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This flavorful Italian sausage white bean soup recipe is loaded with bacon and sausage, fresh spinach, and tender cannellini beans. It’s simple to make and so cozy!
You may also like my Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup or this Italian Sausage Orzo recipe next.
Why you’ll love it
This easy sausage white bean soup doesn’t use a ton of ingredients (just a few pantry staples!), and it also happens to be dairy free. If you’re looking for a soup that’s super comforting without any added milk or cream, you’ve found the right recipe.
If you like Zuppa Toscana, the famous Olive Garden soup, chances are you’ll also enjoy this Italian sausage soup. It has similar vibes with sausage and bacon and a rich broth! This simple white bean soup has become a reader favorite.
What you’ll need
- Italian sausage – I used Johnsonville mild
- Bacon – because it makes everything better
- Onion and garlic – I like sweet (Vidalia) onions best
- White beans – canned cannellini beans are the star of the broth. They’re buttery and filling and inexpensive.
- Chicken broth – the savory base of the soup
- Italian seasoning – I always keep it in stock in my pantry. It’s a versatile blend that comes in one jar and adds tons of flavor.
- Rosemary – you can use freshly chopped rosemary if you have some on hand vs. dried
- Carrots and spinach – for some veggie goodness
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- This 5.5 quart Staub Dutch oven is the one I use for many of my soups.
- A pair of kitchen shears makes it effortless to cut up the bacon, and a garlic press saves time on mincing garlic by hand.
- I use an immersion blender to get that nice puréed texture.
How to make sausage white bean soup
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
In a large pot or Dutch oven, add the sausage meat along with the bacon. Cook until the fat has rendered. Transfer to a plate, leaving a couple of tablespoons of fat. Sauté the onion until softened, then add in the garlic.
Stir in the beans, broth, Italian seasoning, and rosemary, and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom. Remove from the heat, and purée it with an immersion blender (I like to leave some of the beans whole – it’s up to you how much you blend it).
Return the sausage and bacon to the pot. Add the carrots, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer until the carrots have softened. Stir in the spinach, let it wilt, and season with salt & pepper as needed.
Substitutions and variations
- You could add a splash of cream to this soup if you want to make it even richer. Try 1/2 cup to start.
- Don’t want to use spinach? Try kale or Swiss Chard instead.
- If you want some heat, use hot Italian sausage or add some red pepper flakes.
- You could add a diced potato or two to this soup if you wish. I didn’t find it necessary, but I think it would make it even heartier.
What to serve with sausage white bean soup
- It’s hearty and filling, but a side of fresh crusty bread or Cheesy Garlic Bread is always a good idea!
- Try a side salad to complement it. My Italian Dressing or Honey Mustard Dressing (also dairy free) are great options.
Leftovers and storage
- Store leftovers of this soup in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Reheat slowly over a low heat until warmed through. The beans will continue to release starch as the soup cools, so you may need to add some more broth to leftovers.
- This soup will keep for up to 3 months in the freezer. If you’re making a big batch to freeze, I would suggest adding the spinach after you thaw it/just before serving.
If you made this Italian sausage soup, please leave a star rating and review below! Talk to me if you have any questions. You can also find me on Instagram.
Italian Sausage White Bean Soup
Ingredients
- 1 pound Italian sausage see note
- 4 strips bacon
- 1/2 medium onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 4 (14 ounce) cans white beans (cannellini) drained
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 2 small carrots peeled & chopped small
- 2 cups (packed) fresh baby spinach
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add the sausage meat to a large soup pot, along with the bacon (I cut it up using kitchen shears).
- Cook over medium-high heat until the sausage and bacon are somewhat crispy/the fat has been rendered out (this can take upwards of 15 minutes). Meanwhile, prep the other ingredients.
- Transfer the sausage and bacon to a plate (I don't line it with paper towel because the extra fat adds more flavor, but you can if you want). Leave about 2 tablespoons of fat in the pot (spoon any excess out).
- Add the onion to the pot and sauté it for 3-5 minutes or until it's softened and starting to lightly brown.
- Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add the beans, chicken broth, Italian seasoning, and rosemary. Give it a good stir and scrape up any brown bits off the bottom of the pot.
- Take the pot off the stove. Using an immersion/stick blender, purée the soup. I like to leave some beans whole. The soup will thicken a bit more as it cooks, but the thickness/texture will be similar to what it is after you do this part, so keep that in mind. If you don't have a stick blender, transfer a ladle or two of beans to a regular blender, or use a potato masher or fork for a more rustic texture.
- Return the sausage and bacon to the pot and add in the chopped carrots as well. Place the pot over high heat. Once the soup starts to boil, cover the pot with the lid slightly ajar and reduce the heat so it's simmering. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until the carrots have softened and the soup has thickened up a bit more.
- Stir in the spinach and let it wilt for a minute or two. Taste and season with salt & pepper as needed. Serve immediately.
Notes
- For the sausage, anything around the 1 pound/16 oz. ballpark is fine – it doesn’t need to be exact. You can either buy ground sausage meat or, if using whole sausages, take the meat out of the casings. Here in Canada I buy a 500g (17.6 oz.) 5-pack of Johnsonville mild Italian sausages.
- Use low-sodium chicken broth if sensitive to salt. Bacon and sausages can be fairly salty so you probably won’t need to add much extra salt to this soup.
- Instant Pot method: sauté the ingredients as instructed, blend the beans right in the pot, cook it on high pressure for 8 minutes, then add the spinach in after you release the pressure. If needed, add extra broth to thin the soup out.
- This recipe is also in the Salt & Lavender: Everyday Essentials cookbook.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Made this for dinner tonight. Oh my goodness. It was so delicious. I elected to not blend my beans up and I’m so thankful I didn’t. They tend to break down on their own. The only change I made and I don’t believe it changed the taste at all was to add mushrooms. My husband and I think mushrooms belong in everything savory. We just really love the texture of mushrooms. This is definitely, worthy of keeping the print out in my recipe box.
I’m so happy it was a hit!! 😀
My husband overdid it with the immersion blender. Give a man a power tool…Now we have no whole beans and it looks like watery gruel. What to do??
Hi! Oh no! I mean it’ll still taste good. You could perhaps add some more liquid to thin it out? And perhaps add in some whole beans and just cook it a little longer so you have some texture there.
I am a HUGE soup fan. WOW! This was AMAZING! Making another batch now only doubling it. 🙂
Thank you so much!! Glad it’s a new fav, Christine!
This soup was absolutely delicious! It is reminiscent of zuppe toscana from Olive Garden, but better IMO. The broth of this has more body, and is the best part.
I did do some of the add ins from the recipe…a few diced potatoes, 1/2 cup of HWC and some red pepper flakes. The potatoes and HWC did indeed make it hearty. Will definitely be putting this recipe in my rotation. 🤌🏼
I’m so happy you liked it!! 😀 Thanks for your review, Nicole!
Outstanding! Big hit with everyone in our household, and very flavourful. Some of the “options” in the recipe we used were: hot italian sausage rather than mild, because we all like that bit of kick, addition of one cubed russet potato with the carrots, and kale rather than spinach. The only other modification I made was not blending it, but that of course wouldnt change the flavour. Even without blending, the broth was thickened and had a creamy feel from the potato breaking down, and the beans. Really, really nice. Served simply: threw some already buttered toast (leftover from breakfast at the diner) into the oven for a few minutes, and some people sprinkled on a bit of crushed red pepper. Will definitely be making this again and recommending it to friends.
I’m so glad you liked it!! 😀 Thanks for your detailed review, Marya!
Can you make this in a crockpot? I’m trying to set it and forget it! We have a sick household and mama wants to rest
Hi! I would still do the searing steps on the stove, but yes, I don’t see why it wouldn’t work in the slow cooker. Just add the spinach in right at the end. 🙂
this was great…however i did not puree it .just left it chunky…thanx
Glad you liked it, Karla!!
excellent. husband loved it
So glad to hear it, Missy!! 😀
Quick question! Is the nutrition info for one of the six servings? Of for the soup as a whole? Thanks!
Hi Nikki! It’s for one serving.
Excellent flavour and very easy to make! This is a keeper!
Thank you so much!!
Very good! I made it for supper tonight and my husband said it was a ‘repeat’.
I will make it in a Dutch oven next time as the bacon wasn’t crispy-just wilted! lol
I also wondered if you rinse the beans? I didn’t. I thought the starch that was on them after I drained them would make the soup thicker. The only thing that was a little off putting for me was the coloring from the sausage. It was orangey. I wonder if you used ground Italian sausage from the butcher if you would get the same consistency?
Anyway, very good. I will make it again!
Hi Terri! I’m glad you liked it. Did you fry the bacon for long enough? I do find that it takes quite a while for it to crisp up with the sausage in there too. You can definitely do it first and then take it out of the pan and then add the sausage and brown it. Re: the color – you may be right that one from the butcher may not do that, but I am not sure. I’ve only made this with Johnsonville sausages. Not sure if the orange color is from the flavorings or what exactly.