Italian Bean Soup

Italian Bean Soup is a hearty, savory meal that is quick & easy to make!

It’s one of those savory comfort foods everyone will love. It uses simple ingredients like Italian sausage, veggies, beans, and a dash of garlic and seasonings for a hearty soup that’s full of flavor!

Why We Love This Recipe

This Italian Bean Soup is a hearty, savory, and budget-friendly way to feed your family!

I love this recipe because I almost always have everything on hand!

I use cannellini beans but honestly, you can use any kind of beans in your cupboard. The beans in this recipe are canned if yours are dried, be sure to cook them first. (I soak beans overnight to make the cook time quicker and to make them a bit less gassy).

Just like beef macaroni soup, this recipe is versatile and you can add almost anything (leftover roasted zucchini is a favorite).

Add in pasta (to make it similar to a fagioli), veggies or other pantry staples to customize and stretch this soup!

Ingredients

MEAT Italian sausage provides extra flavor and seasoning in this recipe, but ground beef, ground chicken, or meatballs are great options too! (Up the seasonings and add a bit of fennel seed and chili flakes if you substitute the Italian sausage).

VEGGIES Feel free to use any veggies you have on hand: canned corn, diced potatoes, leftover roast veggies, frozen mixed veggies, fresh broccoli or zucchini from the fridge or garden!

BEANS Canned white beans are added to this soup, but any canned beans (or cooked dried beans) will be perfect. Try Great Northern beans, cannellini beans, or black beans if that’s what you have.

ADDITIONS To stretch this meal even further try adding in leftover brown rice, pasta, or couscous.  Sprinkle with some shredded cheese and add a dollop of sour cream for the perfect bowl of soup!

How to Make Italian Bean Soup

A simply delicious pot of steaming soup will be ready to eat in just a few simple steps!

1. Cook sausage with onion, drain fat.
2. Add remaining ingredients and simmer until the carrot is soft.
3. Discard bay leaf before serving.

Serve with fresh crescent rolls, biscuits or a side salad for the perfect meal!

Top Tips for a Great Soup

• If using dried beans instead of canned, soak beans and cook in water before adding to the soup.
• Dried beans expand once soaked, only use half the quantity dry that you would with hydrated or canned beans.
• If adding pasta, cook it separately and add it to each bowl. If left in the soup it’ll get mushy.
• This soup will last up to 4 days in the fridge but since it doesn’t have pasta or potatoes it freezes well!
• To freeze this soup, ladle it into zippered bags, date and lay flat in the freezer. They should keep for 4 months.
• When ready to enjoy, let the soup defrost in the fridge and reheat on the stove until heated through. Season with salt and pepper.

There will be plenty of leftovers too! Freeze portions for easy lunches or a quick weekday dinner the whole family will love.

Hearty Soup Recipes

• Homemade Lentil Soup – Inexpensive & filling
• Ham and Bean Soup – Crockpot version
• Cream of Chicken Soup – One-pot
• Beef Stroganoff Soup – Stove-top comfort food
• Black Bean Soup – Freezer-Friendly
• Potato and Sausage Soup – Budget-friendly
• Homemade Broccoli Cheddar Soup – Meatless meal
• White Bean Soup – Healthy & Hearty
• Creamy Cannellini Soup – Quick & easy

Did you make this delicious Italian Bean Soup?  Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!

5 from 23 votes↑ Click stars to rate now!
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Italian Bean Soup

Italian Bean Soup is an easy, filling meal the whole family will love!

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Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 22 minutes minutes

Total Time 37 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Author Holly Nilsson

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Ingredients  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 pound Italian sausage or ground beef
• ▢ 1 onion diced
• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning
• ▢ ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ 1 carrot chopped
• ▢ 3 cups beef broth or chicken broth
• ▢ 15 ounces canned diced tomatoes 1 can, with juices
• ▢ 15 ounces canned cannellini beans 1 can, or white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• ▢ 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• ▢ 1 bay leaf

Instructions 

• Brown sausage and onion in a large pot until no pink remains. Drain any fat.
• Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes or until carrot is tender and flavors have blended.
• Discard bay leaf and serve.
• Garnish with parmesan cheese and parsley if desired.

Notes

If substituting ground beef for sausage, increase the seasoning a bit and add some chili flakes if desired. 

For dried beans, soak/cook beans before adding to soup. 

Dried beans expand once soaked, use half the quantity of dried that you would cooked or canned beans.

To freeze, ladle into zippered bags, date and lay flat in the freezer for up to 4 months.

 

5 from 23 votes

Nutrition Information

Calories: 380 | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 57mg | Sodium: 928mg | Potassium: 1006mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1871IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 105mg | Iron: 4mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Lunch, Main Course, Soup

Cuisine American

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