You're going to want to make this Italian sausage bean soup a staple during soup season. It's the ultimate comfort food! Thick and creamy without a drop of cream, and packed with fiber and goodness.
Italian sausage bean soup is what we make when we want a hearty meal, but without too much fuss. Zippy Italian sausage, a couple of cans of beans that are partially puréed to make things creamy (but dairy-free) and a broth loaded with flavor. Once the temperature drops, you'll want to make this one again and again.
If you prefer a meat-free version, try my Curried White Bean Soup or Slow Cooker Bean Soup with Sweet Potato. Serve the soup with slices of crusty bread. I like to lightly spray or brush thin slices of sourdough or French levain, then toast the slices in a skillet or grill pan. Dipping them into the soup is pure heaven!
My best recipe tips
- Cooking the tomato paste until it darkens brings out its natural sugars for a deeper, richer flavor.
- Use an immersion blender to break down some of the beans and veggies to thicken the soup. A regular blender can also be used to pulse a ladleful or two of the soup.
- The recipe calls for low sodium broth to allow you to control the sodium content. Be sure to taste the soup, and season properly with salt and pepper to bring out the flavors.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Sausage: Italian sausage in soup adds great flavor and texture. Start with mild (or hot, if you like) Italian sausage links. You'll be squeezing the sausage out of the casings. I typically use the Isernio's or Trader Joe's sausages.
- Beans: Canned cannellini beans, which can be substituted with white kidney beans or Great Northern beans.
- Greens: Remove the stems from kale and roughly chop it. Spinach or chard are good alternatives.
- Broth: I use low-sodium broth, which allows you to adjust the salt to your preference.
- Herbs: Dried oregano, thyme and rosemary, plus fresh flat-leaf parsley. And plenty of garlic!
- Mirepoix: A standard base of onion, carrots and celery.
- Tomato paste: We buy tomato paste in tubes, which allow you to squeeze out small amounts at a time.
How to make sausage bean soup
⭐️ See full recipe card below. ⭐️
- Cook the sausage: Squeeze the sausage out of the casings and cook in a large saucepan. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
- Cook the mirepoix: Sauté onion, carrot and celery until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic and herbs, and cook for another minute.
- Add tomato paste: Cook the tomato paste in the veggies until it starts to darken, stirring constantly. This takes about 2 minutes.
- Boil and simmer: Add the broth, beans and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a lively simmer.
- Partially purée: Use an immersion blender to break up some of the beans. Just 5 or 6 blitzes should do it. If you don't have an immersion blender, scoop a ladleful or two of the soup into a blender and pulse a few times. Be sure to release the steam after each blitz to avoid blowing the lid off the blender.
- Finish it off: Stir the cooked sausage, kale and parsley into the soup. Simmer for a minute or two to soften the kale. Taste (!!!) and adjust the seasonings to suit your preference.
Storage tips
This soup is a fantastic meal prep meal. If you plan to freeze the soup, I recommend omitting the kale as it tends to soften over time. When reheating the soup, stir in fresh kale.
IN THE FRIDGE: Cool the soup, then ladle into airtight containers. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
IN THE FREEZER: Cool the soup, then ladle into freezer-safe, airtight containers. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight, then reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
More soup recipes to try
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Italian Sausage Bean Soup
Ingredients
- Olive oil spray
- 10 ounces (3 links) mild Italian chicken sausage raw links, not pre-cooked (such as Isernio's)
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- ½ yellow onion chopped
- 2 carrots cut into thin half-circles
- 1 large celery stalk chopped
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt divided
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper divided
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ¾ teaspoon crushed dried rosemary
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth (See Note 1)
- 2 cans (14 ounces each) low-sodium cannellini beans drained and rinsed (See Note 2)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 ½ cups chopped kale
- 3 tablespoons minced Italian parsley (flat-leaf parsley)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Lightly coat with olive oil spray. Squeeze the sausage out of the casings into the saucepan. Crumble the sausage while cooking until the sausage is cooked through and starts to brown. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Heat the olive oil. Sauté the onion, carrot and celery with ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper until the onion is translucent, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic, oregano, thyme and rosemary, and cook for another minute.
- Add the tomato paste to the vegetables. Cook, stirring constantly, until the tomato paste starts to darken. This takes about 2 minutes.
- Add the broth, beans, bay leaf, ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a lively simmer. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. Remove the bay leaf.
- Use an immersion blender to break up some of the beans. Just 5 or 6 blitzes should do it. CAUTION! Be sure that the head of the immersion blender is fully immersed in the soup so that you don't spray yourself with hot soup. If you don't have an immersion blender, scoop a ladleful or two of the soup into a blender and pulse a few times. Be sure to release the steam after each blitz to avoid blowing the lid off the blender.
- Stir the cooked sausage, kale and parsley into the soup. Simmer for a minute or two to soften the kale. Taste and adjust the seasonings to suit your preference. I typically add more salt and pepper.
Notes
Nutrition
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