Tuscan White Bean Sausage Soup (Printable)

Hearty Italian soup with sausage, white beans, kale, and potatoes simmered in savory chicken broth.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Meats

01 - 1 pound Italian sausage, casings removed

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 large yellow onion, diced
03 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
04 - 2 celery stalks, diced
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 2 cups chopped kale, stems removed
07 - 2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, diced
08 - 1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained

→ Beans

09 - 2 cans (15 ounces each) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

→ Broth & Liquids

10 - 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth

→ Herbs & Seasonings

11 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
12 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
13 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
14 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
15 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Finish

16 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
17 - Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for serving

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add sausage, breaking it apart with a spoon, and cook until browned and cooked through, approximately 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer cooked sausage to a plate, retaining fat in the pot.
02 - Add diced onion, carrots, and celery to the pot. Sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Return sausage to the pot. Add potatoes, cannellini beans, diced tomatoes, chicken broth, oregano, basil, thyme, and red pepper flakes. Stir thoroughly to combine all ingredients.
04 - Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
05 - Stir in chopped kale and simmer uncovered for 5 to 7 minutes, until kale is wilted and tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
06 - Ladle soup into bowls and serve hot. Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like you've been cooking all day, but it's ready in under an hour.
  • The sausage does the heavy lifting flavor-wise, so even on autopilot nights it comes out delicious.
  • Kale softens into silk when it hits the hot broth, so there's no bitter crunch to worry about.
02 -
  • Don't walk away when you're browning the sausage—it goes from golden to burnt faster than you'd think, and burnt sausage tastes bitter and ruins the whole pot.
  • Rinsing the canned beans isn't just fussy; it's the difference between a soup that tastes clean and one that tastes like a can.
03 -
  • If your broth tastes thin or you wish it were richer, drop a whole Parmesan rind into the pot while it simmers—it melts into richness that you can't bottle.
  • For a creamier texture without adding cream, mash a few of the beans against the side of the pot with your spoon; they'll dissolve and thicken the broth naturally.
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