Go Back
Hearty Chicken Sausage and Bean Soup Recipe

Hearty Chicken Sausage and Bean Soup

A comforting one-pot soup made with fully cooked chicken sausage, cannellini beans, vegetables, tomatoes, herbs, and hearty greens. Lemon juice at the end keeps the flavorful broth bright and balanced.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon Olive oil
  • 1 pound Fully cooked chicken sausage, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
  • 1 medium Medium yellow onion, diced
  • 2 medium Medium carrots, peeled and diced
  • 2 ribs Celery ribs, diced
  • 3 cloves Garlic cloves, minced
  • 6 cups Low-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 15-ounce cans Cannellini beans or other white beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 14.5-ounce can Diced tomatoes, preferably no-salt-added
Seasonings and Finish
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon Dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon, plus more to taste Kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 cups Chopped kale or baby spinach
  • 1 tablespoon Lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons Fresh parsley, chopped, optional
  • As needed Grated Parmesan cheese, optional

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the sliced chicken sausage and cook for 4–6 minutes, turning occasionally, until lightly browned; transfer it to a plate if it is becoming too dark.
  2. Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery to the pot. Cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften.
  3. Add the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly, just until fragrant. Avoid letting the garlic brown.
  4. Stir in the chicken broth, drained beans, diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, dried thyme, kosher salt, and black pepper. Scrape the bottom of the pot to loosen any flavorful browned bits.
  5. Return the browned sausage to the pot. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 20–25 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and the flavors have developed.
  6. Stir in the chopped kale and cook for 3–5 minutes, or add baby spinach and cook for 1–2 minutes, until the greens are wilted. Stir in the lemon juice, taste, and adjust the salt and pepper.
  7. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with chopped parsley and grated Parmesan, if desired. Serve hot with crusty bread.

Notes

For a thicker broth without cream, mash about 1 cup of the beans against the side of the pot before adding the greens. Use low-sodium broth and taste before adding more salt because the sausage, canned beans, and Parmesan may already be well seasoned.