Description
A hearty and comforting slow cooker Tuscan white bean soup with sausage, packed with flavor and nutrition.
Ingredients
Scale
- 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 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pound ground Italian sausage
- 4 cups baby kale leaves
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- Shaved Parmesan cheese for serving
Instructions
- Pour the dry beans into a slow cooker with the chicken broth, carrots, celery, onion, butternut squash, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, kosher salt, and black pepper. Cook on low for 8 hours.
- Form the sausage into small meatballs and refrigerate until ready to cook.
- Take 1/2 cup of the soup broth and whisk in the tomato paste until smooth, then add back to the slow cooker.
- Add the baby kale and sausage meatballs and cook for 30-45 minutes until sausage is cooked through and beans are tender.
- Serve with shaved Parmesan cheese on top.
Notes
For a leaner version, swap ground Italian sausage for ground turkey and reduce Parmesan cheese. Add a squeeze of lemon or drizzle of olive oil when reheating for brightness.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 480 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 to 2 cups
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 10g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 50mg