If you are looking for an all in one, hearty, and delicious any night meal, this Italian sausage and bean soup is perfect. We tend to prefer and therefore make it in fall and winter months, as it lends itself to those seasons. It is a recipe that has been evolving over time, depending on what veggies are in the fridge and which pasta is available in the pantry. Also, you can adjust ingredients to family members’ preferences. Here is how we make it most often, but take the idea and make it your own- it is best that way!
Italian Sausage & Bean Soup Ingredients
You can literally make this recipe as complicated or simply as you want. Here are the ingredients we suggest to start, however, check out the notes section regarding the many adjustments/ omissions/ substitutions you can make.
The basis of this sausage & bean soup is Italian sausage, so find your favorite ground version. We make ours with ground sweet Italian sausage. Buy it out of the casings, if available, otherwise you will have to remove them for this recipe. You can use a spicy Italian sausage if you and your family/ guests prefer a spicier flavor.
For vegetables, you will need sliced mushrooms (white or baby bella), diced fresh carrots, fresh green beans, zucchinis, onion, and garlic cloves. You will also need olive oil, salt, canned cannellini beans, canned diced tomatoes, dried Italian seasoning (or fresh oregano, sage, and basil), chicken stock, dry red wine, jarred marinara sauce, and a small to medium pasta of your preference.
How to Make this Soup
Preparing the Vegetables
Step one is to wash and prep the vegetables, so you are ready for each phase and can be efficient in making this soup. Wash, peel and chop carrots, set them aside. Then, peel and dice an onion, and set aside. For the zucchinis, you will wash them and cut them into 1/4 inch thick rounds. Then quarter the rounds, and let sit in a strainer. Add a bit of salt (about 1/2 tsp) and toss. The salt give the zucchini some flavor and draws out a bit of the moisture, preventing it from becoming too mushy as other veggies cook with it.
Wash and slice the mushrooms and then set aside.* If you are using any fresh herbs, then you will wash and mince these as well. I also like to have the garlic cloves peeled and ready for the press.
Side note about washing mushrooms: So they always look dirty, right? Especially if you buy them pre-sliced. This has always made me cringe and I want to scrape every last speck from them. However, the more I have read on the topic over the years, the more comfortable I am with just brushing them off with a damp paper towel. I do know from experience that washing them with water by soaking them makes them soggy and then brown pretty quickly. So if you do use water to wash mushrooms, be sure to quickly dry each one.
Browning the Italian Sausage
The next phase is to begin browning the Italian Sausage. Start by heating a large stock pot over medium heat. If you purchased a bulk ground sausage, without casings, you can put it in the pot and begin to break apart the meat with a spatula as it cooks. If you purchased links, cut open the casing with kitchen scissors or a knife and squeeze the sausage out of the casings to cook it. Once it has browned, pour it out onto a plate or shallow bowl lined with a paper towel. This will allow excess grease to drain out. Return the pot to the stovetop with some grease from sausage left.
Sautéing the Vegetables
In the stockpot with left over sausage oils, add the onion and carrot to begin sautéing them. After about a minute, add the remaining chopped fresh vegetables, tossing to combine them. If the vegetables seem dry, you can add a bit of olive oil. This is all dependent on the oil/ fat content from your sausage. Once the veggies are combined and cooking, add the Italian seasoning (dry or fresh) and pressed garlic cloves. Sauté the vegetables for 3-4 minutes.
Putting it all Together
Next, add the browned sausage back into the pot with the veggies. Then, add the dry red wine and canned tomatoes with the juices. Bring this to a simmer, stirring occasionally to help the flavors absorb. Now you can add 3 cups of the chicken stock. If you are using the marinara sauce (this is optional but will add more texture and thickness to your soup), add it at this stage as well.
Bring the soup to a boil and then reduce to simmer. Then you can drain, rinse and add the cannellini beans to the soup. Allow the soup to simmer for at least 15 minutes covered, then add in the pasta of choice. You can add 1 more cup of stock and/ or extra water as needed to have desired amount of liquid. Some pastas absorb more moisture than others, so monitor this and add accordingly. Allow the soup to simmer until the pasta is tender.
Substitutions and Serving Suggestions for Italian Sausage Bean Soup
- Number one suggestion is to use your preferred vegetables! Often, I use what is in my fridge. You can still achieve a delicious hearty soup if you do not have all of these ingredients. Yellow squash is a great substitute, celery, peas, etc. I like using fresh green beans, but have used canned on occasion.
- Adding marinara sauce came about when I didn’t want to waste a half a jar I had in my fridge, so I put it into this soup. It made it a bit thicker and the flavor were complementary. However, I don’t ever really open a new jar of marinara for this soup, as it is tasty without it as well.
Kale Bacon Avocado Salad
- This meal stands alone and is filling, however, serving it with a simple salad and/ or garlic bread is a great complement. Try this Simple Italian Salad or this Kale Bacon Avocado Salad as options.
Simple Italian Salad
Italian Sausage & Bean Soup
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 6-8 1x
Description
If you are looking for an all in one, hearty, and delicious any night meal, this Italian sausage and bean soup is perfect. We tend to prefer and therefore make it in fall and winter months, as it lends itself to those seasons.
Ingredients
- 1 lb Italian sausage (sweet, mild, or spicy depending on preference)
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 cup diced carrots
- 5–6 oz fresh green beans (about 1 cup trimmed and cut in 1/2″ pieces)
- 2 medium zucchinis
- 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
- 3 cloves garlic (pressed or minced)
- 2 T dry Italian seasoning (or 4 T combined fresh oregano, basil and sage- minced)
- 1 cup dry red wine
- 1 can diced tomatoes in juice
- 1 cup jarred marinara sauce*
- 1 box (4 c) chicken stock
- 1 can cannellini beans
- 4–5 ounces dried pasta (small or medium shells/ bowties)
- *optional extra water
Instructions
Preparing the Vegetables
- Wash and prep the vegetables, so you are ready for each phase and can be efficient in making this soup.
- Wash, peel and chop carrots, set them aside.
- Then, peel and dice an onion, and set aside.
- For the zucchinis, you will wash them and cut them into 1/4 inch thick rounds. Then quarter the rounds, and let sit in a strainer. Add a bit of salt (about 1/2 tsp) and toss. The salt give the zucchini some flavor and draws out a bit of the moisture, preventing it from becoming too mushy as other veggies cook with it.
- Wash and slice the mushrooms and then set aside* see below for note on mushroom washing
- If you are using any fresh herbs, then you will wash and mince these as well.
- I also like to have the garlic cloves peeled and ready for the press.
Browning the Italian Sausage
- Start by heating a large stock pot over medium heat. If you purchased a bulk ground sausage, without casings, you can put it in the pot and begin to break apart the meat with a spatula as it cooks. If you purchased links, cut the casing off with kitchen scissors or a knife and squeeze the sausage out of the casings to cook it.
- Once it has browned, pour it out onto a plate or shallow bowl lined with a paper towel. This will allow excess grease to drain out.
- Return the pot to the stovetop with some grease from sausage left.
Sautéing the Vegetables
- In the stockpot with left over sausage oils, add the onion and carrot to begin sautéing them.
- After about a minute, add the remaining chopped fresh vegetables, tossing to combine them. If the vegetables seem dry, you can add a bit of olive oil. This is all dependent on the oil/ fat content from your sausage.
- Once the veggies are combined and cooking, add the Italian seasoning (dry or fresh) and pressed garlic cloves. Sauté the vegetables for 3-4 minutes.
Putting it all Together
- Add the browned sausage back into the pot with the veggies.
- Then, add the dry red wine and canned tomatoes with the juices. Bring this to a simmer, stirring occasionally to help the flavors absorb.
- Now you can add 3 cups of the chicken stock. If you are using the marinara sauce (this is optional but will add more texture and thickness to your soup), add it at this stage as well.
- Bring the soup to a boil and then reduce to simmer.
- Then you can drain, rinse and add the cannellini beans to the soup.
- Allow the soup to simmer for at least 15 minutes covered, then add in the pasta of choice.
- You can add 1 more cup of stock and/ or extra water as needed to have desired amount of liquid. Some pastas absorb more moisture than others, so monitor this and add accordingly. Allow the soup to simmer until the pasta is tender.
Notes
- Side note about washing mushrooms: So they always look dirty, right? Especially if you buy them pre-sliced. This has always made me cringe and I want to scrape every last speck from them. However, the more I have read on the topic over the years, the more comfortable I am with just brushing them off with a damp paper towel. I do know from experience that washing them with water by soaking them makes them soggy and then brown pretty quickly. So if you do use water to wash mushrooms, be sure to quickly dry each one.
- Use your preferred vegetables! Often, I use what is in my fridge. You can still achieve a delicious hearty soup if you do not have all of these ingredients. Yellow squash is a great substitute, as are celery, peas, etc. I like using fresh green beans, but have used canned on occasion.
- Adding marinara sauce came about when I didn’t want to waste a half a jar I had in my fridge, so I put it into this soup. It made it a bit thicker and the flavor were complementary. However, I don’t ever really open a new jar of marinara for this soup, as it is tasty without it as well.
- This meal stands alone and is filling, however, serving it with a simple salad and/ or garlic bread is a great complement. Try this Simple Italian Salad or this Kale Bacon Avocado Salad as options.
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 40 min
