This satisfying, cozy white bean soup with sausage and veggies is packed with nutrition, heat and fantastic flavors. It’s a perfect meal in a bowl with a hunk of crusty bread.

The soup is easy to make and, with any luck, you’ll have great leftovers the next day. Needless to say, it’s a perfect make-ahead soup.

My friend, Cathy K. shared this hearty Italian soup recipe with me. I tried it and loved it. I know my husband loved it too because he polished off half the pot in one sitting.

There are many similar recipes on the internet. This is a good one. As with most soups, both Cathy and I tweak them to our tastes. You can too. 

The core ingredients are sausage, beans and tomatoes. I added lots of veggies and some baby pasta to amp up the nutrition and comfort factors. The pasta thickens the soup slightly, making it a cross between a soup and stew. 

Ingredients – tailored to your taste

Here are the main ingredients with several variations and substitutes you can try. 

• Cannellini beans (white kidney beans) are mild, creamy white beans common in Italian cooking. Different types of beans to consider are great northern beans, red kidney beans (stronger flavor), navy beans and butter beans (larger).
• Sausages:
  • So many choices here – spicy, mild, cooked, fresh, chicken, turkey, pork, beef. Here’s a good article on sausage types from Spruce Eats. . 
  • Fresh sausages (used in this recipe) such as hot Italian sausage, sweet Italian sausage or Chorizo. Or mild fresh farmers or garlic sausages. For fresh sausages, remove the meat from the casings before pan-frying. Most of the fat is drained out of the sausage when you saute it which means less fat in the soup.
  • Smoked cooked sausages—such as andouille or kielbasa can be added during the simmer phase as no pan frying is needed. Even a smoky hot dog will work.
• Vegetables: We use onions, carrots, celery and spinach. Other good options are zucchini, mushrooms and green beans. 
• Broth: Use vegetable broth or chicken broth. If you want a creamier broth, you can add a small splash of heavy cream or half-and-half (10%) cream.
• Vegetarian version: Replace the sausage with a vegetarian sausage such as Beyond Meat or leave it out altogether. And, of course, substitute the chicken broth with vegetable broth. For added depth, add a tablespoon or two of tomato paste or replace the canned tomatoes with homemade fire roasted tomatoes.
• Low salt version: Skip the Parmesan cheese. Use low-sodium chicken broth, cans of low-salt beans and low-salt tomatoes. 
• Pasta: I like orzo in this soup, but you can use any small pasta like acini di pepe, baby penne, fine egg noodles, macaroni, etc. Leave out the pasta if you prefer (the soup will be thinner). Or replace it with diced potatoes. 
• Spice level: You can control the heat to some extent by buying the sausage as spicy as you like. If you are using a less spicy sausage, just add a pinch of chili flakes to make up the difference.  If you like it extra spicy, add a pinch of red pepper flakes.

Step by step instructions

Shortcuts

• Instead of dicing the vegetables with a knife, throw them into a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. It’s fine if a few bigger pieces remain.
• Buy cooked smoked sausage and slice it into small pieces. With this option, you can skip pan-frying the sausage. 

Make Ahead 

• The sausage and bean soup will keep well in the fridge in an airtight container for 4-5 days. If it thickens up too much in the fridge, just add more broth.
• This is also a great recipe for freezing. Make sure it’s in a sealed, freezer-safe container and it will freeze well for several months. Defrost and reheat in the microwave or in a pot.

What to serve with bean and sausage soup

Serve a big bowl of soup with some hot crusty bread or cheddar biscuits, a great citrus salad over greens or a puff pastry tomato tart.

Recipe FAQs

More hearty soup recipes

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