Description
A cozy, hearty soup featuring creamy white beans, savory Italian sausage, and sharp Parmesan cheese. Perfect for busy weeknights or chilly evenings, this comforting Tuscan classic is quick, easy, and packed with flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (extra virgin for best flavor)
- 1 pound Italian sausage, casings removed (spicy or mild)
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped (about 1 cup)
- 2 celery stalks, sliced (about 1 cup)
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 cans (15 ounces each) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (or Great Northern beans)
- 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs (or mix of oregano, thyme, basil)
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach (optional)
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (plus extra for serving)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- Extra Parmesan cheese, grated (for serving)
- Crusty bread (Tuscan or sourdough, for dipping)
- Fresh parsley or basil, chopped (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Chop onion, carrots, and celery into even-sized pieces. Mince garlic. Remove casings from sausage and break into chunks.
- Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-high. Add sausage and cook until browned, breaking it up with a spoon. Do not drain.
- Add onion, carrots, and celery. Stir occasionally until softened and slightly golden, about 6 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Stir in drained cannellini beans (reserve 1 cup to puree later), chicken broth, Italian herbs, red pepper flakes, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Scrape up any stuck bits from the bottom.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Puree the reserved beans with a ladleful of hot soup in a blender or with an immersion blender until smooth. Stir back into the pot to thicken the broth.
- Stir in spinach and 1/2 cup grated Parmesan. Let spinach wilt and cheese melt. Add lemon juice.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper, or red pepper flakes as needed. Add extra broth if soup is too thick.
- Ladle soup into bowls. Top with extra Parmesan and chopped parsley or basil. Serve with crusty bread.
Notes
For a vegetarian version, omit sausage and add extra beans or mushrooms. Use vegetable broth and vegan Parmesan if desired. Soup thickens as it cools; add broth when reheating. Taste and adjust seasoning as you go. Leftovers improve in flavor overnight and freeze well for up to 3 months.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 generous bowl (about 1.5 cups)
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 900
- Fat: 16
- Saturated Fat: 6
- Carbohydrates: 28
- Fiber: 8
- Protein: 22
Keywords: Tuscan white bean soup, Italian sausage soup, Parmesan soup, comfort food, easy soup recipe, weeknight dinner, hearty soup, cannellini bean soup, gluten-free option, high protein soup