Italian Sausage White Bean Soup

In these colder months I want nothing more than a bowl of this of piping hot Italian Sausage White Bean Soup! A light herb-y and tomato-y broth soup with veggies, Italian sausage, navy beans and cute little pasta shells. Serve with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese right before serving alongside crusty Italian bread for dunking.

And just like that Christmas is over.

All that prep, work, baking, shopping and wrapping… done.I’m not going to fib and say that I don’t enjoy that feeling of knowing it’s all over with. Sure it’s a little sad, but I look forward to the new year and starting a new year.

This year I’m ending it with a cold. It started with a tickle on Christmas Eve Eve and progressed day by day to some sort of laryngitis, cough and slightly stuffy nose thing. And All I can do is think about this soup and how good every bite would feel on my throat.

Healing properties aside, a hot bowl of soup is all I ever want when sick.

To Make This Italian Sausage White Bean Soup You Will Need:

• olive oil – Lends flavor and fat for sautéing.
• bulk Italian sausage – Hot or mild sausage is best.
• yellow onion – Adds a subtle sweet onion flavor.
• celery – Lends earthy flavor and delicious texture.
• carrot – Adds color and subtle sweetness.
• garlic – Adds distinct punchy flavor.
• tomato paste – Lends depth and flavor to the soup.
• basil (dried) – Lends a strong minty flavor with a hint of anise.
• rosemary (dried) – Adds a pine-like or woodsy flavor with notes of  lemon, pepper and sage.
• rubbed sage (dried) – Gives a distant earthy, slightly minty and musky flavor.
• red pepper flakes – Lends delicious heat. Feel free to omit.
• low-sodium chicken broth – Use homemade or store-bought.
• crushed fire-roasted tomatoes – Adds incredible flavor and texture to this soup.
• white beans – Use cannellini or navy beans. I used canned (rinsed and drained) for ease, however you can soak and cook your own.
• parmesan rind – This will infuse the soup with umami flavor.
• tiny pasta shells – For this recipe I use annelini (linked in recipe printable).
• kosher salt – Helps draw out moisture while sautéing and enhances the flavors in the recipe.
• ground black pepper – This will add some subtle bite and flavor.

for serving:

• freshly grated parmesan cheese
• fresh basil or parsley

Cook The Sausage:

In a dutch oven add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 pound of (hot or mild) Italian sausage.

Cook the sausage over medium heat, using a wooden spatula to break up the sausage, cooking it until fully cooked and browned. Use a slotted spoon to transfer it to a paper towel lined plate and set aside.

Prep the veggies:

While the sausage is browning, prep your veggies and garlic. You will need 1 medium to large carrot, 2 ribs celery and 1 medium yellow onion.

Build The Soup:

To the grease in the pot, add in the onions, celery and carrots with a pinch of kosher salt.

Stir, cover and cook for about 8 minutes stirring occasionally until softened. Next, add in 2 tablespoons tomato paste, 1 teaspoon dried basil and rosemary, 1/2 teaspoon each rubbed sage and red pepper flakes (add more or less red pepper flakes depending on your preference).

Stir and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.

Next add 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth, 1 (32 ounce) can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes, 1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans (or navy beans), 1 parmesan rind and then add the cooked Italian sausage back in.

NOTE: I’ll also add a little water, about 1/4 of the can, to the can of fire roasted tomatoes and swirl it to catch the remaining sauce in the can, then add that in to the pot as well.

Stir, cover and increase the heat to high. Once boiling reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes.

Uncover and add 2 to 3 ounces of tiny shell pasta.

Cook for 10-15 minutes or until the pasta has expanded and is cooked through.

Once the pasta is cooked, remove the parmesan rind and season the soup with 1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt (more or less to taste) and lots of freshly ground black pepper.

If the pasta absorbs too much of the liquids, go ahead and add in more chicken broth to thin it out.

I swear this Italian sausage white bean soup tastes like it’s been simmering all day. So cozy and comforting!

Serve The Soup:

Serve soup ladled inI like to sprinkle with grated fresh Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh Parsley right before serving. Grilled cheese or sliced (or torn) bread are a must and are great for dunking.

How To Store Italian Sausage White Bean Soup:

Allow the soup to cool completely before storing in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.

How Long Will Italian Sausage White Bean Soup Last?

If stored properly, this soup should last up to 4 days. However, the pasta will absorb more liquids. I recommending adding more broth to thin the soup out.

Enjoy! And if you give this Italian Sausage White Bean Soup recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!

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Yield: 8 servings

Italian Sausage White Bean Soup

In these colder months I want nothing more than a bowl of this of piping hot Italian Sausage White Bean Soup! A light herb-y and tomato-y broth soup with veggies, Italian sausage, navy beans and cute little pasta shells. Serve with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley right before serving alongside crusty Italian bread for dunking.

Prep Time: 20 minutes mins

Cook Time: 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr 25 minutes mins

Ingredients

• 1 olive oil
• 1 pound bulk Italian sausage, hot or mild
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 2 to 3 ribs celery, sliced
• 1 medium to large carrot, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
• 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 28 ounces canned crushed fire-roasted tomatoes
• 15 ounces canned cannellini beans or navy beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 parmesan rind, optional
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup small baby pasta shells
• 1¼ teaspoon of kosher salt, more or less to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, more or less to taste
• freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
• chopped fresh parsley, for serving

Equipment

• Lodge EC7OD13 Enameled Cast Iron Oval Dutch Oven, 7-Quart, Oyster White

Instructions 

• In a dutch oven add olive oil and (hot or mild) Italian sausage. Cooke over medium-heat. Use a wooden spoon to break up the sausage and cook until golden brown and crispy, or about 20 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer cooked sausage to a paper towel lined plate.

  While  the sausage is browning, prep your veggies and garlic.
• To the grease in the pot, add in the onions, celery and carrots with a pinch of kosher salt. Stir, cover and cook for about 8 minutes stirring occasionally until softened.
• Next, add in the tomato paste, dried basil, rosemary, rubbed sage and red pepper flakes (add more or less red pepper flakes depending on your preference). Stir and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
• Next add low-sodium chicken broth, fire-roasted crushed tomatoes, beans, parmesan rind and then add the cooked Italian sausage back in. Stir, cover and increase the heat to high. Once boiling reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes.

  NOTE: I like to add a little water, about 1/4 of the can, to the can of fire roasted tomatoes and swirl it to catch the remaining sauce in the can, then add that in to the pot as well.
• Next, uncover and add the pasta. Stirring often (as the pasta likes to stick to the bottom of the pot) cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until the pasta is cooked. Once the pasta is cooked, remove the parmesan rind and season the soup with kosher salt (more or less to taste) and lots of freshly ground black pepper.
• If the pasta absorbs too much of the liquids, go ahead and add in more chicken broth to thin it out.
• Ladle soup into bowls and serve topped with grated Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh parsley or basil.
• See notes in blog post for storing information.

Notes

Nutrition Disclaimer: All information presented on this site is intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information shared on SimplyScratch.com should only be used as a general guideline.

Serving: 1.75cups, Calories: 378kcal, Carbohydrates: 32g, Protein: 20g, Fat: 20g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 9g, Cholesterol: 43mg, Sodium: 1266mg, Potassium: 936mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 1633IU, Vitamin C: 14mg, Calcium: 98mg, Iron: 4mg

Author: Laurie McNamara

Course: Soups, Stews & Chilis

Cuisine: Italian

This recipe was originally posted on December 27, 2016 and has been updated with clear and concise instructions, new photography and helpful information.