This high-protein Tuscan White Bean Soup is cozy and comforting without feeling heavy. Packed with so much flavor from Italian chicken sausage and fresh veggies, and ready in about 30 minutes, it’s the kind of easy, satisfying soup you’ll make again and again.
If you have been a frequent reader of this blog, you know I absolutely love a good soup. Whether it’s my Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup, my Copycat Zuppa Toscana, my Marry Me Chicken Soup, or one of my other Healthy Soup Recipes, soup season is one of my favorites.
And although the temps have still been pretty warm, I have been experimenting with different soup recipes. I made this riff on Tuscan bean soup recently, but added chicken sausage because we are always trying to increase our protein intake around here, and I had no idea it would be such a hit with both my teen and my husband. Isn’t it so awesome when the simplest ingredients come together perfectly?
Anyway – my tip? Double this recipe! You won’t regret it!
Why You’ll Love this Soup
- High-protein – both the beans and Italian sausage give this hearty soup over 30 grams of protein per serving.
- Quick + easy – it’s ready in about 30 minutes with mostly pantry staples, perfect for busy weeknights.
- One pot – fewer dishes to wash makes this cozy soup an even bigger favorite for me.
- Customizable – you can make this vegetarian, swap in different veggies or greens, adjust broth thickness, and switch up the beans.
- Meal prep–friendly – the flavors are even better the next day, so prep a big batch and enjoy throughout the week!
Ingredients + Substitutions
For exact amounts, be sure to check the recipe card below.
- extra virgin olive oil
- Italian Chicken Sausage – you can get spicy sausage, mild, or sweet. And if you can’t find Chicken Sausage at the store, use my recipe for a quick homemade Italian sausage using ground chicken!
- yellow onion
- carrots + celery
- fresh garlic
- cannellini beans – or swap in navy beans, great northern beans, white kidney beans, or even garbanzo beans.
- broth or stock – you can use chicken broth or vegetable broth. If you want more protein, use bone broth.
- tomato paste
- salt, oregano, and thyme – I use dried herbs, but fresh herbs would be lovely
- bay leaves
- fresh spinach – or swap in baby kale, tuscan kale or even swiss chard
- optional topping – parmigiana reggiano, pecorino romano, and/or a squeeze of lemon, You could also add red pepper flakes.
Step by Step Instructions
Step one: Heat a large pot or dutch oven on medium-high heat, then add in olive oil. Remove chicken sausage from the casing and saute until browned, breaking up into small pieces while it’s cooking.
Step two: Next, reduce to medium heat and add in diced onions, celery and carrots. Saute for an additional 5 or so minutes to let the veggies soften and brown slightly, then add in garlic for an additional minute.
Step three: Add in all remaining ingredients except for the spinach or kale and stir well.
Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Let simmer for 15 minutes.
Step four: At this point, the veggie should be tender and the soup is almost ready. Carefully discard the bay leaves, then add in the chopped spinach or kale, and let it simmer for a few minutes to allow greens to wilt.
Step five: Serve warm as is or topped with parmesan cheese or pecorino romano and a squeeze of lemon.
Helpful Tips
- For even deeper flavor, you could add sun-dried tomatoes or a Parmesan rind to the ingredients list.
- For a creamier texture, you could puree some of the beans with broth and then add it back into the soup. Creamy soup without any need for cream!
- To save time, use pre-chopped mirepoix mix and pre-washed greens.
- This soup is a meal in itself, but my kids love it served with gluten-free crusty bread or sourdough bread.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge; freezes great without the greens (add fresh after thawing).
Recipe FAQs
Yes — skip the sausage and use vegetable broth! You could add an extra can of beans for more protein and to keep the soup hearty.
Yes! To make in a slow cooker, saute chicken sausage as directed, then add all ingredients except greens in a slow cooker. Cook on low for 6-8 hours, adding in greens for the last 30 minutes.
Totally! I love freezing this soup and it will stay good in the freezer for 3-4 months. For best results, wait to add the greens until reheating, but if you already made it with the greens, it’s okay to still freeze – I do this all the time.
For a creamier soup, you can blend some of the beans with broth or milk, then return the pureed beans to the pot.
Crusty bread, a simple arugula salad, or yum – this air fryer garlic bread!
Tuscan White Bean Soup with Chicken Sausage
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lb Italian Chicken Sausage
- 1 small yellow onion diced (or 1/2 of a large onion)
- 3 carrots peeled and diced
- 3 stalks of celery diced
- 3 cloves fresh garlic minced
- 2 cans cannellini beans drained and rinsed
- 3-4 cups chicken broth vegetable broth, or chicken stock, low-sodium
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1/2 teaspoon salt more to taste, as needed
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 cups fresh spinach or baby kale chopped
- optional topping – parmigiana reggiano pecorino romano, and/or a squeeze of lemon, You could also add red pepper flakes.
Instructions
- Heat a large pot or dutch oven on medium-high heat, then add in olive oil. Remove chicken sausage from the casing and saute until browned, breaking up into small pieces while it’s cooking.
- Next, reduce to medium heat and add in diced onions, celery and carrots. Saute for an additional 5 or so minutes to let the veggies soften and brown slightly, then add in garlic for an additional minute.
- Add in all remaining ingredients except for the spinach or kale and stir well. I usually start with 3 cups of broth, then add more as needed, depending on how thick I want my soup – usually using up to 4 cups.
- Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Let simmer for 15 minutes.
- Discard the bay leaves. Add in the chopped spinach or kale, and let it simmer for a few minutes to allow greens to wilt. Taste and adjust flavors as desired, adding in extra salt or dried seasonings as desired, or a squeeze of lemon to brighten up the flavor.
- Serve warm as is or topped with parmesan cheese or pecorino romano.
- For a thicker soup, you can mash some of the beans with the back of a spoon or blend a small portion of the soup and then add the blended soup it back in. You could also do a few pulses with an immersion blender.
- To make in a slow cooker, saute chicken sausage as directed, then add all ingredients except greens in a slow cooker. Cook on low for 6-8 hours, adding in greens for the last 30 minutes.
Notes
- For even deeper flavor, you could add sun-dried tomatoes or a Parmesan rind to the ingredients list.
- For a creamier texture, you could puree some of the beans with broth and then add it back into the soup. Creamy soup without any need for cream!
- To save time, use pre-chopped mirepoix mix and pre-washed greens.
- This soup is a meal in itself, but my kids love it served with gluten-free crusty bread or sourdough bread.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge; freezes great without the greens (add fresh after thawing).
Lori says
loved it! hubby said that since we have to eat soup in fall this one will be a good one
Nancylynn says
Hahahaha – that is awesome to hear! Thank you for taking the time to rate and review, Lori! Means so much! ❤️