Description
This Creamy Bean Soup with Sausage is the ultimate comfort food for cold days. Rich and hearty, it combines savory Italian sausage with tender cannellini beans, all enveloped in a velvety broth made with chicken stock, puréed tomatoes, and a splash of heavy cream. The combination of Parmesan cheese and spices like thyme, oregano, and fennel add layers of deep, comforting flavor, while a topping of red pesto gives every bowl a zesty kick.
Ingredients
1 pound Italian sausage, mild or spicy, no casings
2 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 cups chicken broth
½ cup puréed tomatoes
3 ounces tomato paste
3 cans (13 oz each) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
¾ cup heavy cream
1.5 ounces grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp chopped parsley
8 tbsp red pesto, for serving
Spices:
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp fennel seeds
½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (plus more for serving)
Instructions
Start by preparing your ingredients: mince the garlic, finely chop the onion, and remove the casings from your sausage. Drain and rinse the cannellini beans.
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the sausage, breaking it up into small pieces with a wooden spoon, and cook until browned and no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
Add the minced garlic and chopped onion to the pot. Sauté until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Stir in the spices (salt, pepper, thyme, oregano, fennel seeds, and crushed red pepper flakes) and cook for 1 more minute.
Pour in the chicken broth, puréed tomatoes, and tomato paste. Bring the soup to a boil, then add the drained and rinsed cannellini beans. Stir well, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Once the soup has simmered, pour in the heavy cream and stir to combine. Turn off the heat and stir in the grated Parmesan cheese until melted and well incorporated. Season with additional black pepper and parsley. Adjust salt to taste if necessary.
Serve the soup in bowls with crusty bread on the side. Top each serving with a generous dollop of red pesto and a sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes for extra heat. Enjoy!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
Nutrition
- Calories: 560