Creamy Tuscan White Bean Soup (Printable)

Hearty Tuscan soup with white beans, sausage, spinach, and cream. Ready in 30 minutes for ultimate comfort.

# Ingredient List:

→ Meats

01 - 12 oz Italian sausage, casings removed, crumbled

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
03 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
04 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
05 - 3.5 oz fresh baby spinach

→ Legumes

06 - 2 cans cannellini beans (14 oz each), drained and rinsed

→ Broth & Dairy

07 - 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
08 - 1 cup heavy cream
09 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

→ Herbs & Seasonings

10 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herb mix
11 - ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ For Serving

13 - Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
14 - Crusty bread

# How To Make:

01 - In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add crumbled sausage and cook, breaking up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through, approximately 5 minutes.
02 - Add onion and carrots, sautéing for 4 minutes until vegetables are softened. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in the beans, Italian herb mix, and red pepper flakes. Pour in chicken broth and bring to a simmer.
04 - Reduce heat to low and stir in heavy cream. Simmer gently for 5 to 7 minutes, allowing flavors to meld.
05 - Add spinach and cook until wilted, approximately 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
06 - Ladle soup into bowls, top with freshly grated Parmesan, and serve with crusty bread if desired.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent all day simmering it, but you're eating within 30 minutes.
  • The cream melts into the beans in a way that makes each spoonful feel indulgent without being heavy.
  • Sausage does all the flavor work for you, so the soup never feels bland or one-dimensional.
  • It freezes beautifully, which means you can make it ahead and feel prepared for the week.
02 -
  • If your soup turns out thinner than you'd like, you can mash some of the beans against the side of the pot before adding the cream—the starch thickens the broth naturally without flour or cornstarch.
  • Don't let the soup boil aggressively after adding cream, or it might separate and look curdled instead of silky, which I learned the hard way my first attempt.
03 -
  • Toast a pinch of red pepper flakes in the butter before adding the sausage for an extra layer of subtle heat that lingers through the whole bowl.
  • If you have access to fresh Italian herbs, chop them fine and stir them in after you finish cooking rather than using dried—it brightens the whole soup in a way dried herbs can't quite match.
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