light green salad and some crusty bread are classic accompaniments.
Alternatively, this soup could be served as a first course in a smaller portion and be followed by chicken cutlets, a simple Roast Chicken or plate of roasted vegetables. And, don’t forget to serve it with a little homemade Italian chili oil for a final kick of heat!
White Bean Sausage Soup (One Pot)
Equipment
- Dutch oven OR
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1½ pounds Italian sausage, casings removed
- 1½ cups small diced yellow onions
- ¾ cup small diced celery
- ¾ cup small diced carrots
- 3 Tbsp chopped or thinly-sliced garlic
- ¼ tsp crushed red pepper, (use more if you’d like)
- 3 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio
- 8 cups low- or no-sodium chicken broth, (can use vegetable broth)
- 3 (15-ounces) cans cooked cannellini beans, strained and rinsed (about 4½ cups beans; dried beans can be used-see Notes.), divided
- 2-3 bay leaves
- 1-2 pieces parmigiano or pecorino cheese rind
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp dried basil
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 pound frozen chopped spinach, thawed and excess liquid squeezed out
- ⅓ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese , (about 2½ ounces)
- To taste salt, (See Notes.)
- Grated pecorino or parmigiano cheese, for serving
- Extra virgin olive oil, for serving
Instructions
- Prep all ingredients according to specifications above. Divide the beans in half and smash half with either a potato masher or large fork. (See photo above.) Leave the other half as is (whole).(Please see the section above in the blog post for Step-By-Step instructions with photos.)3 (15-ounces) cans cooked cannellini beans
- Then, brown sausage: Heat oil in large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook for about 6 to 8 minutes, or until it has browned. Break up sausage into bite-sized pieces while stirring. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.2 Tbsp olive oil, 1½ pounds Italian sausage
- Reduce heat to medium/medium-low and add onions, celery, carrots, garlic and crushed red pepper and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are starting to soften. Cover the pot to speed up this process.1½ cups small diced yellow onions, ¾ cup small diced celery, ¾ cup small diced carrots, 3 Tbsp chopped or thinly-sliced garlic, ¼ tsp crushed red pepper
- Next, move vegetables to one side of pot and add the tomato paste, caramelizing it for 2-3 minutes.3 Tbsp tomato paste
- Add wine and deglaze, scraping up all the brown bits on the bottom of the pot.1 cup dry white wine
- Then, add the broth, pureed and whole beans, bay leaves, cheese rind(s), dried herbs and black pepper and stir well.8 cups low- or no-sodium chicken broth, 3 (15-ounces) cans cooked cannellini beans, 2-3 bay leaves, 1-2 pieces parmigiano or pecorino cheese rind, ½ tsp dried oregano, ½ tsp dried basil, ¼ tsp black pepper
- Cover pot, increase heat to bring mixture to a simmer, then adjust heat to maintain a simmer. Simmer, uncovered for 10 minutes or until all vegetables are tender. Stir the soup regularly, ensuring that the cheese rind does not stick to the bottom of the pot.
- Remove and discard bay leaves and any remaining cheese rind. Then, stir in spinach and reserved sausage (include any accumulated juices) and simmer 2-3 more minutes. (If you prefer a brothier soup, add a bit more broth at this point and heat.)1 pound frozen chopped spinach
- Turn the heat off, then whisk in grated cheese until fully incorporated. Add salt to taste.⅓ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- Serve the soup piping hot with a generous sprinkle of grated pecorino or parmigiano cheese and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Buon Appetito!
Notes
- Use any kind of Italian sausage in this recipe—from mild to spicy, to chicken or turkey—based on your preference.
- Also, be sure to brown the sausage well for the best flavor. A bit of a caramelized crust on the sausage will make everything taste better!
- I used canned cannellini beans here for speed and convenience, but almost any bean can be used in this recipe. Chickpeas, borlotti (aka, cranberry), red kidney, navy and black beans are all great alternatives.
- Either canned/jarred cooked beans or dried beans that have been cooked at home can be used in this recipe.
- Be sure to strain and rinse pre-cooked beans well before adding them to the soup.
- If you’re starting with dried beans, pick through them for stones and rinse them. Then you can either:
- Soak them overnight: Place beans in a large bowl covered with four times the amount of water and let them soak for several hours or overnight. After soaking, drain the beans.
- OR,
- Alternatively, bring the dried beans to a boil in a large pot of unsalted water, then turn off the heat and let them sit, covered, for one hour. At this point, it will be as if they were soaked for several hours. Discard this soaking water, then proceed as if they had been soaked overnight.
- Then, cooked the soaked beans in a new pot of unsalted water until tender. Ideally, add aromatics like bay leaves, carrots, onions, celery and garlic to the bean boiling liquid for increased flavor.
- The beans can be cooked in advance and held, covered, in the refrigerator for two to three days until you are ready to use them.
- Don’t forget to drizzle the finished dish with some high quality extra-virgin olive oil and grated cheese (Pecorino-Romano or parmigiano) for an additional hit of flavor and richness.
- The soup gets better as it sits and the flavors meld together, so it is a great option to make ahead of time.
- Store leftovers in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Reheat it slowly over medium low heat while stirring, adding additional broth or water if needed.
- This soup freezes really well! Consider making a large batch and portioning it into containers to enjoy down the road!
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One of my favorite soups with tons of flavor!