Epic Creamy Tuscan White Bean Soup with Sausage

Maybe it’s from having grown up in Wisconsin, but even while I live in Texas now, I long for cooler temperatures and cozy soups like Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana, crock pot broccoli cheese soup, and white chicken chili. This Tuscan white bean soup is another easy, comforting, and flavorful soup recipe to have on repeat this fall. It’s perfect for days spent cozied up under blankets or around a full table, whichever one your week may hold. Soup is versatile like that!

My recipe combines a classic creamy white bean soup with a few personal tweaks: sweet red pepper, savory Italian sausage, and coconut milk instead of heavy cream. It’s light in texture yet hearty, with plenty of colorful vegetables. I think you’re going to love it.

A Creamy Tuscan White Bean Soup Recipe You’ll Love

• One pot. All the sautéing, simmering, and serving for this Tuscan white bean soup happens in the same soup pot.
• Done in 30 minutes. It’s a quick soup recipe, so you don’t have to keep it simmering for long.
• All the good stuff. This Tuscan soup has tender cannellini beans, veggies, sausage, spinach, and Italian herbs in a creamy broth. It warms you from the inside out and fills you up, whether it’s served as an appetizer, lunch, or side with dinner.
• Creamy without dairy. I often substitute coconut milk in recipes that call for heavy cream. It makes this soup rich, full of flavor, and also dairy-free.

Ingredients Needed for White Bean Soup

You’ll need to gather the following ingredients to make this easy Tuscan white bean soup recipe. See the recipe card for the complete recipe measurements:

• Italian sausage – I use ground Italian sausage with fennel, and I love the extra flavor it gives the soup. I use mild sausage; however, if you like spice, you could use “hot” Italian sausage.
• Onion, celery, and carrot – Sautéed with butter or olive oil, this trio of veggies creates the aromatic flavor base in countless soups and sauces, from minestrone and ragu to Bolognese. In Italian, it’s called soffritto. It’s also known as mirepoix in French cuisine.
• Garlic – Let’s be honest, garlic needs to be in everything. Freshly minced is best.
• Red pepper – Not only does red bell pepper add a pop of color, but it also adds sweetness to the soup. Any color would work, though a green bell pepper won’t have the same sweetness.
• Spices – Italian herbs like thyme, basil, and oregano, plus red pepper flakes for a touch of heat. You can skip the chili flakes if you’d prefer.
• Cannellini beans (white kidney beans) – You can use dry or canned. I use canned and drain and rinse them. Great Northern beans or Navy beans are a good substitute if needed.
• Vegetable broth – I like the flavor of vegetable broth; you could also use chicken broth or stock if you’d like.
• Coconut milk – When making any “creamy” dish, I usually substitute milk or heavy cream for coconut milk. However, I use the full-fat coconut milk you buy in a can (NOT coconut cream). You can find it at most grocery stores in the international aisle. By using coconut milk, you also make this dish dairy-free.
• Spinach – Add the spinach at the end and cook it until it is just wilted so the spinach doesn’t turn mushy or soggy in the soup.

How to Make Tuscan White Bean Soup

Here’s how to prepare this creamy Tuscan white bean and sausage soup in 30 minutes or less.

1. Brown the sausage. Add the Italian sausage to a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Using a wooden spoon, break up the sausage into smaller pieces while it cooks until browned.
2. Sauté the veggies. Next, add the onion, celery, carrots, red pepper, and garlic, and sauté for 5 minutes, or until tender. Stir in the thyme, basil, oregano, and red pepper flakes.
3. Add the broth and beans. Next, add the rinsed and drained cannellini beans and vegetable broth. Cover. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Make it creamy. Lastly, stir the coconut milk and spinach into the pot. Cook until spinach is wilted. Garnish with grated parmesan cheese when serving, and enjoy!

Tips for the Best White Bean Soup

• Get some color on the sausage. Make sure to brown the sausage in the same pot you’ll be cooking the soup in. This way, you get all the flavor!
• Add more vegetables. In my opinion, the more veggies, the better. You could add potatoes, cauliflower, zucchini, peas, or tomatoes to this Tuscan white bean soup if you’d like.
• Add greens at the end. If you’re not a fan of spinach, kale is a good substitute. Either way, make sure you add the greens at the very end of the cooking process and only cook for 1-2 minutes, or until they are just wilted. Then serve immediately.
• Simmer. Simmer. Simmer. Be sure to let your soup simmer, but not boil, for the entire time. Simmering equals deliciousness because it allows time for all the flavors to blend together without overcooking.

What to Serve With White Bean Soup

I’ll happily curl up with a bowl of this white bean soup and nothing more! But when I do make it into a meal, these are my favorite ways to serve it:

• With bread. Crunchy bread is a classic when it comes to soup. I like crusty ciabatta to keep the theme Italian, or a French baguette works nicely, too.
• Next to grilled cheese. It doesn’t get better than a classic grilled cheese sandwich with soup. But you could always upgrade it to a Caprese panini, with mozzarella cheese, sliced tomatoes, and basil pesto.
• As or with an appetizer. Tuscan white bean soup makes a wonderful starter for any Italian dinner. I’ll serve it with Caprese chicken skewers or a grilled pizza, or as an appetizer to baked eggplant Parmesan.
• With a side salad. Soup and salad are the best combo, especially if it’s a grilled vegetable panzanella salad or pear walnut salad.

Storing and Freezing

This Tuscan white bean soup will store well for 3-4 days in the fridge (great leftovers), but in case you’d like to freeze it for longer, here’s how:

• To freeze, let the soup completely cool. Add it to a freezer-safe storage bag and lay it flat in the freezer. Store it frozen for up to 3 months.
• To reheat, let the soup thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours and then reheat the soup on the stove.

More Favorite Soup Recipes

• Creamy Tomato Basil Soup
• Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
• French Onion Soup
• Crockpot Chicken & Wild Rice Soup
• Roasted Cauliflower Soup