Creamy Tuscan White Bean With Sausage (Printable Version)

Rich Tuscan-style soup with white beans, sausage, spinach, and carrots in a velvety cream broth. Ready in 30 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Meats

01 - 12 oz Italian sausage, casings removed, crumbled

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
03 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
04 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
05 - 3.5 oz fresh baby spinach

→ Legumes

06 - 2 cans (14 oz each) cannellini or great northern beans, drained and rinsed

→ Broth & Dairy

07 - 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
08 - 1 cup heavy cream
09 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

→ Herbs & Seasonings

10 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herb mix
11 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ For Serving

13 - Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
14 - Crusty bread, optional

# How-To Steps:

01 - In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add crumbled sausage and cook, breaking up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through, approximately 5 minutes.
02 - Add onion and carrots, sautéing for 4 minutes until vegetables soften. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in the beans, Italian herb mix, and red pepper flakes. Pour in chicken broth and bring to a simmer.
04 - Reduce heat to low and stir in heavy cream. Simmer gently for 5 to 7 minutes, allowing flavors to meld.
05 - Add spinach and cook until wilted, approximately 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
06 - Ladle soup into bowls, top with freshly grated Parmesan, and serve with crusty bread if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • This soup creates that magical balance between hearty and refined without requiring culinary school skills or obscure ingredients.
  • The 30-minute cooking time means you can whip this up on busy weeknights yet still feel like you created something worthy of company.
02 -
  • Never boil the soup after adding cream or youll end up with an unpleasant curdled texture instead of that luxurious silkiness.
  • Taking time to properly brown the sausage creates depth of flavor that cant be rushed, so resist the urge to stir constantly.
03 -
  • Reserve a few tablespoons of the sausage after browning and use it as a garnish on top for both visual appeal and texture contrast.
  • A finishing drizzle of your best olive oil just before serving creates a restaurant-worthy presentation and adds another layer of Mediterranean flavor.
Go Back