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Best Sausage and White Bean Soup for Crowd

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A hearty, crowd-pleasing soup made with Italian sausage, white beans, and aromatic vegetables in a rich broth. Perfect for feeding a group with minimal effort, this recipe comes together in about 45 minutes and is packed with flavor.

Ingredients

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  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced (about 2 cups)
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 1 1/2 pounds (680g) Italian sausage (mild or spicy)
  • 1 pound (450g) dried white beans, soaked overnight, or 3 cans (15 ounces each) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 6 cups (1.4 liters) chicken broth (low-sodium)
  • 2 cups (475ml) water
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 Parmesan rind (optional)
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream or half-and-half (optional)
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • Crusty bread (for serving)

Instructions

  1. Prep your ingredients: Dice the onion, carrots, and celery. Mince the garlic. Drain and rinse the canned beans if using. If using dried beans, make sure they’ve been soaked overnight and drained.
  2. Brown the sausage: Heat the olive oil in your Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the sausage links (or casings removed for crumbles). Cook for 6-8 minutes, breaking the sausage up with your spoon, until nicely browned. Transfer the sausage to a plate with a slotted spoon, leaving about 2 tablespoons of fat in the pot.
  3. Sauté the vegetables: Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion, carrots, and celery to the pot. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent and the vegetables have softened. Add the garlic, thyme, rosemary, and red pepper flakes, and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.
  4. Add the beans and broth: Return the sausage to the pot. Add the beans, chicken broth, water, bay leaf, and Parmesan rind if using. Stir together. Bring the soup to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and let it cook for 20 minutes if using canned beans, or 45-60 minutes for soaked dried beans.
  5. Mash some beans: After the soup has simmered, remove the bay leaf and Parmesan rind. Using a potato masher or the back of a fork, mash about 1 cup of the beans right in the pot. Stir well.
  6. Finish the soup: If using heavy cream, stir it in now. Let the soup simmer for another 5 minutes to meld the flavors. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
  7. Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls. Garnish with fresh parsley and a generous sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. Serve with crusty bread for dipping.

Notes

For a creamier texture, mash some of the beans. If using dried beans, soak overnight. The soup can be made ahead and tastes even better the next day. To fix a salty soup, add a peeled potato and simmer for 10 minutes, then remove before serving.

Nutrition

Keywords: sausage and white bean soup, Italian sausage soup, white bean soup, crowd-pleasing soup, easy soup recipe, dinner party soup, hearty soup

Find it online: https://daintydine.com/best-sausage-and-white-bean-soup-for-crowd/