Tuscan White Bean & Sausage Soup
Tuscan White Bean & Sausage Soup
Ingredients
For the Soup
- 1 pound Italian sausage
- 1 onion, medium, finely diced
- 2 carrots, medium, finely diced
- 2 celery stalks, finely diced
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Calabrian chili, optional
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/2 cup dry white wine, optional
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 cans cannellini or Great Northern beans, 15 ounce each, drained and rinsed
- 1 Parmesan rind, optional
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, julienned, packed in oil
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup half and half or cream
- 2 cups fresh spinach or kale
- 1 teaspoon salt, as needed
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground, as needed
For Serving
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice, to garnish, as needed
- 1 loaf crusty bread, for dipping
Instructions
- 1
In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat about 1 tablespoon of oil from the sun-dried tomatoes over medium heat. Add the diced onion, celery, and carrot. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper, the Italian seasoning, and the Calabrian chili (if using). Sauté for 5-7 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften.
⏱️ 7 min
- 2
Clear a space in the center of the pot and add the Italian sausage. Allow it to brown and form a crust for 3-4 minutes, then flip and break it up with a wooden spoon. Cook the sausage through, then combine it with the sautéed vegetables.
⏱️ 8 min
- 3
Add the chopped fresh thyme, rosemary, and minced garlic to the pot. Stir well and cook for another 1 minute until fragrant.
⏱️ 1 min
- 4
Clear a space in the center of the pot again and add the tomato paste. Let it cook directly on the bottom of the pan for 1-2 minutes to deepen its flavor, then stir it into the rest of the ingredients and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
⏱️ 3 min
- 5
Pour in the dry white wine (if using) to deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom with your wooden spoon. Let it simmer for 1-2 minutes until slightly reduced.
⏱️ 2 min
- 6
Add the drained and rinsed cannellini beans and the low-sodium chicken broth to the pot. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to low.
⏱️ 5 min
- 7
Add the Parmesan rind (if using) and the bay leaf to the soup. Cover the pot and let it simmer gently for 20 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld.
⏱️ 20 min
- 8
After 20 minutes, carefully remove and discard the bay leaf and the Parmesan rind (if you can locate it). Stir in the julienned sun-dried tomatoes, 1 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese, and the half and half or cream. Add the fresh spinach or kale and stir until the greens are wilted, which should take about 2-3 minutes.
⏱️ 3 min
- 9
Ladle the Tuscan White Bean & Sausage Soup into bowls. Garnish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, a sprinkle of additional freshly grated Parmesan cheese, and a grind of black pepper. Serve hot with crusty bread for dipping.
⏱️ 1 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Tuscan White Bean & Sausage Soup
For the Soup
- 1 pound Italian sausage
- 1 onion, medium, finely diced
- 2 carrots, medium, finely diced
- 2 celery stalks, finely diced
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Calabrian chili, optional
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/2 cup dry white wine, optional
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 cans cannellini or Great Northern beans, 15 ounce each, drained and rinsed
- 1 Parmesan rind, optional
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, julienned, packed in oil
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup half and half or cream
- 2 cups fresh spinach or kale
- 1 teaspoon salt, as needed
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground, as needed
For Serving
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice, to garnish, as needed
- 1 loaf crusty bread, for dipping
Instructions
- 1
In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat about 1 tablespoon of oil from the sun-dried tomatoes over medium heat. Add the diced onion, celery, and carrot. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper, the Italian seasoning, and the Calabrian chili (if using). Sauté for 5-7 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften.
⏱️ 7 min - 2
Clear a space in the center of the pot and add the Italian sausage. Allow it to brown and form a crust for 3-4 minutes, then flip and break it up with a wooden spoon. Cook the sausage through, then combine it with the sautéed vegetables.
⏱️ 8 min - 3
Add the chopped fresh thyme, rosemary, and minced garlic to the pot. Stir well and cook for another 1 minute until fragrant.
⏱️ 1 min - 4
Clear a space in the center of the pot again and add the tomato paste. Let it cook directly on the bottom of the pan for 1-2 minutes to deepen its flavor, then stir it into the rest of the ingredients and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
⏱️ 3 min - 5
Pour in the dry white wine (if using) to deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom with your wooden spoon. Let it simmer for 1-2 minutes until slightly reduced.
⏱️ 2 min - 6
Add the drained and rinsed cannellini beans and the low-sodium chicken broth to the pot. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to low.
⏱️ 5 min - 7
Add the Parmesan rind (if using) and the bay leaf to the soup. Cover the pot and let it simmer gently for 20 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld.
⏱️ 20 min - 8
After 20 minutes, carefully remove and discard the bay leaf and the Parmesan rind (if you can locate it). Stir in the julienned sun-dried tomatoes, 1 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese, and the half and half or cream. Add the fresh spinach or kale and stir until the greens are wilted, which should take about 2-3 minutes.
⏱️ 3 min - 9
Ladle the Tuscan White Bean & Sausage Soup into bowls. Garnish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, a sprinkle of additional freshly grated Parmesan cheese, and a grind of black pepper. Serve hot with crusty bread for dipping.
⏱️ 1 min