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Easy Italian Sausage and Bean Soup Recipe

Easy Italian Sausage and Bean Soup

A comforting one-pot soup made with Italian sausage, white beans, vegetables, tomatoes, chicken broth, and spinach or kale. It is ready in about 50 minutes and makes 6 generous servings.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Soup Ingredients
  • 1 pound Bulk Italian sausage, mild or hot
  • 1 medium Medium yellow onion, diced
  • 2 medium Medium carrots, peeled and diced
  • 2 stalks Celery stalks, diced
  • 3 cloves Garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1/4 teaspoon Red pepper flakes, optional
  • 1 14–15 ounce can Diced tomatoes with juices
  • 2 15-ounce cans Cannellini beans or other white beans, drained and rinsed
  • 6 cups Chicken broth or stock
  • 1 leaf Bay leaf
  • 4–5 ounces Baby spinach or chopped kale
Seasoning and Serving
  • 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon Black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon Olive oil, only if needed
  • as needed Grated Parmesan cheese
  • as needed Crusty bread

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Heat a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the Italian sausage and cook for 5–7 minutes, breaking it into small pieces, until browned and cooked through.
  2. Transfer excess fat if necessary. If the sausage is very lean, add 1 tablespoon olive oil before continuing.
  3. Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 5–6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften.
  4. Stir in the minced garlic, Italian seasoning, and optional red pepper flakes. Cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
  5. Add the diced tomatoes with their juices, drained beans, chicken broth, and bay leaf. Bring the soup to a boil.
  6. Reduce the heat, partially cover the pot, and simmer for 15–20 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and the flavors have come together.
  7. Remove the bay leaf. Stir in the baby spinach and cook for 1–2 minutes, or add kale and cook for 4–6 minutes, until the greens are tender.
  8. Taste the soup and adjust the salt and black pepper. Ladle into bowls and serve with grated Parmesan and crusty bread.

Notes

For a thicker soup, mash about 1/2 cup of the beans against the side of the pot before simmering, or blend a small portion of the soup and stir it back in. Store leftovers in the refrigerator and reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave.