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Italian Sausage and White Bean Soup in a Dutch oven topped with fresh parsley and grated Parmesan cheese

Italian Sausage and White Bean Soup

Hearty and creamy one-pot soup with Italian sausage, Yukon Gold potatoes, cannellini beans, Tuscan kale, and a rich cream broth. Ready in 50 minutes on the stovetop, or adaptable for slow cooker and Instant Pot.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 6 portions
Course: Dinner, Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: American, Italian-American
Calories: 552
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb Italian sausage mild or spicy, casings removed if using links
  • 1 small sweet onion diced
  • 3 carrots peeled and diced
  • 3 stalks celery diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tsp poultry seasoning
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • pinch of red pepper flakes
  • 3 tbsp all-purpose flour stir in quickly to avoid lumps
  • 4 gold potatoes cubed, Yukon Gold preferred
  • 6 cups chicken broth low-sodium recommended
  • 2 cans white beans drained and rinsed, cannellini preferred
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 bunch Tuscan kale ribs removed and thinly sliced
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar add at the end, do not skip if freezing omit and add fresh when reheating
  • fresh parsley, chives, or basil for serving
  • Parmesan cheese for serving
  • black pepper for serving

Equipment

  • Large Dutch oven or soup pot
  • Wooden spoon or spatula
  • Knife and cutting board

Method
 

  1. Heat a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Add Italian sausage and break it up as it cooks. Brown well for 6 to 8 minutes until you have real color on the meat. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving 1 to 2 tablespoons of drippings in the pot.
  2. Add diced onion, carrots, and celery. Saute for 4 to 6 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic, poultry seasoning, Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Stir constantly for 60 seconds until fragrant.
  3. Sprinkle flour over vegetables and stir immediately and thoroughly to coat. Add cubed potatoes and chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer for 20 minutes until potatoes are fork tender and broth has thickened.
  4. Return cooked sausage to the pot. Stir in white beans, Tuscan kale, and heavy cream. Let kale wilt for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Finish with 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar and adjust salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot with Parmesan, fresh herbs, and crusty bread.

Notes

Slow cooker: Brown sausage in skillet, transfer to crockpot with vegetables, seasonings, potatoes, and broth. Cook on low 6 hours or high 3 to 4 hours. Stir in beans, kale, and cream in last 15 minutes. Finish with vinegar. Instant Pot: Saute sausage, remove, saute vegetables, add seasonings and flour, add potatoes and broth, deglaze, return sausage, pressure cook high 6 minutes, quick release, stir in beans, kale, and cream, let sit 5 minutes, finish with vinegar. Omit vinegar when freezing and add fresh when reheating. Soup thickens overnight, add broth when reheating.