bowl of cannellini bean and turkey soup.
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How to make cannellini bean and sausage soup

This is a pretty straightforward recipe and I find gathering all my ingredients together first, keeps me organized.  I get all my veggies together, and prep them.  Slice your potatoes in half, peel and slice the carrots into rounds (if they are really big carrots, cut those rounds into half-moons), slice the celery and wipe your mushrooms clean with a damp paper towel.  Either slice the mushrooms or cut into quarters – your choice.

I cut the stems and dark, hard green leaves off of the leeks.  Then, I split the leek in half lengthwise and rinse thoroughly under running cold water.  Dirt and sand will accumulate in the bottom of the leeks, so you want to be sure you rinse that out.  Squeeze out excess water and slice into thin half-moons.

Chop up your herbs and let your frozen peas thaw.  Wash your baby kale.  Yes, you can use full-grown kale (LOL), but I find baby kale more tender and I don’t have to bother stemming it or chopping it up.  You are now ready to start cooking.

all veggies and herbs for sup.
turkey sausage cooking with herbs.

Add the two remaining tablespoons of butter and the potatoes, carrots, celery, pearl onions, and leeks.  Mix everything together getting the butter mixed into the veggies and meat. 

raw veggies added to soup pot.

Add in the stock and the drained, partially cooked beans.  Stir again.  Add a really large pinch of salt and about 20 grinds of black pepper and stir.

all ingredients in soup pot.

Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat and let simmer for about 40 minutes to let the beans cook completely.  Taste a bean.  If it is still hard or you want them a little softer, cook another 5-10 minutes.

canellini bean and turkey soup cooking on stove.

Add the mushrooms and thawed peas to the mix and stir to combine. Add the skim milk and stir to combine.  Cook for about 10 minutes to bring it to temperature. NOTE:  I’ve used skim milk to keep the dish light but feel free to use 1%, 2% or full fat milk.  All work just fine in the recipe and will make it creamy.  If you are worried about skim milk not being creamy enough, when we add the slurry in the next step, it will thicken up and get creamier.  But as always, this is your choice.  Once combined, taste and adjust seasoning again.  Add more salt and pepper as needed and taste again.  Add the kale and stir into the mix.

pot of soup with kale added.
pot of cannellini and sausage soup.
bowl of cannellini bean and sausage soup.
bowl of cannellini bean and turkey soup.

Cannellini Bean and Sausage Soup

This is a lighter and healthier bean and sausage recipe using turkey sausage and lighter soup ingredients.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 8 hours 15 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 10 hours 15 minutes
Course Soups & Salads
Cuisine Italian
Servings 12 Served
Calories 0.1 cal

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

Ingredients
 
 

  • 2 cups of dry Cannellini beans
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tablespoon dry thyme
  • 8 cups homemade or store-bought chicken stock
  • 3 tablespoons light butter (Land ‘O Lakes light canola oil butter), or unsalted butter
  • 1 1/4 pound Italian turkey sausage, casings discarded (I package of Jenny 'O Sweet or hot Italian Sausage)
  • 1 Cup Frozen pearl onions, thawed
  • 20 Petite red potatoes, (about 12 ounces), cut in half
  • 4 Medium carrots, peeled and cut into ¼-inch rounds
  • 2 Large leeks, white and pale-green parts only, thinly sliced crosswise, rinsed well
  • 2 Celery stalks, sliced thin
  • 8 Oz. White button mushrooms, sliced or quartered
  • 1 Cup Frozen peas, thawed
  • 2 Cups Fresh baby kale
  • ¼ Cup Wondra flour or all-purpose flour
  • 1 ¼ Cups skim milk (or 1%, 2% or whole milk)
  • 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh sage
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Prepare the beans. Add the beans to a large bowl or pot and cover with cold water. Put in the refrigerator overnight. Drain and move on to the rest of the recipe. Alternatively, add the beans to a large pot and cover with water. Add a tablespoon of salt and place over medium high heat and bring to a boil. Let boil one minute then turn off the heat. And let the beans sit in the water for one hour. Drain beans.
  • Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add sausage you've removed from the casings and break up with a wooden spoon or spatula. Cook, stirring, until sausage is browned, about 7 minutes. Add the bay leaves, rosemary, thyme and sage. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter, the pearl onions, potatoes, carrots, leeks, and celery. Stir to combine and let cook for about five minutes until the butter melts and coats the veggies. Add the stock and the drained beans. Add a large pinch of salt and about 20 grinds of black pepper. Stir until combined. Bring to a boil then lower the heat and simmer for about 40 minutes until the beans are completely cooked.
  • Add in the mushrooms and peas and stir. Add in the milk and let cook about 10 minutes until the mixture starts to simmer. Taste the broth. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed. Add the kale and mix into the soup.
  • In a small bowl, add the Wondra flour. Add about 1/4 cup of the cooking broth from the pot. Mix with a small whisk or fork until the flour is dissolved. Add to the soup pot and stir to combine. Let the soup come to temperature and start to bubble. The liquid will start to thicken. Cook about 10 minutes. Stir and taste again. Adjust seasoning one last time.
  • Remove the bay leaves and the stems from the rosemary and discard. Serve up in bowls and enjoy.

Nutrition

Calories: 0.1calCarbohydrates: 0.01gProtein: 0.002gFat: 0.002gSodium: 0.004mgPotassium: 0.1mgFiber: 0.004gVitamin A: 1IUVitamin C: 0.01mgCalcium: 0.1mgIron: 0.01mg
Keyword healthier choice, italian, soup
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!