Tuscan Sausage and Potato Soup Recipe
Tuscan Sausage and Potato Soup is a flavorful and comforting soup featuring savory Italian sausage, tender baby gold potatoes, creamy white beans, and sun-dried tomatoes in a rich chicken broth base, finished with a luscious swirl of basil pesto for a unique twist.
- 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
Meat and Seasoning
- 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)
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 2 cups yellow onion, finely diced (1 large onion)
- 1 tablespoon finely minced garlic (about 4 cloves)
- 4 cups baby gold potatoes, diced, unpeeled
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, finely diced (plus more for garnish)
Beans and Liquids
- 1 (15.5-ounce) can navy or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 tablespoons white flour
- 5 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups half-and-half
Optional Garnishes
- Basil pesto (recommended)
- Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Cook sausage: In a large pot over medium-high heat, heat olive oil. Add ground Italian sausage and season with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. Cook, breaking up and crumbling the sausage, until well browned. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked sausage onto a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess grease. Leave about 1 tablespoon grease in the pot; add oil if needed or drain excess if too much remains.
- Sauté aromatics: Keep the pot over medium-high heat. Add finely diced onion and minced garlic to the pot. Sauté, stirring occasionally and scraping up browned bits from the bottom, for 3–5 minutes until the onion is soft and fragrant.
- Thicken with flour: Sprinkle the flour over the sautéed aromatics and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute to eliminate raw flour taste and form a base for thickening.
- Add broth: Slowly pour in 1 cup of chicken broth while scraping the bottom of the pot to incorporate all browned bits and thicken the base. Gradually add the remaining 4 cups of broth while stirring. Bring the mixture to a boil.
- Cook potatoes: Once boiling, add the diced baby gold potatoes to the pot. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover with a lid, and cook for about 15 minutes until the potatoes are mostly tender.
- Add beans and sun-dried tomatoes: Remove the lid and stir in the drained white beans and finely diced sun-dried tomatoes. Simmer uncovered for another 5 minutes or until potatoes are fully tender.
- Add creaminess and sausage: Reduce heat to low. Stir in the half-and-half and heat through gently until the soup is nicely thickened. Return the drained browned sausage to the pot and stir to combine evenly.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls. Add a generous scoop of basil pesto into each bowl and gently stir through to infuse the soup with flavor. Optionally garnish with extra sun-dried tomatoes or Parmesan cheese. Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
- Golden potatoes have thin skin, so no need to peel, saving time. Peel other potato varieties before dicing.
- For best flavor, use sun-dried tomatoes packed in herbs and finely mince them to spread flavor throughout the soup.
- If half-and-half is unavailable, mix 1 cup whole milk with 1 cup heavy cream as a substitute.
- The swirl of basil pesto is the flavor star; store-bought Rana® basil pesto is recommended for convenience and taste.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3–4 days or freeze for 2–3 months. Reheat slowly on the stove, thawing first if frozen, to avoid curdling.
Keywords: Tuscan soup, sausage soup, potato soup, Italian sausage recipes, comforting soup, easy soup recipe, winter soup
