Spicy Italian Sausage and White Bean Soup with Greens

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

• Yield: 6 servings
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 35 minutes
• Total Time: 50 minutes

Quick Ingredients

• 1 lb (450 g) Italian sausage, casings removed (mild or hot)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 2 medium carrots, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1–2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
• 2 tsp dried Italian seasoning
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 can (14.5 oz / 400 g) diced tomatoes, with juices
• 4 cups (960 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups (480 ml) water
• 2 cans (15 oz / 425 g each) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 packed cups (about 5 oz / 140 g) chopped sturdy greens (kale, chard, or spinach)
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) heavy cream or half-and-half (optional)
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar or lemon juice
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Grated Parmesan and crusty bread, for serving

Do This

• 1. Brown sausage in olive oil over medium-high heat until cooked through and deeply browned; break into bite-size pieces.
• 2. Add onion, carrots, and celery; cook 6–8 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic, crushed red pepper, and Italian seasoning; cook 1 minute.
• 3. Stir in tomato paste and cook 1–2 minutes until darkened; add diced tomatoes and scrape up any browned bits.
• 4. Pour in chicken broth and water; add bay leaf and beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer and cook 15–20 minutes.
• 5. Stir in chopped greens and simmer 3–5 minutes until wilted and tender.
• 6. Turn heat to low; stir in cream (if using) and vinegar or lemon juice. Season generously with salt and pepper, top with Parmesan, and serve hot with crusty bread.

---

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Hearty and comforting, with spicy Italian sausage, creamy white beans, and a rich tomato-infused broth.
• One-pot, weeknight-friendly soup that tastes like it simmered all day.
• Flexible heat level: keep it mild or turn up the crushed red pepper to make it extra cozy.
• A great way to use up hearty greens like kale or chard and pack more vegetables into dinner.

Grocery List

• Produce: 1 yellow onion, 2 carrots, 2 celery stalks, 4 garlic cloves, 1 bunch kale or Swiss chard (or bag of spinach), 1 lemon (optional, for finishing)
• Dairy: Heavy cream or half-and-half (optional), Parmesan cheese (for serving), butter (optional, for extra richness with bread)
• Pantry: Olive oil, Italian sausage (mild or hot), crushed red pepper flakes, dried Italian seasoning, tomato paste, 1 can diced tomatoes, 2 cans cannellini beans, chicken broth, bay leaf, red wine vinegar, salt, black pepper, crusty bread

Full Ingredients

For the Spicy Sausage and White Bean Soup

• 1 lb (450 g) Italian sausage, casings removed (use hot for more spice, mild for a gentler heat)
• 1 tbsp olive oil (plus 1 extra tbsp if the sausage is very lean)
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1–2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, to taste (start with 1 tsp if unsure)
• 2 tsp dried Italian seasoning (or 1 tsp dried oregano + 1 tsp dried basil)
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 can (14.5 oz / 400 g) diced tomatoes, with juices (fire-roasted if available)
• 4 cups (960 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups (480 ml) water
• 2 cans (15 oz / 425 g each) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 packed cups chopped hearty greens such as kale or Swiss chard (about 5 oz / 140 g), or baby spinach
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) heavy cream or half-and-half (optional but delicious)
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar or freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Kosher salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For Serving

• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• Extra crushed red pepper flakes (for those who like more heat)
• Crusty bread, for dipping
• Olive oil or softened butter, for the bread (optional)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prep your ingredients

Before you start cooking, set yourself up for an easy, relaxed simmer. Dice the onion, carrots, and celery into small, even pieces so they cook at the same rate. Mince the garlic. Rinse and drain the cannellini beans. If using kale or Swiss chard, strip the leaves from the tough stems and roughly chop them; if using spinach, simply roughly chop any large leaves.

Remove the casings from the Italian sausage if needed, and break the sausage into chunks. Place all your seasonings (crushed red pepper, Italian seasoning, bay leaf, salt, and pepper) within reach. This makes the cooking process smoother and helps prevent overcooking anything while you hunt for ingredients.

Step 2: Brown the sausage

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the sausage in chunks. Let it cook, undisturbed, for 2–3 minutes to develop a deep brown crust, then break it into bite-size pieces with a wooden spoon or spatula.

Continue cooking for another 4–6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sausage is well browned and cooked through (an internal temperature of 160°F / 71°C). If there is more than about 2 tbsp of rendered fat in the pot, carefully spoon off the excess, leaving enough to coat the bottom and flavor the vegetables.

Step 3: Soften the aromatics and bloom the spices

Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery to the pot with the sausage. Reduce the heat to medium. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 6–8 minutes, until the vegetables soften and the onion becomes translucent. If the bottom of the pot looks dry or starts to darken too quickly, add another teaspoon of olive oil or a small splash of water to deglaze.

Stir in the minced garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, and dried Italian seasoning. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. You should smell the spices becoming more fragrant—this brief toasting helps deepen their flavor.

Step 4: Build the tomato-infused broth

Add the tomato paste and stir it into the sausage and vegetables. Cook for 1–2 minutes, still over medium heat, until the paste darkens slightly in color and starts to stick lightly to the bottom of the pot. This caramelization gives the soup a richer, more complex flavor.

Pour in the can of diced tomatoes with all their juices, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot—they are packed with flavor. Add the chicken broth, water, cannellini beans, and bay leaf. Stir well to combine, making sure nothing is stuck on the bottom.

Increase the heat to high and bring the soup just to a boil. Once boiling, immediately reduce the heat to low or medium-low to maintain a gentle simmer. Aim for a quiet simmer (around 190–200°F / 88–93°C), where small bubbles occasionally break the surface but it is not rapidly boiling.

Step 5: Simmer to meld the flavors

Let the soup simmer gently, uncovered, for 15–20 minutes. During this time, the sausage, beans, tomatoes, and aromatics will come together into a cohesive, savory broth. Give the soup an occasional stir, making sure the bottom is not sticking.

If you like a slightly creamier texture without much added cream, use the back of a spoon to lightly mash a few of the beans against the side of the pot, then stir them back into the broth. This releases some of their starch and naturally thickens the soup.

Step 6: Wilt the greens and finish the soup

After the simmer, add the chopped greens to the pot. If using kale or Swiss chard, simmer for 3–5 minutes until they are wilted and tender but still bright green. If using baby spinach, 1–2 minutes is usually enough.

Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the heavy cream or half-and-half, if using, for a slightly richer, velvety broth. Add the red wine vinegar or lemon juice and stir again. This small splash of acidity brightens the flavors and cuts through the richness of the sausage and beans.

Taste the soup and season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper. The sausage and broth already contain salt, so add in small increments and keep tasting until it is well balanced.

Step 7: Serve hot with toppings and crusty bread

Remove and discard the bay leaf. Ladle the soup into warm bowls, making sure each serving has a good mix of sausage, beans, greens, and broth. Top with a generous sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan and, if you like more heat, an extra pinch of crushed red pepper flakes.

Serve immediately with slices of crusty bread on the side for dipping into the spicy, tomato-infused broth. A drizzle of good olive oil over the bread or directly on top of the soup is a lovely finishing touch.

Pro Tips

• Control the heat level: Use mild sausage and 1 tsp crushed red pepper for a gentler soup, or hot sausage and 2 tsp (or more) red pepper for a bolder, spicier bowl.
• Brown the sausage well: Letting the sausage really brown (not just gray) builds a deeper, meatier flavor in the broth. Resist the urge to stir constantly at first.
• Adjust thickness to your liking: For a thicker soup, mash some of the beans into the broth or simmer a bit longer. For a lighter, brothy soup, simply add a splash of extra broth or water.
• Use sturdy greens: Curly kale, lacinato kale, or Swiss chard hold up beautifully to simmering. If you prefer spinach, add it at the very end so it does not overcook.
• Finish with acid and salt: The final additions of vinegar or lemon juice plus enough salt are what make the flavors pop. Do not skip the taste-and-season step at the end.

Variations

• Extra hearty version: Add 1 cup (about 150 g) small pasta such as ditalini or elbows during the last 10 minutes of simmering. You may need to add an extra 1–2 cups of broth or water.
• Smoky twist: Stir in 1/2 tsp smoked paprika with the dried Italian seasoning and use fire-roasted diced tomatoes to give the soup a subtle, campfire-like smokiness.
• Lighter, dairy-free: Skip the cream and finish with an extra tablespoon of olive oil instead. The beans still provide a creamy feel without any dairy.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Let the soup cool to room temperature before storing. Refrigerate in airtight containers for up to 4 days. The flavors often deepen and improve by the next day, making it great for meal prep. Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until steaming hot but not rapidly boiling (this helps keep the greens tender). You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave.

For longer storage, freeze the soup (preferably without the cream added) in airtight containers or freezer bags for up to 2–3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, reheat on the stovetop, and add the cream after reheating, just before serving. If the soup thickens after chilling, adjust the consistency with a splash of broth or water.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate values for 1 of 6 servings (without extra bread or toppings, and with heavy cream): about 430 calories; 24 g protein; 26 g carbohydrates; 8 g fiber; 25 g fat; 10 g saturated fat; 1,150 mg sodium. Actual values will vary based on the specific sausage, broth, and dairy you use.