Go Back
Print Recipe Save Recipe Pin Recipe
4.88 from 8 votes

Sausage, White Bean and Escarole Soup

The classic combination of spicy sausage, creamy white cannellini beans and bright escarole has never been so satisfying. We go heavy on the garlic and herbs, add more vegetables, and give it a hearty, creamy texture by mashing some of the beans and adding a little cream cheese. 
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Lunch, Soup, Soup / Chowder
Cuisine: American, Italian
Keyword: comfort food, soup
Author: Emily Clifton, Nerds with Knives

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 pound hot or sweet turkey or pork Italian sausage casings removed, crumbled
  • 1 large yellow onion finely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
  • 3 medium carrots finely chopped (about 1 cup)
  • 2 celery stalks finely chopped (about 3/4 cup)
  • 5 garlic cloves finely chopped
  • 2 teaspoons finely chopped rosemary
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped thyme
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt or more to taste
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 4 cups 950ml homemade chicken stock or low-sodium chicken broth
  • 3 15 oz/430g cans cannellini beans, drained, rinsed
  • 3 ounces cream cheese room temperature
  • 1 pound escarole washed and coarsely chopped
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese

Instructions

  • Heat oil in a large (at least 5 quart) stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add crumbled sausage and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer sausage to a plate. If you have more than 2 tablespoons fat in pot, remove excess. Add onions, carrots and celery to pot and cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are tender but not brown, about 8 minutes (if the bottom of the pot is beginning to brown, lower heat and stir in a couple of tablespoons water) . Add garlic, rosemary, thyme, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes, cook until garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in chicken stock. Add 1 can of beans to a small bowl and use a fork to mash beans into a coarse paste. Add mashed beans to pot and bring soup to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Stir in cream cheese, escarole, cooked sausage and remaining 2 cans of beans; let simmer until escarole is wilted and tender, 10 minutes. Ladle soup into bowls and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Tried this recipe? Let us know!Please consider adding a rating or a review! It really helps us out!