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Slow Cooker Tuscan White Bean and Sausage Soup

Heidi Larsenby Updated: Sep 2, 2022

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This simple but flavorful Tuscan white bean soup with sausage doesn’t require any pre-cooking or searing, making it a true slow-cooker meal.

Slow Cooker Tuscan White Bean Soup | foodiecrush.com #withkale #crockpot #slowcooker #spinach #withsausage #recipe

Slow Cooker Tuscan White Bean Soup

“Okay mom, let’s play the smell game.” 

I sort of cringed at the idea. Sweaty feet. Burnt toast. The 4th hole at the golf course that sits next to the water treatment plant and man does it reek when the wind blows. Why do I immediately go to the dark side?

“Okay. What’s the smell game?” But of course I already know.

“It’s where we say the things we think smell the best. You go first.”

I thought for a minute. More like seconds. Immediately those gross smells vanished to make way for the good. 

The smell of burnt pumpkins after being lit too closely to their lids on Halloween night. Summer rain on black top. The smell of Gardenias and tuberose. Puppy breath. Only to be outdone by the nuzzle spot right below the ear in the crook of the neck of a newborn baby that’s a mixed perfume of milky baby lotion.

And of course, the obvious at our house. Food cooking in the kitchen.

From steaks grilling to cookies baking, food that’s cooking in the kitchen just might possibly be the most universally loved smell of all. It’s one reason I love cooking in the slow cooker. Its perfume lingers on low for eight hours or on high for four.

The other reason I love the slow cooker is for sheer ease. And this Crockpot bean soup recipe is really one of the easiest. And deceptively so.

Slow Cooker Tuscan White Bean Soup | foodiecrush.com

What’s in Tuscan White Bean Soup?

This slow cooker bean and sausage soup has a fairly minimal ingredients list. Because of that, I made sure to choose a few key ingredients that pack in lots of flavor. Here’s what I used in this Tuscan white bean and sausage soup recipe:

  • Dried Great Northern beans
  • Chicken broth
  • Carrots
  • Celery
  • Butternut squash
  • Yellow onion
  • Garlic
  • Bay leaves
  • Fresh thyme
  • Kosher salt and pepper
  • Ground Italian sausage
  • Kale
  • Tomato paste
  • Parmesan

Slow Cooker Tuscan White Bean Soup | foodiecrush.com

How to Make Tuscan White Bean Soup

This is a true slow cooker meal with no need for frying or pre-cooking. It’s cooked in two stages to ensure freshness. First, the dried beans are cooked with the veggies on low for 8 hours for a perfectly cooked bean. 

While the veggies and beans cook, you form the sausage meatballs. The meatballs are simply made from Italian sausage that’s rolled into mini meatballs.

After 8 hours, add the remaining ingredients to the slow cooker along with the mini meatballs. Cook the Tuscan white bean soup for another 30 to 45 minutes, or until the meatballs are cooked through.

Slow Cooker Tuscan White Bean Soup | foodiecrush.com

Is There a Sausage Substitute I Can Use?

If you don’t eat pork, you could also use hamburger, ground turkey, or chicken with 1 teaspoon of fennel seeds and a pinch of red pepper flakes mixed in. This combination will provide a similar flavor to ground Italian sausage.

Can I Freeze Tuscan White Bean Soup?

Yes, this Tuscan white bean and kale soup freezes very well. I recommend freezing the soup in individual jars or baggies so you can reheat one portion at a time for quick lunches and dinners.

Slow Cooker Tuscan White Bean Soup | foodiecrush.com

Tips for Making Tuscan White Bean Soup

With this sausage, kale, and  white bean soup recipe, there’s no need for soaking your beans beforehand, but if you really need to, go ahead and soak the beans overnight in water. This article explains more about slow cooking beans.

The fat in the sausage balls keeps them from needing a sear before cooking as it acts as the glue holding the meat together. For presentation’s sake, if you want a browner meatball, you could sear them before, but seriously, they’ll taste the same. 

I used baby kale leaves in this recipe but curly kale or swiss chard would be tempting alternatives. I also added butternut squash simply because I had it in my fridge and figured, why not? Add other vegetables as you see fit, or as you need to empty your refrigerator’s crisper drawer. 

More Slow Cooker Soup Recipes to Make

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Bookmark this recipe and leave a comment below, or take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.



4.53 from 108 votes

Slow Cooker Tuscan White Bean Soup with Sausage

This simple but flavorful Tuscan white bean soup with sausage doesn't require any pre-cooking or searing, making it a true slow-cooker meal.
Print
Course Soup
Cuisine Italian
Keyword slow cooker
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 8 hours 45 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 603kcal

Ingredients 

  • 16 ounces dried Great Northern beans
  • 8 cups chicken broth
  • 2 carrots , diced
  • 2 stalks celery , diced
  • 2 cups diced butternut squash
  • 1 medium yellow onion , diced
  • 4 large cloves garlic , pressed or minced
  • 4 bay leaves
  • 4 sprigs thyme
  • 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 pound ground Italian sausage
  • 4 cups baby kale leaves
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • Shaved Parmesan cheese

Instructions

  • Pour the dry beans into the base of a 6 quart slow cooker with the chicken broth, carrots, celery, onion, butternut squash, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook on low for 8 hours. Meanwhile, form the sausage into small meatballs and refrigerate until ready to cook.
  • Take ½ cup of the soup broth and pour into a small bowl. Whisk in the tomato paste until smooth and then add back to the slow cooker. Add the baby kale and then the sausage meatballs and cook for 30-45 minutes or until the sausage is cooked through and the beans are tender. Adjust seasonings to taste.
  • Serve with shaved parmesan cheese scattered on top.

Nutrition

Calories: 603kcal | Carbohydrates: 65g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 57mg | Sodium: 2390mg | Potassium: 2055mg | Fiber: 18g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 12973IU | Vitamin C: 97mg | Calcium: 274mg | Iron: 7mg

Slow Cooker Tuscan White Bean Soup | foodiecrush.com #withkale #crockpot #slowcooker #spinach #withsausage #recipe

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Comments

    4.53 from 108 votes (101 ratings without comment)

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    Recipe Rating




  3. Dianne Bartos

    5 stars
    This recipe is so delish! I made it just as it is except I used spinach instead of kale and it turned out great! Definitely adding this recipe to my collection.

    Reply

  5. Rishad

    As a food lover, i always try to find new recipes, today i landed your blog and found a nice and simple recipe, i personally like spicy food, can i make this Soup more spicy?

    Reply

  7. Mom

    Made this recipe yesterday and everyone loved it. It did take a long time for the sausage to cook. Next time I would brown the sausage in a pan before adding. My soup thickened up a lot… might be that I added higher amounts of veggies. I will definitely make this again!!

    Reply

  8. Stasia

    You should definitely precook the dry beans! Eating undercooked beans can cause food poisoning. This is a lovely recipe but for sure pre cook the beans or use canned.

    Reply

  11. Ronnie

    5 stars
    The Tuscan White Bean and Sausage Soup is one of the best soups I’ve ever eaten, more less made. The only change I made in the recipe was using spinach instead of kale…. I will be making another BIG pot soon…..

    Reply

  15. Angela

    5 stars
    Your soup is one of my favorites!! Thanks for sharing! I’ve made it lots of times in the slow cooker but wonder if you have ever done it in an Instant Pot?

    Reply

  24. Patricia Zelmore

    Why do people make an entirely DIFFERENT recipe and then review it as if it were the one posted???? Get a grip! If you change it completely from a bean soup and then don’t even put the beans in it, it isn’t the same soup, it’s your variation and therefore should not be reviewed as the one posted. I really find that frustrating and down right insulting to the person who posted the original recipe.

    Reply

  27. Karen

    I made this today on the stove instead of crock pot. I used canned beans and just browned sausage (did not form into balls), it is delicious. I really enjoyed it and will definitely be making it again. I have a similar recipe where you use sweet potatoes instead of squash which is also very good.

    Reply

  33. Louise

    did a variation of this, i.e., no kale, just onion, tons of diced garlic, 1 can of Campbell’s tomato soup, large cardboard container of chicken broth, the hottest pepper sauce on earth ..used 5 drops a few cups of water, the smallest pasta on earth i.e., a couple of handfuls, red lentils – about a cup, one diced potato, 3 raw and sliced hot Italian sausages, bit of salt, celery see, coriander seed, black pepper, pinch of oregano, big pinches of dried dill. I think that’s it. Tasted and adjusted as I went. Slow cooked on high a couple hours, then on low a couple of hours, then back on high for an hour or so. All my soups are done in this fashion, but I got great ideas from this recipe, so thank you so much. One problem – it is way too full of fat, so gonna refrigerate and skim that off before I have tons of it as I will need a doctor if I do not do so. Louise in Ottawa, Canada eh?

    Reply

  39. Jo Anne

    I have made this soup many times, but usually on the stovetop as I don’t always remember to set it up for the slow cooker. In those instances I just use canned beans. Wonderful soup! Tomorrow this is being made in my Instant Pot!

    Reply

  41. Sharon

    Happy family after serving the Tuscan Bean and sausage soup for dinner. Did some variations and got all thumbs up! Instead of regular sausage, I cut up sweet italian chicken sausage and just added it in about 45 minutes towards the end. Also, because some of my family are not fans of kale, I used 2 cups spinach and 2 cups kale instead of all 4 cups of kale. Overall the soup came out thicker than the photo in the recipe. Even with these tweeks it was just so yummy and the house smelled wonderful all day as it cooked in the slow cooker.

    Reply

    • Cle

      Planning to make this for a crowd. How many people will the original recipe serve? Can’t seem to find that info in the recipe or comments. Thank you!

      Reply

  55. rosemarie mccreary

    I cannot wait to make your Tuscan white bean soup ….the butternut squash sounds so wonderful & I appreciate allowing me to print it out to add to my soup collection … Thank You !!

    Reply

  62. Charlene

    Made this recipe yesterday and everyone loved it. It did take a long time for the sausage to cook. Next time I would brown the sausage in a pan before adding. My soup thickened up a lot… might be that I added higher amounts of veggies. I will definitely make this again!!

    Reply

  64. Gina

    Made this tonight and the family loved it. Forgot to put the tomato paste in, honestly it was great without it. I probably cooked it a bit to long, but the butternut squash really cooked down. Gave it a bit more thickness like a chowder. The combo of the sweet squash and the savory sausage was delicios. My 7 yr old says this one’s a keeper!

    Reply

  65. Felicia Apuzzo

    This soup is phenomenal I just made it for first time today and it won’t be the last!! Thank you so much its delish!! And smells awesome! thanks again!!

    Reply

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  75. Patty

    You cannot go wrong with this recipe. Honestly, add almost any other veggie, and you will be fine. I added potatoes instead of squash, but you could do both!

    Reply

    • Heidi Larsenheidi

      Hi Mike, I thought so too, but after reading the article I linked to from The Kitchn, i decided to try it and they turned out great. You could always leave the salt for later if you prefer. I just like how it flavors the beans.

      Reply

    • Melinda

      You are right. I cooked chili beans last weekend in the crock pot and they cooked 8 hours. Do not add salt. They will never get soft if you do!

      Reply

  77. Rachel Cooks

    Your favorite smells are awesome – I love the pumpkin one…and it might just be making me a little excited for fall. Along with this soup which is basically fall in a bowl! I just so happen to have two packages of baby kale in the fridge right now (I’m a little obsessed with it).

    Reply

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