Italian Sausage White Bean Soup at Home

And only like that Christmas is over.

All that prep, work, baking, shopping and wrapping… done.I’m not going to fib and say that I don’t enjoy that feeling of knowing it’s all over with. Sure it’s a little sad, but I look forward to the new year and starting a new year.

This year I’m ending it with a cold. It started with a tickle on Christmas Eve Eve and progressed day by day to some sort of laryngitis, cough and slightly stuffy nose thing. And All I can do is think about this soup and how good every bite would feel on my throat.

Healing properties aside, a hot bowl of soup is all I ever want when sick.

For this Italian Sausage White Bean Soup Set out:

• olive oil – Lends flavor and fat for sautéing.
• bulk Italian sausage – Hot or mild sausage is dependable.
• yellow onion – Adds a subtle sweet onion flavor.
• celery – Lends earthy flavor and flavor-packed texture.
• carrot – Adds color and subtle sweetness.
• garlic – Adds distinct punchy flavor.
• tomato paste – Lends depth and flavor to the soup.
• basil (dried) – Lends a strong minty flavor with a hint of anise.
• rosemary (dried) – Adds a pine-like or woodsy flavor with notes of lemon, pepper and sage.
• rubbed sage (dried) – Gives a distant earthy, slightly minty and musky flavor.
• red pepper flakes – Lends flavor-packed heat. Feel free to omit.
• low-sodium chicken broth – Use from-scratch or store-bought.
• crushed fire-roasted tomatoes – Adds notable flavor and texture to this soup.
• white beans – Use cannellini or navy beans. I used canned (rinsed and drained) for ease, however you can soak and cook your own.
• parmesan rind – This will infuse the soup with umami flavor.
• tiny pasta shells – For this method I use annelini (linked in recipe printable).
• kosher salt – Helps draw out moisture while sautéing and enhances the flavors in the recipe.
• ground black pepper – This will add some subtle bite and flavor.

for serving:

• freshly grated parmesan cheese
• fresh basil or parsley

Cook The Sausage:

In a dutch oven add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 pound of (hot or mild) Italian sausage.

Cook the sausage over medium heat, using a wooden spatula to break up the sausage, cooking it until fully cooked and browned. Use a slotted spoon to transfer it to a paper towel lined plate and set aside.

Prep the veggies:

While the sausage is browning, prep your veggies and garlic. Set out 1 medium to large carrot, 2 ribs celery and 1 medium yellow onion.

Build The Soup:

To the grease in the pot, add in the onions, celery and carrots with a pinch of kosher salt.

Stir, cover and cook for about 8 minutes stirring occasionally until softened. Next, add in 2 tablespoons tomato paste, 1 teaspoon dried basil and rosemary, 1/2 teaspoon each rubbed sage and red pepper flakes (add more or less red pepper flakes depending on your preference).

Stir and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.

Next add 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth, 1 (32 ounce) can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes, 1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans (or navy beans), 1 parmesan rind and then add the cooked Italian sausage back in.

NOTE: I’ll also add a little water, about 1/4 of the can, to the can of fire roasted tomatoes and swirl it to catch the remaining sauce in the can, then add that in to the pot as well.

Stir, cover and increase the heat to high. Once boiling reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes.

Uncover and add 2 to 3 ounces of tiny shell pasta.

Cook for 10-15 minutes or until the pasta has expanded and is cooked through.

Once the pasta is cooked, remove the parmesan rind and season the soup with 1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt (more or less to taste) and lots of freshly ground black pepper.

If the pasta absorbs too much of the liquids, go ahead and add in more chicken broth to thin it out.

I swear this Italian sausage white bean soup tastes like it’s been simmering all day. So fireside and comforting!

Serve The Soup:

Serve soup ladled inI like to sprinkle with grated fresh Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh basil right before serving. Grilled cheese or sliced (or torn) bread are a must and are great for dunking.

How To Store Italian Sausage White Bean Soup:

Allow the soup to cool completely before storing in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.

How Long Will Italian Sausage White Bean Soup Last?

If stored properly, this soup should last up to 4 days. However, the pasta will absorb more liquids. I recommending adding more broth to thin the soup out.

Enjoy! And if you give this Italian Sausage White Bean Soup recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!