Tuscan Sausage and Potato Soup Recipe
Tuscan Sausage and Potato Soup is a rich and comforting dish featuring savory Italian sausage, tender gold potatoes, creamy white beans, and sun-dried tomatoes simmered in a flavorful chicken broth. Finished with a swirl of basil pesto, this soup combines familiar ingredients with an exciting pop of flavor, making it perfect for cozy meals or crowd-pleasing gatherings.
- 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 Oils
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 16 to 19 ounces ground Italian sausage (mild or hot)
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)
Legumes and Dairy
- 1 (15.5-ounce) can navy beans or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups half-and-half
Seasonings and Others
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 5 cups chicken broth
- Basil pesto or Parmesan cheese, for serving
Instructions
- Cook the sausage: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the ground Italian sausage, season with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika if using. Cook and crumble the sausage until well browned. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked sausage to a paper-towel-lined plate and blot excess grease. Retain about 1 tablespoon of grease in the pot by draining excess if necessary. Do not wipe out the pot.
- Sauté onion and garlic: With the pot still over medium-high heat, add the finely diced onion and minced garlic. Sauté, stirring occasionally and scraping up browned bits from the pot bottom, for 3 to 5 minutes until the onion is softened.
- Thicken the base: Sprinkle in the flour and stir constantly for 1 minute to cook out the raw taste. Gradually pour in 1 cup of chicken broth while stirring continuously, scraping the bottom of the pot until the mixture thickens.
- Add broth and potatoes: Gradually add the remaining 4 cups of chicken broth, stirring well. Bring the mixture to a boil, then add the diced gold potatoes. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover with a lid, and cook for about 15 minutes or until the potatoes are mostly tender.
- Incorporate beans and sun-dried tomatoes: Remove the lid and stir in the rinsed white beans and finely diced sun-dried tomatoes. Simmer uncovered for another 5 minutes or until the potatoes are fully tender.
- Add half-and-half and return sausage: Reduce heat to low. Stir in the half-and-half and heat through until the soup thickens slightly. Return the browned sausage to the pot and stir to combine evenly.
- Serve with pesto: Ladle the soup into bowls and add a generous swirl of basil pesto on top. Stir gently through the soup to infuse it with fresh herb flavor. Garnish with extra sun-dried tomatoes or Parmesan cheese if desired. Enjoy warm.
Notes
- Golden potatoes have thin skins, so there is no need to peel them, which saves prep time. If you use other potato varieties, peel them first.
- For best flavor, use sun-dried tomatoes packed in herbs and chop them finely for better flavor distribution in the soup.
- If half-and-half is unavailable, substitute with 1 cup whole milk mixed with 1 cup heavy cream to achieve similar creaminess.
- The swirl of pesto is a key flavor enhancer. If using store-bought pesto, Rana® basil pesto is recommended for its balanced taste.
- Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for 3–4 days or freeze for 2–3 months. When reheating, thaw if frozen and warm gently on the stove to avoid curdling.
Keywords: Tuscan sausage soup, potato soup, Italian sausage soup, white bean soup, sun-dried tomato soup, creamy sausage soup, comfort food soup
