Looking for a comforting and hearty meal? Try this Italian Sausage White Bean Soup recipe! It’s packed with savory Italian sausage, crispy bacon, and creamy white beans, making it a delicious and satisfying option for busy weeknights. With fresh spinach adding a nutritious twist, this soup is perfect for warming up during colder months. Save this pin to enjoy a flavorful homemade soup that’s ideal for meal prep and guaranteed to please your taste buds!
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 and chopped small
- 2 cups (packed) fresh baby spinach
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large soup pot, cook the sausage meat and bacon over medium-high heat until crispy and the fat has rendered, about 15 minutes. While this cooks, prep your other ingredients.
- Remove the sausage and bacon with a slotted spoon, leaving about 2 tablespoons of fat in the pot. If desired, drain excess fat, but leaving some enhances the flavor.
- Add the chopped onion to the pot and sauté for 3-5 minutes until softened and beginning to brown.
- Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the drained beans, chicken broth, Italian seasoning, and rosemary to the pot. Stir well, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.
- Remove the pot from heat. Use an immersion blender to purée the soup, leaving some beans whole for texture. If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can blend a portion of the soup in a regular blender or mash the beans with a fork for a more rustic texture.
- Return the sausage and bacon to the pot. Add the chopped carrots. Bring the pot back to high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover with the lid slightly ajar, and cook for 15-20 minutes until the carrots are tender and the soup has thickened.
- Stir in the fresh baby spinach and let it wilt for a couple of minutes.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Serve immediately.
Notes
- For the sausage, anything around 1 pound/16 oz. is fine. You can use ground sausage or remove the meat from whole sausage casings. A 500g (17.6 oz.) 5-pack of Johnsonville mild Italian sausages works well.
- Use low-sodium chicken broth if you’re sensitive to salt, as bacon and sausages can add significant saltiness.
- For an Instant Pot version, sauté the ingredients as instructed, blend the beans directly in the pot, cook on high pressure for 8 minutes, then add the spinach after releasing the pressure. Thin the soup with extra broth if needed.
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