Description
A hearty and flavorful Sausage and Bean Soup featuring tender vegetables, Italian spices, and creamy broth thickened with milk and cornstarch. Perfect for a comforting meal that comes together quickly on the stovetop.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Base
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- 2 ribs celery, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 bay leaf
Main Ingredients
- 1 pound fully cooked chicken sausage, sliced into rounds
- 2 (15 ounce) cans cannellini or great northern beans, rinsed and drained
Thickening & Finishing
- ½ cup milk (2% or whole)
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- Salt, to taste
- Grated Parmesan cheese, optional for serving
Instructions
- Sauté vegetables and spices: Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrots, and celery; cook for 5 to 6 minutes until softened. Stir in minced garlic, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, cumin, smoked paprika, and black pepper; cook while stirring for about 1 minute to release flavors.
- Simmer soup: Pour in chicken broth and add sliced sausage and rinsed beans. Tuck in the bay leaf. Bring mixture to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce heat to low and cook gently for 12 to 15 minutes to meld flavors.
- Thicken the soup: In a small bowl, whisk together milk and cornstarch until smooth. Slowly stir the mixture into the simmering soup and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the soup thickens slightly.
- Final seasoning and serving: Remove and discard the bay leaf. Taste the soup and season with salt only if needed. Ladle into bowls and garnish with grated Parmesan cheese if desired. Serve warm.
Notes
- Use fully cooked chicken sausage for quick preparation; alternatively, pre-cook raw sausage before adding.
- Adjust thickness by varying the amount of milk-cornstarch slurry.
- For a spicier soup, add crushed red pepper flakes when adding the spices.
- Leftover soup stores well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Vegetarian variation: substitute sausage with plant-based sausage and use vegetable broth.
