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
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This is a winner recipe!!
By far one of the best soups I’ve ever made! I replaced the spinach with kale, because I had it on hand and I prefer the texture. The broth has so many layers of flavor! I doubled the recipe so we would have some in the freezer. So, so good!
Thanks so much Loni <3
What a wonderfully delicious soup! Thank you so much. I do have one question. How did you prep all of this in 15 minutes? I know I’m somewhat slow but it took me almost 2 hours to prep everything. If you know some shortcuts please pass them on.
Thank you so much for all your wonderful recipes!
I made this yummy soup this evening. I used dried white beans so it took a bit longer but it was easy to take the amount I needed from those. I kept the spinach on the side since I’m the only one who likes it. I added it to my bowl. My family (husband and 2 teens) loved it! Thanks so much for a delicious, easy recipe!
Ha! Ha! This happens to me sometimes and it is most likely the wine slowing me down! Happy Cooking!
Made this last night, only changes were we only rolled half the sausage balls in Pepper, and deglazed with white wine after each batch. This is my new favorite soup! So happy we made this. Thank you Sue!
Yay, I’m so happy Kimberly. Those meatballs are such a great trick…
OK, I have never left a comment about a recipe anywhere but had to do so now. Made this the other night and WOW was this good! I made it in my Instant Pot which wasn’t the best idea but it was still amazing. I decided to try it in the Instant Pot but what it did when it heated up the soup under pressure was to burst all of the beans. That being said this was probably one of the best soups I have ever had. Great flavor and relatively easy to make. The sausage was a bit messy to heat up but I will know for next time LOL. Thanks for a great recipe!
I’m so glad it worked out so well for you Vincent!!
How much is a “bundle” of herbs?
It’s not a precise amount, just gather a bunch of sprigs, maybe 1/2 inch in diameter.
Could turmeric be subbed for the saffron ?
Yes, but the flavor is different, so be sure you like it.
Sue it’s the color that drew me into this amazing soup, I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like it! I love your recipes, by the way!
Thanks Deb, I totally agree, and I also love the way the cream gives it an opaque quality.