Sausage White Bean Soup Recipe (Easy)
Updated May 21, 2025, Published Feb 26, 2025
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Warm, hearty, and bursting with Italian flavors, this sausage white bean soup is the ultimate comfort food you’ll crave all season long!
You’ll also love my Tuscan bean soup and sausage potato soup.
Why you’ll love this soup recipe…
This Sausage White Bean Soup is the BEST for many reasons—it combines bold flavors, nourishing ingredients, and effortless preparation into one cozy, delicious bowl. Here’s why you’ll love this hearty soup:
- Rich and Savory Flavor: The Italian sausage adds a robust, slightly spicy kick that pairs beautifully with the creamy white beans and fragrant herbs like rosemary and thyme. Blending a portion of the soup creates a creamy texture without adding heavy cream!
- Hearty and Filling: Packed with protein from the sausage and beans, plus fiber-rich veggies like carrots and spinach, this soup is satisfying enough for a complete meal.
- Meal-Prep Friendly: This soup stores and reheats beautifully, making it a great option for make-ahead lunches or dinners.
With its irresistible aroma, rich texture, and heartwarming taste, this easy recipe will become one of your favorite soups! Try my Italian Sausage Soup with pasta next time.
Table of Contents
Recipe Ingredients
This delicious recipe is easy to whip up using everyday ingredients and a single pot, making it perfect for busy weeknights or lazy weekends.
- Italian Sausage: Adds a savory, rich flavor with a touch of spice.
- White Beans (navy beans or cannellini beans): Creamy and tender, they provide a hearty texture to the soup.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Enhances the overall flavor with a smooth, fruity richness.
- Onion: Brings a mild sweetness and depth of flavor as it cooks.
- Shallot: Adds a subtle, delicate onion-garlic flavor.
- Carrots: Sweet and earthy, they balance the savory elements.
- Celery: Contributes a fresh, crisp base for the soup.Garlic: Infuses the soup with its bold, aromatic essence.
- Dried Rosemary: Adds a woodsy, slightly piney flavor to complement the sausage.
- Dried Thyme: Earthy and slightly minty, it enhances the herbaceous profile.
- Dried Oregano: A classic Italian herb that adds warmth and a hint of bitterness.
- Bay Leaves: Subtly infuse the broth with a complex, slightly floral flavor.
- Vegetable broth or Chicken Broth/Chicken Stock: Forms the rich and savory base of the soup.
- Fresh Spinach (or Kale): Provides a vibrant, nutrient-rich green element. I like to use baby spinach if using.
- Salt and Black Pepper: Essential for seasoning and balancing flavors.
- Red Pepper Flakes: Optional for a touch of heat and spice.
- Grated Parmesan Cheese: Optional for a creamy, salty finishing touch.
See the recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Sausage White Bean Soup
This one-pot soup is like a hug that keeps on giving. It’s even better the next day! See the full recipe card below for a printable version of this recipe.
Over medium heat, cook the sausage in a large pot or Dutch oven. Break it into small pieces with a wooden spoon. Remove the sausage and set aside.
Cook the veggies and add the herbs.
Pour in the canned beans and broth. Tip: If you have a parmesan rind that you saved, you can add it now to add flavor and discard it before serving!
Blend a portion of the soup in a blender.
Add the blended soup back to the pot.
Add the fresh spinach to the soup and cook until wilted.
Cook until the spinach is wilted.
FAQs
Cannellini beans or Great Northern beans work best for their creamy texture, but navy beans are a good alternative.
Yes! Brown the sausage first, then add all ingredients (except spinach) to the slow cooker. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours, adding the spinach in the last 15 minutes.
Blend a portion of the soup or mash some beans with the back of a spoon to create a creamy texture without additional ingredients. This thickens the soup without adding heavy cream, flour, butter, or cornstarch.
My Pro Tip
Recipe Tips
- Brown the Sausage Well: For maximum flavor, let the sausage develop a deep, golden crust. Don’t skip this step!
- Blend for Creaminess: For a richer texture, blend 1-2 cups of the soup (beans, veggies, and broth) with an immersion blender or in a blender, then stir it back into the pot.
- Use Quality Broth: Opt for a good vegetable or chicken broth as it forms the base of the soup’s flavor.
- Cook the Greens Last: Stir in the spinach or kale in the final minutes to keep them vibrant and fresh.
- Customize the Texture: If you prefer a heartier soup, skip blending. For a smoother consistency, blend more.
- Serve Fresh with Toppings: For a restaurant-worthy touch, finish with grated Parmesan, a drizzle of olive oil, or a pinch of red pepper flakes.
Substitutions and Variations
- Sausage: For a lighter option, use turkey or chicken sausage, or go vegetarian with plant-based sausage. Vary between spicy sausage and sweet Italian sausage, or use regular pork sausage.
- Beans: Swap white beans for chickpeas or kidney beans for a different texture.
- Greens: Replace spinach with kale, Swiss chard, or arugula.
- Broth: Use beef broth for a richer flavor or vegetable broth to keep it vegetarian.
- Herbs: Use Italian seasoning instead of the individual dried herbs.
Make Ahead, Storage, and Reheating Instructions
- Make Ahead: Prepare the soup fully, let it cool, and store it in an airtight container in the fridge.
- Store: Keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheat: Warm on the stovetop over medium heat, add a splash of broth if needed, or microwave in a covered bowl until hot.
More Soup Recipes
Looking for other soup recipes? Try these:
Serving Suggestions
Serve with a side salad, crust bread, or homemade focaccia.
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Sausage White Bean Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound Italian sausage, casings removed
- 2 15-ounce cans white beans, (cannellini beans or great Northern beans), drained and rinsed
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 small shallot, chopped
- 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
- 2 stalks celery , chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 bay leaves
- 6 cups vegetable or chicken broth
- 2 cups fresh spinach, or kale, chopped
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Red pepper flakes for serving
- Freshly grated parmigiano or parmesan cheese, optional for serving
Instructions
- Cook the Sausage: Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the sausage (casing removed), breaking it into chunks as it cooks. Cook until browned and fully cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the rendered fat in the pot.
- Sauté the Aromatics and Vegetables: In the same pot, add the olive oil. Stir in the onion, shallot, carrots, and celery, and sauté over medium heat until the vegetables are soft, about 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic, rosemary, thyme, oregano, and bay leaves, stirring to combine. Cook for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.
- Simmer the Soup Base: Pour in the vegetable or chicken broth and bring to a gentle boil. Add the beans and reduce the heat to low, cover, and let simmer for 20-30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Italian tip: If you have a parmesan rind that you saved, you can add it now to add flavor and discard it before serving!
- Blend a Portion of the Soup: Carefully transfer 2 cups of the soup to a blender (careful not to get the bay leaf). Blend until smooth and creamy. Pour the blended soup back into the pot with the remaining soup. Stir to combine, creating a creamy base while maintaining some texture from the whole beans and vegetables.
- Add the Sausage: Add the cooked sausage back to the pot, let simmer for 10 minutes, and allow flavors to meld.
- Add the Greens: Stir in the fresh spinach (or kale) and cook for 2-3 minutes until wilted. Remove the bay leaves and discard.
- Season and Serve: Taste the soup and adjust with salt and black pepper as needed. Add red pepper flakes for a bit of heat if desired. Serve hot with grated Parmesan cheese on top and crusty bread on the side, if preferred.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This soup was fantastic ! Hubby loved it too. Don’t forget the Parmesan rind!
Yes! SO HAPPY YOU LOVED IT.
Delicious soup!
So glad you loved this one! Many more soup recipes for you as well. All the best!
Hi mom and I enjoy chicken sausage… No casing.
Can I Use that?
I wish you had something I could put together in 15:min?
Mom needs to eat ASAP
Yes, you can use that! Enjoy.
All her recipes are great! I look forward to making more! Also they are not complicated!
Yes, they are simple with wholesome ingredients. Enjoy!