Tuscan White Bean Soup (Print)

Rustic Tuscan soup with Italian sausage, white beans, and fresh vegetables simmered in a flavorful broth.

# Components:

→ Meats

01 - 1 lb Italian sausage (mild or spicy), casings removed

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 2 medium carrots, diced
04 - 2 celery stalks, diced
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 medium zucchini, diced
07 - 4 cups baby spinach
08 - 14 oz canned diced tomatoes, undrained

→ Beans

09 - 2 cans (14 oz each) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

→ Broth & Liquids

10 - 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth

→ Herbs & Spices

11 - 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
12 - 1 tsp dried oregano
13 - 1 tsp dried thyme
14 - 1 tsp dried rosemary
15 - ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
16 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

17 - Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
18 - Chopped fresh parsley (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add Italian sausage and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 6–8 minutes. Remove excess fat if needed.
02 - Add onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté until vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add zucchini and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in diced tomatoes with their juices, oregano, thyme, rosemary, and red pepper flakes if using. Cook for 2 minutes.
04 - Add cannellini beans and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.
05 - Stir in baby spinach and simmer for 2–3 minutes, until wilted. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
06 - Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish with Parmesan and parsley if desired. Serve hot with crusty bread.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour, which means weeknight dinners feel less like a chore and more like an actual meal worth making.
  • The sausage does the heavy lifting of flavor, so you're not drowning in salt or relying on shortcuts to make it taste homemade.
  • Cannellini beans turn silky when they simmer in broth with herbs, creating a texture that's hearty without feeling heavy.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the canned beans; the starchy liquid left behind can make the soup taste murky and dull instead of bright and clean.
  • Taste the broth at the end before seasoning with salt—the sausage and beans have already done work you can't see, and over-salting will mask the herbs' gentle warmth.
03 -
  • Make this soup on Sunday evening and reheat it throughout the week; the flavors actually deepen when it sits in the refrigerator, and the beans become even creamier.
  • If you have fresh herbs on hand, save them for garnish instead of cooking them in; their brightness against the deep, cooked flavors creates a contrast that makes every spoonful interesting.
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