Description
This hearty Tuscan White Bean Soup combines flavorful Italian sausage with tender vegetables, creamy beans, and fresh spinach simmered in a savory broth, finished with a touch of heavy cream for a rich, comforting meal perfect for any season.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat
- 1 pound mild Italian sausage
Vegetables
- 1 large yellow onion, diced (about 1 ½ cups)
- 3 ribs celery, diced
- 2 large carrots, sliced into rounds
- 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
- 2 cups (60 g) fresh baby spinach
Seasonings & Flavorings
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- parsley, chopped for garnish
Liquids
- 4 cups (32 ounces) chicken broth
- ½ cup (119 g) heavy whipping cream
Legumes
- 2 cans (15.5 ounces each) Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
Instructions
- Brown the Sausage: Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the mild Italian sausage and cook, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 10-15 minutes.
- Sauté Vegetables: Reduce the heat to medium and add diced yellow onion, celery, and carrots to the pot. Cook until the onions soften, approximately 3-5 minutes. Then add minced garlic and cook for an additional minute until fragrant.
- Add Seasonings: Stir in tomato paste, Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper, and ground black pepper to the sausage and vegetable mixture until well combined.
- Simmer Soup: Pour in chicken broth and add the drained Great Northern beans. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 6-7 minutes, or until the celery and carrots are tender.
- Finish with Cream and Spinach: Stir in heavy whipping cream and fresh baby spinach. Continue cooking until the spinach is wilted, about 5 more minutes.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with chopped parsley. Serve warm for a comforting meal.
Notes
- For a spicier soup, increase the crushed red pepper according to taste.
- Substitute the Italian sausage with turkey sausage for a leaner option.
- If you prefer a thicker soup, mash some of the beans before adding the cream.
- Use vegetable broth to make the soup suitable for a non-meat diet (omit sausage).
- This soup stores well and can be refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (about 1 ½ cups)
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg
