Tuscan Sausage and Potato Soup Recipe
Tuscan Sausage and Potato Soup is a rich and comforting bowl combining savory Italian sausage, tender gold potatoes, creamy white beans, and sun-dried tomatoes in a flavorful broth, finished with a distinctive swirl of basil pesto for a pop of fresh herbaceous flavor. This easy-to-make soup is perfect for cozy meals and is highly customizable to your taste.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Tuscan / Italian
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 16 to 19 ounces ground Italian sausage (mild or hot)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
- 2 cups yellow onion, finely diced (about 1 large onion)
- 1 tablespoon finely minced garlic (about 4 cloves)
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 5 cups chicken broth
- 4 cups baby gold potatoes, diced, unpeeled
- 1 (15.5-ounce) can navy beans or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, finely diced, plus extra for garnish
- 2 cups half-and-half
- Basil pesto or Parmesan cheese, for serving
Instructions
- Cook the sausage: In a large pot over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil. Add the ground Italian sausage and season with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika if using. Cook, crumbling and browning the sausage until fully cooked and caramelized. Use a slotted spoon to remove the sausage from the pot onto a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Leave about 1 tablespoon of grease in the pot; add more oil if necessary or drain excess grease if too much remains. Do not wipe out the pot.
- Sauté onion and garlic: Keeping the pot on medium-high heat, add the diced onion and minced garlic to the sausage drippings. Sauté, stirring occasionally and scraping browned bits from the bottom, for 3 to 5 minutes until softened and fragrant.
- Thicken with flour: Sprinkle in the flour and stir constantly for 1 minute to cook off the raw taste and create a roux. Gradually add 1 cup of the chicken broth, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot until the mixture thickens.
- Add remaining broth and potatoes: Slowly stir in the remaining 4 cups of chicken broth while scraping the bottom of the pot to incorporate all the browned bits. Bring the soup to a boil. Add the diced gold potatoes, stir to combine, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover with the lid and cook until potatoes are mostly tender, about 15 minutes.
- Add beans and sun-dried tomatoes: Remove the lid, add the rinsed white beans and chopped sun-dried tomatoes, stir well, and simmer uncovered for another 5 minutes or until the potatoes are fully tender.
- Finish with half-and-half and sausage: Lower the heat to low, stir in the half-and-half and heat through until the soup thickens slightly. Return the cooked sausage to the pot, stirring to combine and heat through.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and add a generous swirl of basil pesto to each. If you skip pesto, season more as needed and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Garnish with extra sun-dried tomatoes if desired. Enjoy warm.
Notes
- Golden potatoes have thin skin, so no need to peel—saving prep time; peel other potato varieties if using.
- For best flavor, use sun-dried tomatoes packed in herbs and finely chop them for even flavor distribution.
- If half-and-half is unavailable, substitute with 1 cup whole milk plus 1 cup heavy cream.
- Store any leftovers cooled in airtight containers in the refrigerator for 3–4 days or freeze for 2–3 months.
- To reheat, thaw frozen soup first, then warm gently on the stove to avoid curdling from rapid temperature changes.
- A swirl of high-quality basil pesto (such as Rana® brand) adds an essential flavor boost to this dish.
Keywords: Tuscan sausage soup, potato soup, Italian sausage soup, white bean soup, pesto soup, comfort food, fall soup, easy dinner
