So, sausage and white bean soup—let me tell you about it
I can't even count how many times I've made this sausage and white bean soup recipe. The first time was actually by accident—I'd forgotten to buy chicken (typical, right?), but I had some spicy sausage rolling around in the back of the fridge and a lonely can of white beans begging for a purpose. One whiff of the garlic and herbs sizzling away and suddenly, everyone in my house was lingering around the kitchen acting like they just happened to be passing by. By the way, if you hear that bubbling, it's probably just the neighbor's dog. Or my soup. Or both.
Why I keep making this (and you might too)
I make this when it's cold out and I need something to warm the bones (and when I can't face another boring salad, you know?). My family goes absolutely bonkers for it—seriously, last Christmas, we ran out before Uncle Ed even got seconds, which he still brings up at every family event, poor guy. Besides, it's incredibly forgiving. I've thrown in whatever is left in the crisper more times than I care to admit and it's still come out pretty darn good. Honestly, the only thing I have to watch out for is not burning the garlic, which I've done more than I'd like to confess (rookie mistake, I know).
What you'll need (and how I fudge it)
- Sausage (about 400g, spicy Italian is my go-to, but wow, smoked kielbasa is also great if you've got it)
- White beans (2 cans, drained; cannellini are my pick, Nana liked navy beans, and if you’ve only got Great Northern, well, go for it)
- Onion (1 big one, or 2 if they’re the tiny weird supermarket kind)
- Garlic (3 cloves; I’ve been known to double this when the mood hits)
- Carrots (2, diced up—the pre-chopped kind is fine, shhh!)
- Celery (a couple stalks, or skip it if you hate it. I've done that. No one noticed.)
- Chicken broth (about 1L or 4 cups. Sometimes I cheat with bouillon cubes. Don't judge.)
- Tomatoes (a small can of diced, or even fresh ones in the summer, which is rare in my house...who has the time)
- Bay leaf (optional. Honestly, I forget this half the time and it's still delicious)
- Thyme (fresh is nice, but dried is what I usually grab—about a teaspoon-ish)
- Salt and pepper (let your tastebuds have a day out)
- Olive oil (a glug—yes, that's a technical term)
- Kale or spinach (about a handful—I throw in whatever’s limp and lonely in the fridge)
So here's how I actually make it (roughly)
- Heat a hefty splash (about 2 tbsp) of olive oil in your biggest soup pot over medium heat. Toss in your sausage, breaking it up. (Or slice, if it's that kind. If not, who cares.) Fry till it's brown and smells amazing—don't rush this, or you'll lose the best flavor. I tried once, big mistake.
- Sling in the onions, carrots, and celery. Stir things around and let them get soft—takes me about 7-10 minutes, but honestly, I’m never timing it. If you see crusty brown bits on the bottom, good. Major flavor treasure down there.
- Add garlic. Breathe in. If you forgot to chop it, just smash and throw it in, no one's judging. Let it cook till the smell makes you stop thinking about anything else, but not so long that it goes brown (unless you’re into that. I’m not, learned that one the hard way).
- Pour in tomatoes, beans, thyme, and bay leaf. Stir, scraping up all those yummy bits. This is where I usually sneak a taste, even though it's nowhere near finished—old habit.
- Add broth. Give it a little stir and raise the heat to get it bubbling. Once it does, turn it down so it just barely simmers. Let it go about 25 minutes—or whenever you remember it’s on and come back (within reason).
- Throw in the greens for the last five minutes. They'll wilt down pretty fast. If you like your greens extra soft, chuck them in sooner.
- Fish out the bay leaf. Or don't—find it in someone's bowl later (it’s always my partner... sorry, love!). Taste, add salt and pepper to your liking.
Some actual notes I’ve picked up the hard way
- If it tastes flat, a little squirt of lemon juice at the end can wake it up. Or, if you're adventurous, red wine vinegar. Don't go wild though—it gets weird fast. Ask me how I know.
- Soup too thick? Add a splash more broth or even water. Too thin? Just simmer it with the lid off. Unless you’re starving, then just live with it.
- If you skip the greens, people probably won't notice. But I guess you get fewer vitamins that way.
If you want to go a bit wild (and not always successfully)
- I tried dropping in leftover pasta—turned a bit mushy, not gonna lie. But it was nice and filling.
- Swapped out sausage for ground turkey once. It was... not terrible, but kind of bland, honestly. Wouldn't repeat.
- Added a pinch of chili flakes for some heat—absolutely awesome if you like a bit of zing. Totally optional, though.
Do you need any special gear?
A big ol' soup pot is ideal, but I've made this in a Dutch oven and, once when that was dirty, even in a deep frying pan. (Just stir very carefully or you’ll have soup on the hob. Ask my dog about that one...)
How to keep it (not that we ever do)
Tupperware works great if you’ve got leftovers. Stored in the fridge, it's good for 2-3 days; tastes even better the next day, in my opinion. Truthfully, in my house, it vanishes so quick that’s mostly theory.
Making it look and taste even better when you serve
I always end up ladling this into deep bowls, then topping it with a swirl of olive oil and a good handful of grated parm (or cheddar if that's all I’ve got). Sometimes I serve crusty bread because apparently, that’s the law in my family. My daughter dips her grilled cheese in it, but she’s a wild one.
A couple ‘pro tips’ (if you can call them that)
- Don’t try to rush browning your sausage over high heat—once I did, and spent the next twenty minutes scraping burnt bits off my best pot. Not fun.
- Actually, I find it works better if you let it rest a bit before you eat. Flavors mellow out and deepen, or so I tell myself while I sneak a spoonful when no one’s looking.
Questions folks have asked me, in case you're curious
- Can I freeze this? Sure thing, but beans sometimes go a bit mushy. Still edible though!
- Is there a vegetarian way? Oh, definitely. Leave out sausage, maybe bulk up veggies. I guess tofu could go in there too, but honestly, I've never tried (let me know if you do!).
- What if I don’t have canned beans? Sure, use dried, but soak ‘em first or you’ll have a long night. I learned that the slow, stubborn way.
- Why is my soup super thick? Beans will soak up some broth as it sits. Just add more liquid when you reheat. Or call it stew and pretend you meant it!
- How spicy should the sausage be? That’s up to you. My family likes it on the milder side because of the kids. But spicy sausage really jazzes things up if you’re into that sort of thing (I am).
Oh, and if you’re wondering—no, you don’t need to peel the carrots unless you really want to. Life’s too short. Same goes for fussy ingredient prep, honestly. Just enjoy the process, and let the soup work its magic. Cheers!
Ingredients
- 1 lb Italian sausage, casings removed
- 2 cans (15 oz each) white beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 carrots, sliced
- 2 celery stalks, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Salt to taste
- 2 cups chopped fresh spinach
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
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1Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through.
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2Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery to the pot. Cook for 5-6 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften.
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3Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
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4Add the white beans, diced tomatoes, chicken broth, dried thyme, black pepper, and salt. Bring to a boil.
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5Reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for about 25 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld.
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6Stir in chopped spinach and cook for another 2-3 minutes until wilted. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed before serving.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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