Creamy White Bean Soup Recipe With Spinach & Italian Sausage Crumbles (30 Minutes, High Fiber, High Protein) by Donna John

Soup season could be year-round for me, but my husband does not agree. So when it officially becomes soup season in the fall, it is on. One of my favorite soup recipes is my creamy Italian Parmesan sausage soup. This soup recipe is a play on that amazing recipe, using white beans instead of pasta (and a few other tweaks).

The health benefits of white beans made me try the switch from pasta in the other recipe. This creamy Italian-inspired bean soup is a hearty bowl of goodness, and a delicious way to kick off soup season! Plus it's high in fiber and high in protein. Check out the health benefits of fiber and the health benefits of protein.

To make this quick and easy soup recipe you will need to gather the following ingredients: Italian sausage (regular, mild or hot), an onion, garlic, Italian seasoning, fresh thyme, crushed red pepper flakes, carrots, cannellini beans, chicken broth, fresh spinach (check out the health benefits of spinach), heavy cream and Parmesan cheese. The soup cooks up on the stovetop and is ready to eat in about 30 minutes.

Ladle this flavorful soup into bowls and serve it for lunch or dinner with your favorite side dishes. I served mined with a fresh salad and warm garlic butter naan bread. (Simply spread a little butter on naan, sprinkle with garlic powder and pop into the oven to warm.) Delish!

Cuisine: Italian / American
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 1 pound Italian sausage (removed from casings if in links) 
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, minced
• crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 30 ounces (2 cans) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained (divided)
• 5 cups chicken broth
• 5 ounces fresh spinach
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 - 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Here's how to make it: 

1. In a soup pot, cook the Italian sausage, onion, garlic, Italian seasoning, thyme and crushed red pepper flakes until sausage is cooked through, about 5 minutes. (If you can't find ground Italian sausage, buy the links and remove the casings. Crumble well as you brown the meat to make smaller pieces.)
   
2. Add the carrots, one can of the drained and rinsed cannellini beans and chicken broth.
   
3. Cover the pot and simmer until carrots are tender, about 10 minutes.
   
   
4. Add the spinach, second can of white beans and heavy cream. Gently simmer for about 10 minutes. (If you can't find cannellini beans, use canned great northern beans. If you want a less beany soup, use one can of beans.)
   
5. Add the Parmesan cheese. Cook until cheese melts. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste.
   
6. Ladle into bowls and top with more grated Parmesan and crushed red pepper flakes, if desired. Store the soup in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave or pour it into a soup pot and gently reheat on the stovetop. You can add more heavy cream or milk to thin, if needed.
   
   
   

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