Sausage White Bean Soup

This Sausage White Bean Soup is cozy, creamy, and packed with Italian sausage, cannellini beans, carrots, and spinach. Everything cooks in one pot (cleanup is a breeze!). It stores well in the fridge or freezer (making it a great make-ahead option for busy weeknights!). Make it on the stovetop, in an Instant Pot, or in a Slow Cooker.

📝 Ingredients

• 19 oz spicy (hot) crumbled Italian sausage
• 1 small onion (chopped)
• 4 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (or Herbs from Provence)
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme (no sprigs, just leaves)
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (to taste)
• 2 medium carrots (sliced)
• 15 oz cannellini beans (canned, rinsed and drained)
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 5 oz fresh spinach
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• salt and pepper (to taste)

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1In a large saucepan, add crumbled Italian sausage, chopped onion, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, a generous amount of fresh thyme leaves (no sprigs), and red pepper flakes.
2. 2Cook on medium heat, stirring regularly to break up the sausage, for about 5 minutes, until the onion softens and starts to lightly brown.
3. 3Stir in chopped carrots and half of the white beans (rinsed and drained).
4. 4Pour in 4 cups of chicken stock, stir well, cover with a lid, and bring to a boil.
5. 5Reduce to a visible simmer and cook for about 15 to 20 minutes until the carrots are tender.
6. 6Add spinach and the remaining half of the white beans (rinsed and drained) to the pot. Cover with the lid and let the spinach wilt on low heat, stirring occasionally. OPTIONAL: If you prefer a thicker soup texture, transfer the remaining half of the white beans with a ladle of the soup liquid (minus the sausage) in a regular blender and blend it there. Alternatively, for a chunkier texture, transfer the second half of the beans and a ladle of soup (with no sausage) to a medium bowl and mash them with a fork.Then, add blended beans back into the cooking pot, together with fresh spinach, cover with the lid, and let the spinach wilt on low heat.
7. 7Once the spinach has wilted, remove the soup from heat and stir in the heavy cream.
8. 8Adjust the consistency by adding more chicken stock (or water) if the soup is too dense, or more cream for extra creaminess.
9. 9Season with salt, pepper, and additional red pepper flakes if desired. Top with fresh thyme before serving. Enjoy!
10. 10Tip: For a thicker soup, use 1 cup of heavy cream instead of 1/2 cup. OPTIONAL: Another method would be to transfer the second half of the white beans with a ladle of the soup liquid (minus the sausage) in a regular blender and blend it there. Alternatively, for a chunkier texture, transfer the second half of the beans and a ladle of soup (with no sausage) to a medium bowl and mash them with a fork.