Description
A rich, one-pot soup featuring Italian sausage, smoky bacon, creamy cannellini beans, carrots, and fresh spinach—naturally thickened by blending half the beans for a velvety, hearty texture with no cream needed.
Ingredients
- Meat & Protein:
- 1 lb mild Italian sausage, casings removed
- 4 strips bacon, diced
- Vegetables & Aromatics:
- ½ medium onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach
- Beans & Broth:
- 4 (14 oz) cans cannellini beans, drained & rinsed
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- Herbs & Seasoning:
- ¼ tsp Italian seasoning
- ¼ tsp dried rosemary
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook meat: In a large pot, brown sausage over medium heat, breaking it apart. Add bacon; cook until crisp. Remove meat, leaving 2 tbsp fat in pot.
- Sauté aromatics: Add onion; cook 3–4 min until soft. Add garlic; cook 1–2 min until fragrant.
- Combine: Return sausage and bacon to pot. Add beans, broth, Italian seasoning, and rosemary. Stir well.
- Blend: Use an immersion blender to purée about half the soup for natural creaminess.
- Simmer: Add carrots. Simmer 15–20 min until tender.
- Finish: Stir in spinach until wilted (2–3 min). Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
- Don’t over-blend—keep some whole beans for texture.
- For vegetarian: use plant-based sausage, omit bacon, and use veggie broth.
- Taste before salting—sausage and bacon add natural salt.
- Add spinach after reheating if freezing leftovers.
- Use hot sausage or red pepper flakes for extra heat.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American