Tuscan White Bean Soup with Sausage Meatballs is the coziest dinner imaginable, it’s based on a traditional Mediterranean bean soup with brilliant little sausage meatballs that take no time to make. This hearty soup is a keeper.
Tuscan white bean soup has a lot going on, let’s break it down…
- Tuscan white bean soup is made with chicken broth, but the soup gets its sunny yellow color from a touch of saffron.
- A little cream gives the soup more body.
- Finely diced onion, carrot, and celery are the standard aromatics.
- Cannellini beans (canned are fine!) add buttery texture and plenty of protein.
- Mini sausage meatballs that have been coated in fresh black pepper give the soup a warm heat.
- A nice amount of freshly grated Parmesan cheese enriches the soup.
- Fistfuls of fresh spinach stirred in at the very last minute add a flash of vibrant green to this wonderful soup.
the star of Tuscan white bean and sausage soup?
The stars of this comforting bean soup have to be the spicy pepper coated sausage meatballs!
They’re so easy to make because the sausage meat is all ready to roll (genius!!) no messy mixing required. I grind fresh black pepper onto a plate and then scoop and roll sweet Italian sausage meat into small balls. The coating of pepper gives the meatballs, and the soup, a pleasant hint of spice. Be sure to use sweet Italian sausage for this, the spicy would be too hot.
the easiest sausage making technique!
I first encountered this technique for making sausage meatballs while making Jamie Oliver’s Easy Sausage Carbonara.
I knew it would only be a matter of time when I found another use for them. I used packaged sausage meat, but you could also just remove the casings from regular Italian link sausages.
Fresh spinach brings a healthy punch to the soup.
In direct counterpoint to the spicy sausage balls is the gorgeous fresh green spinach. Just pinch off the lower stems and throw in a couple of big handfuls at the end of cooking. It wilts down in seconds. Use kale if you prefer, but be sure to chop or shred it, since it’s tougher than spinach, and it may need a few more minutes to cook down.
I enjoy this soup because it’s just different enough from the other classic Italian soups I know and love, like my Italian Sausage and Bean Soup, and my Italian Minestrone Soup. For one thing this one has a chicken stock base rather than a tomato base, and that little touch of cream gives it a different vibe.
Can you make Tuscan white bean soup in the Instant Pot?
- Yes, technically you can, but you wouldn’t need the pressure cook function, just the sauté mode. The directions would be the same as for stove top.
- The Instant Pot’s KEEP WARM function is ideal for soups.
Comforting soups for every day of the week!
- Beef Barley Soup
- Dill Pickle and Brat Soup
- Wild Mushroom Soup
- Broccoli Parmesan Chicken Soup
- Lentil Bone Broth Soup
- Not Your Grandma’s Chicken Soup
- Finnish Salmon Soup
Tuscan White Bean Soup
Ingredients
- 2/3 pound Italian sweet sausage meat
- fresh cracked black pepper
- olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 3 carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 48 ounces chicken broth or stock
- 1/2 tsp saffron threads
- 1 bundle fresh rosemary and fresh thyme stems, tied
- 30 ounces canned white beans or cannellini beans, drained
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 bunch spinach leaves (remove any thick stems)
- 1 tsp fresh minced rosemary
- salt to taste
- 1 tsp lemon juice or vinegar (optional)
Instructions
- Grind a layer of black pepper on a dinner plate. I use a medium coarse grind. Scoop sausage meat with a small 1 inch scoop and roll into round balls, then roll the balls in the pepper to lightly coat. Add more pepper as needed.
- Lightly coat the bottom of a heavy soup pot with olive oil and heat until hot. Brown the sausage meatballs, in two batches, until browned all over, and then remove to a plate. I like to give the pot a shake and swirl right after adding the meatballs to keep them round and get all sides an initial browning.
- Add the onions, carrots, celery, and garlic to the pot and add more olive oil if needed. Saute for 10 minutes, stirring often, until the vegetables just start to soften.
- Add the broth, saffron, and herbs to the pot, along with the beans and meatballs. Give everything a good stir and bring up to a boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for 15 minutes, just until the vegetables are tender.
- Stir in the cream and Parmesan and then add the rosemary and spinach. Bring back to a simmer and taste to adjust the salt if necessary. If the soup seems to need brightening, I will sometimes add a squeeze of lemon or a teaspoon of sherry vinegar.
Notes
Nutrition
Trader Joe’s has reasonably priced saffron!
Great tip, thanks.
Only thing I didn’t care for was the lack of measurements for carrots, onion, and celery. Those items in different amounts can really effect the flavor of the soup. Can’t wait to try it.
If you love freshly ground black pepper as much as I do, you’ll love this soup. didn’t have saffron, so left it out and subbed half & half for the cream. Will make again!
I’ve had this recipe saved for some time but just made it for the first time tonight. I love a hearty soup, and this hit all the right buttons! The peppery heat, the rich veggies, the chewiness of the meatballs – perfect. I didn’t have saffron, so I substituted a mix of paprika and turmeric.
This recipe has such delicious flavor! Always a fan of your recipes and this one is another reason you are my go to site for the BEST recipes!
This is an excellent soup. I can always count on you to provide recipes that are easy to follow and turn out great. Thank you for this one.
This soup was wonderful. Very healthy and easy to make. I didn’t add the saffron. Didn’t have it, and it’s so expensive. Did I really miss it? I don’t know, because I’ve never had it! I used kale instead of spinach because I have it in the garden. For us, the soup was very flavorful and different from our usual soups. We will definitely be having it again. Yummy!