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A bowl of creamy white bean soup with chunks of bread, sausage and a garnish of fresh herbs, served with a spoon on a light cloth.
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Creamy White Bean Soup Recipe with Sausage

POV: It's a cold night and you crave something ridiculously creamy and comforting. This white bean soup with smoky sausage hits EVERY mark! One pot, one hour, and the secret bean-mashing technique creates silky thickness naturally. Even better the next day - this is going straight to your weekly rotation!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: Main Course, Soups & Stew Recipes
Cuisine: American, Italian
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 373kcal
Author: Kita Roberts

Equipment

  • Large Dutch oven or pot
  • Wooden spoon
  • Potato masher or immersion blender
  • small mixing bowl

Ingredients

  • 1 lb smoked sausage or Italian sausage
  • 2 Tbsp avocado oil or olive oil
  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 2 medium carrots diced
  • 2 - 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp dried thyme
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 30 oz white beans cannellini or navy bean), drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup sour cream or half-and-half for lighter
  • 1 tsp Kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • fresh thyme & parsley for serving

Instructions

Brown the sausage

  • In a large cast-iron pan or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat.
  • Add sausage and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Remove, slice into bite sized pieces, and set aside.
    Six browned sausages are cooking in a black cast iron skillet on a light, textured surface.

Sauté veggies

  • In the same pan or pot, add the onion and cook until translucent.
  • Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
  • Finally, add the carrots and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
  • Transfer the vegetables to a large Dutch oven or stock pot.
  • Stir in paprika, thyme, and a few sprigs of fresh thyme. Cook for 1 minute, stirring until fragrant.
    White pot with diced carrots, onions, and spices being sautéed on a light gray countertop.

Simmer the soup:

  • Then pour in the canned beans, return the sausages to the saucepan, and pour in the broth.
    A white pot with black handles contains cooked white beans and sliced carrots in a light brown broth, set on a textured gray surface.
  • Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer.
  • Use a potato masher, immersion blender, or the back of a spoon to mash some of the beans in the pot to thicken the soup.

Make it creamy

  • In a medium bowl, whisk the sour cream with a few tablespoons of hot broth from the soup to temper it.
    A white bowl containing sour cream with soup and white beans, with a spoon resting inside, on a light gray textured surface.
  • Slowly stir this mixture back into the pot until fully combined. Taste and adjust with salt and pepper.

Finish & serve

  • Sprinkle with fresh parsley before serving.
  • Serve hot with crusty bread or cornbread.

Notes

  • Temper the cream: Always whisk sour cream with a little hot broth before adding it to the soup. This prevents curdling.
  • Thicken naturally: Mash some of the beans in the pot for a creamier texture without extra dairy.
  • Boost the flavor: Deglaze the pot after browning sausage to capture all those smoky, savory bits.
  • Swap the sausage: Smoked sausage = rich and hearty, Italian sausage = spicy kick.
  • Brighten it up: A squeeze of lemon juice at the end balances the richness.
  • Make ahead tip: For freezing, skip the sour cream and stir it in after reheating.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 373kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 79mg | Sodium: 1250mg | Potassium: 325mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 3807IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 66mg | Iron: 1mg