This Italian Sausage and Bean Soup combines savory ground Italian sausage, creamy great northern beans, and pasta sauce for a hearty one-pot meal that's ready in less than 30 minutes. It's the perfect quick weeknight dinner that tastes like it simmered all day.
Updated November 2025: This recipe has been updated with new photos, expert tips, and FAQs. It was originally posted on September 16, 2013.
I've been making this easy soup recipe for over 12 years, and it's become one of my most-requested family dinners. As a food blogger who creates simple, approachable recipes, I've learned that the best soups don't need complicated ingredients, just good technique and smart shortcuts. This recipe uses pantry staples and a secret ingredient (coleslaw mix!) that adds vegetables without extra prep work.
If you're craving more hearty soups, try my Potato, Kale, and Sausage Soup or Homemade Tomato Soup.
Let's get started!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Quick & Easy: Ready in under 30 minutes with minimal prep.
- One-Pot Wonder: Everything cooks in a single Dutch oven for easy cleanup.
- Budget-Friendly: Uses affordable pantry staples and canned beans.
- Family-Approved: Mild flavors that kids and adults both enjoy.
- Smart Shortcut: Coleslaw mix adds veggies without chopping.
- Make-Ahead Friendly: Tastes even better the next day.
Here's what readers have to say about this recipe:
Reader Damia, commented: "I just made this with home made crusty bread. It's delicious! ★★★★★"
Another reader Enri, commented: "My kind of recipe. I made it, and I must say this is comfort food at its best. The addition of the cabbage was genius! I can't wait to make it again when it gets colder in South Florida. ★★★★★"
Ingredients You'll Need
- Italian Sausage - Use mild or hot ground Italian sausage. Avoid sweet sausage for this recipe.
- Pasta Sauce - A 24-ounce jar of roasted garlic and herb sauce adds instant flavor. Any favorite sauce works.
- Great Northern Beans - Two 15.8-ounce cans, drained and rinsed. Substitute with cannellini or navy beans.
- Water or Broth - For richer flavor, use chicken or vegetable broth instead of water.
- Coleslaw Mix - Pre-shredded cabbage blend saves time and adds texture.
👉🏾 See the recipe card below for exact quantities and full instructions.
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Expert Tips for the Best Italian Sausage Soup
- Don't skip browning the sausage well. Those crispy, caramelized bits add deep flavor to the soup. Take your time with this step.
- Save some pasta sauce. If you like a thicker soup, hold back ½ cup of sauce to stir in at the end.
- Upgrade your broth. While water works fine, chicken broth or vegetable broth adds incredible depth of flavor.
- Customize the heat level. Use hot Italian sausage and add red pepper flakes for a spicier version.
- The soup thickens as it sits. The beans continue to release starch, so add extra liquid when reheating leftovers.
Love this recipe? Please give it a 5-star rating in the recipe card below and leave a review!
📖 Recipe
Italian Sausage and Bean Soup Recipe
Video
Equipment
- 1 Dutch oven or large stock pot
- 1 wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground Italian sausage (mild or hot)
- 24 ounces garlic and herb pasta sauce (or your favorite)
- 2 cans (15.8 ounces each) great northern beans, rinsed and drained
- 3 cups water
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 ½ cups coleslaw mix
Instructions
- Begin the recipe by grabbing a large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the 1 pound ground Italian sausage and break it into smaller pieces. Cook until it is no longer pink, about 4 to 5 minutes. Drain off any excess fat if necessary before moving on to the next step.
- In the same pot still over medium-high heat, add the 24 ounce jar of pasta sauce, 2 (15.8 ounces each) cans of great northern beans, 3 cups water, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper. Stir to combine.
- Once the soup comes to a boil, add the 1 ½ cups coleslaw mix and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and allow the soup to cook for an additional 10 to 15 minutes.
- Serve the soup warm topped with some shredded parmesan cheese and a side of crusty bread. Enjoy!
- If you have any soup leftovers, then be sure to store them in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Notes
- Drain off any excess oil from the cooked Italian sausage, but just know that it may still end up in the soup. It's perfectly okay and adds a little additional flavor to the broth.
- Substitute chicken or beef broth or stock instead of using water for additional flavor.
- For this recipe, I prefer to use mild Italian sausage. However, you may swap it for spicy sausage for a little heat. To make the process easy, I like to use the package of loose ground sausage, but you may also use the links as well by removing the casings before cooking.
- This recipe makes enough soup to enjoy about 4 to 6 dinner portions. You may break it down into small or larger portions to fit your needs. It can also be cut in half for 2 to 3 servings.
- Before serving the soup, try topping it with some finely grated Parmesan cheese. Enjoy the soup on its own or pair it with a sandwich or side salad.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stovetop over medium heat or in the microwave. Freezer-friendly: Store in freezer-safe containers for up to 3-4 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Storage Tips
Refrigerator: If you have any soup leftovers, allow the soup to cool to room temperature, then be sure to store them in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. The soup is even better the next day.
Reheating: When ready to serve again, reheat it in a saucepan on the stovetop or in the microwave in a microwave-safe container for 1-2 minutes. This soup tastes better on the second day, in my opinion.
Freezing: This sausage and bean soup can also be stored in the freezer if a longer time is needed. Place in an airtight freezer-safe container for 3 to 4 months. When ready to serve the soup, thaw it in the refrigerator the night before you plan to eat it again, or you can reheat the soup from frozen as well.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Turkey sausage or chicken sausage works well for a lighter option. You can also remove casings from link sausages if you can't find ground sausage.
Use 1 ½ cups of chopped cabbage, or substitute with chopped kale, spinach, or Swiss chard added in the last 5 minutes of cooking.
Absolutely. Soak and cook 1 cup dried great northern beans according to package directions before adding to the soup.
Mash some of the beans against the side of the pot with a wooden spoon, or use an immersion blender to partially puree the soup.
Yes! Small pasta like ditalini, shells, or macaroni work great. Add during the last 10 minutes of cooking and increase the liquid by 1 cup.
Cool completely, then portion into freezer-safe containers, leaving 1 inch of headspace for expansion. Label with the date and freeze for up to 3-4 months.
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Have any comments, questions, or other delicious ideas and ways to enjoy this hearty and comforting Italian Sausage Soup with Beans? Please share them in the comments below!
Damia says
I just made this with home made crusty bread. It’s delicious!
LaKita says
Thank you Damia! Glad to hear the soup was a success for you and with crusty bread is perfect!
Lorraine says
This is my kind of soup. However, what is coleslaw mix?
LaKita says
Great Lorraine! It's a mixture of chopped cabbage combined in a bag and ready to use for coleslaw. You can usually find it with the bagged salad mix at the grocery store.
Lauren Michael Harris says
I made this sausage and bean soup for dinner this weekend because it was so cold out. It was perfect - my husband is already asking me to make it again soon!
LaKita says
Thank you Lauren, happy to hear you and your family enjoyed it!!
Enri Lemoine says
My kind of recipe. I made it, and I must say this is comfort food at its best. The addition of the cabbage was genius! I can't wait to make it again when it gets colder in South Florida.
LaKita says
Thank you Enri! I agree, it's such a great cold weather soup!
Mindy says
So delicious and satisfying. We love it! I seriously could eat this everyday!
LaKita says
Thank you so much Mindy, I completely agree!!
Jacqueline Debono says
We loved this soup, sausage and beans together is a classic combo and the coleslaw mix gave it a great texture. Easy, hearty and warming!
LaKita says
Thank you Jacqueline, happy to hear you enjoyed the soup recipe!
Ashley says
This looks like such a good soup! And I love adding the coleslaw mix to cut down on prep time. Genius!
LaKita says
Thank you Ashley, yes we love a good shortcut around here 🙂
Cathleen says
I love this soup! It is so perfect on extremely cold days like today. Pinned to make over and over, thanks so much for the recipe 🙂
LaKita says
Thank you Cathleen, I agree this is a great soup for cold days 🙂
megane says
Such an awesome combination in a soup. I make this in bulk and freeze for easy meals when I cannot be bothered. It always is a favorite here.
LaKita says
Thank you Megan! This is a great soup to have on hand!
Colleen says
This sausage and bean soup is a meal in itself. I love the addition of the coleslaw mix! Great recipe, thank you!
LaKita says
Thank you Colleen, the coleslaw definitely gives it a little something extra!
Sharon says
The beans and sausage together were enough to have me making this recipe, but then you came in with the addition of coleslaw mix and I knew this was going to be a regular on my winter soup rotation. Amazing!
LaKita says
Thank you Sharon! Happy to hear you enjoyed the soup recipe 🙂