Tuscan White Bean and Sausage Soup

Ingredients

• 1 lb Italian sausage (Casings removed; use bulk sausage if available)
• 2 tbsp Sun-dried tomato oil (Oil from the jar of sun-dried tomatoes, for sautéing)
• 3 cup Mirepoix (Diced celery, carrots, and onion mixture)
• 2 tsp Italian seasoning (Plus additional seasoning to taste near the end)
• 3 cloves Garlic (Chopped)
• 1 tsp Fresh rosemary (Chopped)
• 1 tsp Fresh thyme (Chopped)
• 0.5 tsp Black pepper (Plus more to taste)
• Salt (To taste; add especially if using reduced-sodium broth)
• 2 tbsp Tomato paste
• 0.5 cup Dry white wine (Chicken broth may be substituted)
• 2 cans Cannellini or Great Northern beans (Approximately 15 ounces each; drained and rinsed)
• 4 cup Reduced-sodium chicken broth (Use unsalted broth if preferred; water can replace extra broth)
• 0.75 cup Parmesan cheese (Grated, plus more for finishing)
• 2 Bay leaves (Remove before serving)
• 0.5 cup Sun-dried tomatoes (Chopped; add as much as desired)
• 0.5 cup Heavy whipping cream
• 5 oz Fresh spinach (Kale may be substituted)
• 1 tbsp Lemon juice (Add a small squeeze, to taste)
• 0.25 tsp Red pepper flakes (To taste)

Steps

1. 1

   Heat a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the oil reserved from the sun-dried tomatoes.

2. 2

   Add the diced mirepoix and Italian seasoning. Cook for 3–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften and the aromatics smell fragrant.

3. 3

   Add the sausage, breaking it into large pieces at first so it can develop browned edges. Cook until lightly browned and no longer pink, then break it into smaller pieces.

4. 4

   Add the chopped garlic, rosemary, and thyme. Season with black pepper and a little salt. Stir and cook briefly until the garlic and herbs are fragrant, taking care not to burn the garlic.

5. 5

   Push the sausage and vegetables aside to create a space in the pot. Add the tomato paste to the cleared area and cook it for about 1 minute, stirring, until it darkens slightly.

6. 6

   Pour in the white wine. Scrape the bottom of the pot to loosen any browned bits, and simmer for a few minutes so the alcohol cooks off. Substitute chicken broth if not using wine.

7. 7

   Add the drained beans and chicken broth. Stir well, then season with salt and additional Italian seasoning to taste.

8. 8

   Add the Parmesan and bay leaves. Bring the soup to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for about 15–20 minutes so the flavors combine and the beans heat through.

9. 9

   Remove and discard the bay leaves. Stir in the chopped sun-dried tomatoes and additional grated Parmesan.

10. 10

    Pour in the heavy cream and add the spinach, or use chopped kale instead. Stir until the greens are submerged and cook for about 5 minutes, until the spinach wilts or the kale is tender.

11. 11

    Stir in a small squeeze of lemon juice and season with salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste. Serve hot with additional Parmesan if desired.

Notes

The transcript does not provide exact quantities for most ingredients; amounts are practical estimates based on the described preparation. Use reduced-sodium or unsalted broth and adjust salt after the Parmesan and sausage are added. The soup may thicken as it stands; loosen leftovers with a little broth when reheating.

Nutrition per serving

• soup
• main
• Italian-inspired
• one-pot
• stovetop
• comfort food
• high-protein
• contains-dairy