Kitchen notes · a little help before you start
Tuscan White Bean Soup
White beans and a creamy broth make a reassuring bowl of soup, especially with a little sausage in each spoonful. You don't need a big occasion for a dinner like this.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 40 min
- Original yield
- Serves 6
- Ingredients
- 18 listed
Make it part of your week
Recipe categories & planning details
- Meal type
- Main course
- Primary protein
- Beans & lentils
- Cuisine
- American
- Preparation & total time
- Prep: 15 minutes or less · Total: 31–60 minutes
- Dish type
- Soups · Soups & stews
A few quick notes
1. Brown first, then build
Let the sausage get lightly browned before the vegetables go in. Those browned bits are part of the soup's flavor, and the broth later pulls them up from the bottom of the pot.
2. Watch the fat after the vegetables
After the carrots, celery and onion have softened, check the pot. If there's more sausage fat than you want, dab some up before adding the tomato paste and seasonings.
3. Let the beans simmer with the vegetables
Drain and rinse the white kidney beans before adding them. They go in before the covered simmer, so the soup has time to come together while the vegetables finish tenderizing.
Get to know the ingredients
Italian sausage carries a lot of the seasoning
Mild or spicy Italian sausage both work here. Since it browns first, it seasons the pot before the carrots, celery and onion are added.
Tomato paste needs a minute
The tomato paste is cooked with the garlic and dried herbs before the broth goes in. That short cook deepens its flavor and keeps it from tasting flat in the finished soup.
Kale goes in at the end
The chopped kale is stirred in with the cream and Parmesan, after the vegetables are already tender. It softens in the hot soup without needing the long covered simmer.
Let’s make it
Choose your servings, then check things off as you go.
Original recipe: Serves 6. Original quantities shown.
Check ingredients as you prepare them. These checks stay on this page.
How to make it
0 of 7 steps completeMake room for Tuscan White Bean Soup
Review ingredients in your pantry before anything is added. Meal plans use your household size; grocery-only additions use the servings selected above.
The last little job
Taste before you serve
The last little job is tasting the soup after the kale, cream and Parmesan are in. Add the optional sugar only if the tomato paste tastes a bit sharp and needs balancing.
A little more help as you go
Scrape up the bottom
When the broth goes in, take a moment to scrape the stuck-on bits from the pot. That step folds the browned sausage and vegetable flavor back into the soup instead of leaving it behind.
Keep the simmer gentle
Once the beans are in, the soup is covered and simmered over medium low heat until the vegetables are tender. It doesn't need a hard boil at that point.
A few questions you might have
Should I drain the beans first?
Yes. Drain and rinse the white kidney beans before they go into the soup, then add them and bring everything to a simmer.
Do the red pepper flakes make it spicy?
They add heat, and they're optional. Use them if you want a little kick, especially if you're using mild Italian sausage.
Can I use evaporated milk instead of heavy cream?
Yes. Use heavy cream or evaporated milk, stirred in at the end with the kale and Parmesan.
Why add sugar to soup?
It's optional, and it goes in only after tasting. A small amount can balance the acidity from the tomato paste if the soup needs it.
When do I add the Parmesan?
Stir the freshly grated Parmesan in at the end with the kale and cream. That way it melts into the hot soup instead of simmering for a long time.
Any more cooking tips?
Ingredients and Substitutions: Italian sausage: Italian sausage adds a ton of flavor! Feel free to swap for Italian turkey or chicken sausage for a lighter option or omit for a meatless version. Tomato paste: I love the flavor tomato paste adds (faintly but not overly tomato-y), but you can skip if you prefer or if you have allergies. Chicken broth: I always choose low or no-sodium broth and add salt as needed. Feel free to swap this for vegetable broth if desired. Kale: Kale is loaded with nutrition, but if you don’t enjoy it you can easily swap for spinach — just be sure to stir it in before serving. Cream or milk: Cream adds a touch of richness without being overpowering. For a lighter option, you can use evaporated milk. If you prefer, you can stir in 1 teaspoon of corn starch with the milk for a thicker soup. Make it vegetarian: to make this soup vegetarian, skip the sausage and saute the veggies in oil. Choose vegetable broth over chicken broth and choose a vegetarian cheese (or omit). Make it dairy-free: You can omit the cream and cheese or add in non-dairy options.
Storage & reheating safety
For cooked, perishable leftovers, refrigerate within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F), using shallow containers for prompt cooling. Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below, use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days, and reheat hot leftovers to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer. Follow any shorter package limit.
These are general safety limits, not a tested storage or freezing recommendation for this particular dish. USDA leftovers guidance · Safe cooking temperatures
Recipe source: thereciperebel.com. Ingredient names and quantities may be adapted for the pantry.
Preparation notes follow the recipe shown here.
