Description
A rustic, rich, and deeply satisfying soup inspired by a trattoria in Florence. Creamy without heavy cream, hearty without being dense, and packed with Tuscan flavors from Italian sausage, cannellini beans, and fresh herbs.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb Italian sausage (casings removed)
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 cans (15 oz each) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- ½ cup heavy cream (optional)
- 1 Parmesan rind (optional)
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes (or to taste)
- 3 cups kale or spinach, roughly chopped
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (for garnish)
- Extra virgin olive oil (for drizzling)
- Crusty bread (for serving)
Instructions
- Brown the sausage: Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the Italian sausage (casings removed) and break it apart with a wooden spoon. Cook for 6-8 minutes until deeply browned and crispy in spots. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the sausage to a plate, leaving about 2 tablespoons of rendered fat in the pot.
- Sauté the aromatics: Reduce heat to medium. Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery to the pot. Cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften and the onion turns translucent. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom. Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes, and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the broth and beans: Pour in the chicken broth and scrape up any remaining browned bits. Add one can of the drained and rinsed cannellini beans, the Parmesan rind (if using), and the fresh rosemary and thyme sprigs. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Blend part of the beans: Remove the herb sprigs and Parmesan rind. Using an immersion blender, blend about half of the soup until slightly creamy but still with some texture. Alternatively, transfer about 1½ cups of the soup (mostly beans and broth) to a regular blender, blend until smooth, and stir back into the pot. If using heavy cream, add it now and stir to combine.
- Add the remaining beans and sausage: Stir in the second can of cannellini beans and the cooked sausage. Let the soup simmer for another 5 minutes to heat through.
- Add the greens: Stir in the chopped kale or spinach. Cook for 2-3 minutes, just until wilted. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper.
- Serve and garnish: Ladle the soup into bowls. Top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and a few cracks of black pepper. Serve immediately with crusty bread for dipping.
Notes
For the creamiest texture without heavy cream, blend a portion of the beans with broth. The soup improves after sitting overnight; add greens when reheating to keep them bright. If using a regular blender, let the soup cool slightly before blending to avoid splattering.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (about 1.5 cu
- Calories: 385
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 680
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 6
- Carbohydrates: 32
- Fiber: 9
- Protein: 22
Keywords: Tuscan soup, white bean soup, sausage soup, creamy soup, Italian soup, comfort food, easy soup recipe