Tuscan White Bean Soup is a delectable medley of Italian sausage, cannellini beans, tomatoes, onions, celery, carrots, and spinach in a perfectly seasoned broth. This soup comes together quickly and is easy enough for even the novice chef.
There is nothing like a hot pot of soup to warm your body and soul. I love to serve this soup with garlic knots or homemade biscuits.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
See the complete list of ingredients on the recipe card below.
- Italian sausage: Regular, sweet, or hot, depending on your preference.
- Marjoram: It is a milder, sweeter, less intense relative of oregano. But you can substitute oregano if needed.
- Cayenne pepper: Just a touch to give it flavor without making it too spicy.
- Chicken broth: Preferably low sodium.
- Baby spinach: I prefer it because it is less bitter and has fewer thick stems. You can substitute regular spinach, but remove the thick, large stems.
How To Make Tuscan White Bean Soup
This is a summary version; for the complete list of ingredients and instructions, please refer to the recipe card below.
- Brown the Italian sausage over medium heat.
- When the sausage is about halfway browned, add the onions, celery, and carrots. Continue cooking until the sausage is brown and the onions and celery are soft.
- Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic, Italian seasoning, marjoram, and cayenne pepper. Cook for a minute.
- Stir in the chicken broth, diced tomatoes, and cannellini beans. Simmer for 15 minutes.
- Stir in the spinach and cream and cook just until the spinach wilts.
- Remove two cups of soup and puree it. Return it to the pot. Season with salt the fresh ground black pepper to taste.
Tips For Success
- Do not overcook your vegetables. You want them tender but not mushy.
- To add even more flavor, substitute fire-roasted tomatoes, add more cayenne pepper, or a couple of dashes of hot sauce.
- Spinach only takes a couple of minutes to cook, so add it right before serving.
- Use an immersion or stand blender to puree the soup. Ensure you remove the center cap from a stand blender to allow steam to escape. Not doing so could result in injury.
Can You Freeze Tuscan White Bean Soup?
Slightly undercook the vegetables so that when you reheat the soup, the vegetables are not mushy. If you know how much you’ll be freezing, remove it before adding the spinach. Add the spinach when you reheat the soup.
Cool the soup before storing it in freezer bags or freezer storage containers for up to three months. Thaw in the the refrigerator overnight. Finish by reheating the soup in a saucepan, then add the spinach as soon as the soup is warm.
More Soup Recipes
Tuscan White Bean Soup
Ingredients
- 1 lb Italian sausage
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 3 large carrots, peeled and chopped
- 2 ribs celery, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon dried marjoram
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 2 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 4 cups baby spinach
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven or heavy stockpot, brown the Italian sausage over medium heat. Halfway through the browning process, add the chopped onions, carrots, and celery. Cook until the sausage is brown and the onions and celery are soft.
- Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic, Italian seasoning, marjoram, and cayenne pepper. Cook for 1 minute while stirring.
- Stir in the chicken broth, diced tomatoes, and cannellini beans. Simmer for 15 minutes. Turn the heat as low as it goes and stir in the spinach and cream and cook just until the spinach wilts.
- Remove 2 cups of soup and puree it with an immersion or stand blender. Return it to the pot. Season with salt the fresh ground black pepper to taste. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave at reduced power.
- See above for freezing instructions.
- If using a stand blender, remove the center cap to let steam escape. Not doing so can result in injury,
Tammy
Literally one of the most comforting soups I’ve made this season! So delicious and easy to make too!
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Tammy!
Catalina
I made this tonight and it came out so hearty and comforting. The beans softened perfectly and the flavors blended really well.
Amy
This soup was so tasty and satisfying! I loved the Italian sausage, spinach, and the trick of pureeing some of the soup to give the broth that gorgeous, creamy body without relying solely on heavy cream. Fantastic recipe!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Amy! I am so happy that you liked it.
Ben
This soup is amazing! I really loved the spinach in it. That was a nice touch.
Terri
This was such an amazing recipe. I love the creamy soup with the zesty sausage. I can’t wait to make it again.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Terri! So glad that you enjoyed it.
Kristin
SO GOOD! The flavors are so layered, but they’re also so simple. Even the kids loved this one!
Beth Pierce
So glad that they liked it, Kristen!
Maria
Such a great fall recipe. I loved how hearty it was without having that texture that’s too thick.
Lolly
Use Italian seasoning and basil rather than marjoram, sliced zucchini, and omit the bacon. Then you have a fresh, healthy veggie meal with everything you need in one bowl. I’ve been making that soup for several years and everyone loves the fresh taste—no grease.
Kara
This looks like a delicious recipe and perfect for a slow cooker
Ana
That bean soup looks so colorful, healthy and incredibly delicious! Thanks for sharing the recipe with us!