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–+ servings
two bowls of sausage and bean soup with large croutons

Italian Sausage and White Bean Soup

Tomatoes, Italian sausage, and white beans are a flavor marriage made in heaven. There is nothing not to love about this hearty soup that is a meal by itself.
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Course: Soup, Soups/Stews/Comfort Food
Cuisine: American and Itanlian
Keyword: hearty soup, sausage soup, tomato soup
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Author: Laura Franco

Ingredients 

  • 1/2 lbs. hot ground Italian sausage
  • 1/2 lbs. mild ground Italian sausage
  • 2 - 14.5 oz. cans diced tomatoes
  • 32 oz. chicken broth
  • 15.5 oz. can cannellini beans
  • 1.4 oz. package dried onion soup mix
  • 2-3 parmesan cheese rinds
  • 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
  • 2 tbsp fresh diced basil
  • salt to taste

Instructions

  • In a large stockpot, brown both the hot and mild sausage.
  • Pour off any excess liquid.
  • Add a small amount of chicken broth to deglaze the pan to loosen any small bits of sausage.
  • Add the remaining chicken broth, the canned tomatoes (with juices).
  • Mix in the dry soup mix, Italian seasoning, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and cheese rinds.
  • Drain and rinse the canned beans under cool water and add them to the soup pot.
  • Dice some fresh basil and add it to the soup pot.
  • Bring it to a boil and reduce it to a simmer, uncovered for 50-60 minutes.
  • Remove the cheese rinds, taste, and add salt if needed.
  • Garnish with fresh basil and serve with toasted garlic bread.

Notes

Krazy Kitchen Mom Tips
  • All types of cheese rinds add an amazing depth of flavor to soups and stews, especially those that are tomato-based. I save the rinds from cheese by storing them in small snack-sized zip-top bags in the freezer. I label them so I know what type of cheeses are in the bags. When I'm ready to use them, I just pull them out of the freezer and toss them into the soup or stew while it's cooking. Be sure to remove the rinds before serving the dish.
  • It's easy to make a double batch of this recipe by clicking on the X2 in the recipe card. Make one batch for dinner and freeze the other batch for a quick easy meal on any busy night or a lazy weekend.
  • Hot Italian Sausage and Mild Italian Sausage - We like the combination of mild and hot, but you can use all mild or all hot if you'd like.
  • Red Pepper Flakes - We like our tomato-based soups and stews to have a little bit of background heat. If you are not fond of a little extra heat, simply omit this ingredient.