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Italian Bean Soup is hearty and comforting, full of sweet Italian sausage, white beans and vegetables in a rich tomato beef broth.

bowls of italian bean soup, spoons

Soup for dinner is one of my go-tos year round, but especially during the winter months. This Italian Bean Soup is warm, satisfying and fills you up. It’s hearty, so you don’t need to serve much more with it – Beer Bread or a simple loaf of Italian bread and a bowl of Olive Garden Salad are my favorite sides.

This easy Italian Bean Soup recipe starts with ground Italian sausage, and you can go either sweet or spicy with it. Sauteeing the vegetables and toasting the spices will add a deeper flavor to the already rich and savory tomato beef broth.

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Italian Bean Soup Ingredients

  • Italian sausageGround sausage is the easiest to work with. You can select a mild or spicy variety. Ground beef would work as well.
  • Vegetables – Onions, carrots, celery, garlic, tomato paste and canned crushed tomatoes. A mix of frozen veggies would be a simple shortcut.
  • Spices – Italian seasoning, kosher salt and black pepper, bay leaf.
  • Beans – I used a can of cannellini beans. Make sure to drain and rinse them really well. Feel free to add more beans as desired, like kidney beans or great northern beans.
  • Beef broth – Choose a low sodium variety. A beef bouillon base is great instead of packaged broth, but either works.
  • Fresh minced parsley
  • Freshly grated Parmesan cheese is optional but also a great finishing touch.
ingredients for making italian bean soup

How To Make Italian Bean Soup

  • Saute the Italian sausage and onion in a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat until the sausage is cooked through and the onion is tender. Spoon out excess grease if needed. Add the vegetables, spices and tomato paste and cook for a couple of minutes.
italian sausage cooked in a white pot
cooked sausage, carrots, celery and spices
  • Pour in the crushed tomatoes, drained beans and beef broth and bring to a boil. Once it’s bubbly, cover and turn down the heat. Let the soup simmer for 15-20 minutes. Taste and add salt and pepper to your liking.
italian soup with beans and sausage
  • Just before serving, stir in minced parsley. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with fresh grated Parmesan cheese.
italian bean soup with parsley

Storage and Reheating

Storage: Cool soup completely, then transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge for 3-4 days. Make sure to remove the bay leaf and discard before storing.

Freezing: Cool soup completely, then transfer to a freezer safe plastic bag or container. Store in the freezer for up to 6 months. Thaw completely before reheating.

Reheating: A single serving can be reheated in the microwave. For larger portions, reheat in a saucepan on the stove over medium-low heat.

Expert Tips

  • If the soup is too thick when reheating, add a little more broth.
  • The beans will continue to release starch as the soup cools, so you may need to add some more broth to leftovers when you’re reheating it.
  • Want more veggies? Add frozen mixed vegetables during the last 5-10 minutes. You can usually find frozen Italian vegetables which would also be delicious. Or, add some fresh baby spinach, kale or swiss chard during the last few minutes.
  • For the sausage, go spicy or sweet, however you want your soup.
  • Feel free to add pasta or potatoes, keeping in mind that they will add starch and thicken the soup.
  • If you don’t have Italian seasoning, make your own with dried oregano, basil and rosemary. Or, try adding fresh herbs like rosemary or thyme.
  • For a creamier version, add a splash of heavy cream or a dollop of sour cream.
  • Make it vegetarian: Triple the amount of beans, omit the sausage and swap the beef broth for vegetable broth.
  • Make this recipe in the Instant Pot: Saute the sausage, onion and seasonings as called for in step 1. Cook on high pressure for 8 minutes, then do a manual release.
  • Make this recipe in the Slow Cooker: Saute sausage and onion in a skillet on the stove. Using a slotted spoon to drain grease, add to a slow cooker with the remaining ingredients. Cook on HIGH for 2-3 hours or LOW for 3-4 hours.
italian bean soup in a white bowl with a spoon

More Delicious Soup Recipes to Try

Recipe

Italian Bean Soup

4.74 from 19 votes
Italian Bean Soup is hearty and comforting, full of sweet Italian sausage, white beans and vegetables in a rich tomato beef broth.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
  

  • Olive oil
  • 1 pound ground Italian sausage sweet or spicy
  • 1 cup diced onion
  • ½ cup sliced carrots
  • ½ cup sliced celery
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon salt plus more to taste
  • ½ teaspoon pepper plus more to taste
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon tomato paste
  • 15 ounce can crushed tomatoes
  • 15 ounce cans cannellini beans drained and rinsed
  • 32 ounces beef broth
  • 2-3 tablespoons fresh minced parsley
  • Freshly grated Parmesan cheese optional

Instructions
 

  • Melt a tablespoon of olive oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add sausage and onion and cook, stirring often, until sausage is fully cooked. Add carrots, celery, garlic, Italian seasoning and bay leaf, tomato paste and cook for about 2 more minutes.
  • Pour in crushed tomatoes, beans and beef broth. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
  • Discard bay leaf and stir in fresh parsley. Divide into bowls and service, garnished with fresh parsley and Parmesan cheese.

Notes

Storage: Cool soup completely, then transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge for 3-4 days. Make sure to remove the bay leaf and discard before storing.
Freezing: Cool soup completely, then transfer to a freezer safe plastic bag or container. Store in the freezer for up to 6 months. Thaw completely before reheating.
Reheating: A single serving can be reheated in the microwave. For larger portions, reheat in a saucepan on the stove over medium-low heat.

Nutrition

Calories: 366kcalCarbohydrates: 21gProtein: 18gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 57mgSodium: 1579mgPotassium: 604mgFiber: 6gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 2108IUVitamin C: 13mgCalcium: 113mgIron: 4mg
Keyword italian bean soup

Kristin Maxwell

Kristin Maxwell is the creator and main recipe developer, writer, and photographer of Yellow Bliss Road. A self-taught cook and self-appointed foodie, she specializes in easy, flavorful and approachable recipes for any home cook.

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Comments

  1. I made this recipe for the first time and my husband absolutely loved it! He is already asking me to make it again. Full of flavor and easy to make! 5 stars *****

  2. This was delicious. If you want it a little lighter, try chicken Italian sausage. This soup is all about flavor and easy to make.