White Bean Soup with Sausage and Potatoes is a hearty and flavorful one-pot meal that combines all those comfort foods you love. I'm talking about creamy cannellini beans, savory Italian sausage, and tender potatoes.
This Tuscan-style soup, also known as Zuppa Toscana, is a no-fuss, bold-flavored soup that eats like a meal. There is no need to break out 5 pots or spend hours in the kitchen. You'll make this in less than one hour, and your family will sing your praises. Thank me later!
Serve this soup with a light arugula and spinach salad, and you'll be all set. Remember that big chunk of bread to mop up every last savory drop of soup.
This creamy white bean sausage soup is substantial and filling. Just like my minestrone with meat, or my healthy pasta e fagioli.
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Gather your Ingredients
Here's what you'll need:
Cooks Notes
- There are several types of white beans, and for this recipe, I used cannellini beans, also known as white kidney beans.
- Tomato paste comes in single, double, or triple concentrations. I used double-concentrated since that’s what I had on hand (either one will work). The more concentrated it is, the richer the tomato flavor. Single-concentrated paste is usually sold in cans, while double and triple versions often come in tubes.
- This soup is great with either mild or spicy Italian sausage. I opted for the spicy sausage.
Find the detailed recipe below.
Substitutions & Variations
- Red or white potatoes are a good substitute for yellow potatoes because they hold their shape. I would steer clear of russet potatoes because they'll break down quickly, making the soup overly thick.
- If you don't have chicken broth, substitute with vegetable broth.
- Kale holds up well in a hearty soup. If you love kale, then go with that instead of spinach. You'll have to increase the cooking time by 5 minutes or so to wilt the kale.
How to Make a Creamy White Bean and Sausage Soup
Step-by-Step Instructions
This soup is hearty and flavorful and a cinch to make.
Sauté Onion
Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes, until softened.
Cook Sausage
Add the sausage to the pot, and cook for 7-10 minutes until browned and cooked through.
Add Tomato Paste and Garlic
Stir in the tomato paste, minced garlic, salt, and Italian seasoning. Cook for about 1 minute until fragrant.
Add Potatoes and Beans
Add the potatoes, beans, and chicken broth. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up any tasty browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer with the lid slightly ajar for about 15-20 minutes until the potatoes are fork-tender.
Add Sun-dried Tomatoes and Spinach
Add the sun-dried tomatoes and spinach, stir, and cook for another 2 minutes until the spinach wilts.
Finish with Cream
Stir in the cream and cook for another 2 minutes.
Serve
Taste and adjust seasoning. Ladle into bowls, serve and enjoy.
Helpful Hints
- Brown the sausage well. The flavorful bits stuck to the bottom of the pot will add depth and flavor to the soup.
- Dice the potatoes evenly so they cook at the same rate.
- Waxy potatoes, such as yellow (Yukon Gold), red, and white potatoes, are great in soup because they hold their shape.
Storage
- Allow the soup to cool before transferring it to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. This soup is not freezer-friendly. If frozen, the cream will likely separate, and the texture of the potatoes will change.
Reheating
- Reheat the soup on the stovetop over low heat. Stir gently and add a bit of water if it has thickened too much. You can also microwave the soup in one-minute intervals to slowly heat it up.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can. It's best eaten within 2 days, so I would not make it more than 2 days before serving it.
Yes. You can try cannellini beans, white kidney beans, great northern beans and navy beans. Each bean will bring a slightly different texture and flavor to the soup but they'll all work just fine.
You can. There are three methods for rehydrating beans: quick, overnight, and microwave soaks.
For this recipe, you can convert dried beans to canned beans by soaking roughly 1.5 cups of dried cannellini beans to make 2 (15-ounce cans).
Recipe
White Bean Soup with Sausage and Potatoes
Equipment
- Dutch oven or large pot
- measuring cups and spoons
- chef's knife
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 pound Italian sausage, casing removed and cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 3-4 medium yellow potatoes, such as Yukon Gold, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
- 2 (15-ounce cans) white beans, also called cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 4 cups reduced-salt chicken broth
- ⅓ cup packed sun-dried tomatoes, coarsely chopped
- 2 cups lightly packed baby spinach, washed and coarsely chopped
- ¾ cup heavy cream, 35% heavy cooking cream for my Canadian readers
Optional Finishing Touches
- homemade ciabatta croutons
- Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- fresh basil or parsley, finely chopped
- black pepper
- red chili flakes
Instructions
- Sauté Onion: Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes, until softened.1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 medium yellow onion
- Cook Sausage: Add the sausage to the pot, and cook for 7-10 minutes until browned and cooked through.1 pound Italian sausage
- Add Tomato Paste and Garlic: Stir in the tomato paste, minced garlic, salt, and Italian seasoning. Cook for about 1 minute until fragrant.2 tablespoons tomato paste, 4 cloves garlic, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Add Potatoes and Beans: Add the potatoes, beans, and chicken broth. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up any tasty browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer with the lid slightly ajar for about 15-20 minutes until the potatoes are fork-tender.3-4 medium yellow potatoes, 2 (15-ounce cans) white beans, also called cannellini beans, 4 cups reduced-salt chicken broth
- Add Sun-dried Tomatoes and Spinach: Add the sun-dried tomatoes and spinach, stir, and cook for another 2 minutes until the spinach wilts.⅓ cup packed sun-dried tomatoes, 2 cups lightly packed baby spinach
- Finish with Cream: Stir in the cream and cook for another 2 minutes.¾ cup heavy cream
Notes
For this recipe, you can convert dried beans to canned beans by soaking roughly 1.5 cups of dried cannellini beans to make 2 (15-ounce cans). Additional Notes Brown the sausage well. The flavorful bits stuck to the bottom of the pot will add depth and flavor to the soup. Dice the potatoes evenly so they cook at the same rate. Waxy potatoes, such as yellow (Yukon Gold), red, and white potatoes, are great in soup because they hold their shape. Allow the soup to cool before transferring it to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. This soup is not freezer-friendly. If frozen, the cream will likely separate, and the texture of the potatoes will change. Reheat the soup on the stovetop over low heat. Stir gently and add a bit of water if it has thickened too much. You can also microwave the soup in one-minute intervals to slowly heat it up.
Frank says
The sun-dried tomatoes give this one an edge! Love it!
Donna says
Another favorite soup my family and I are loving right now.