Tuscan Sausage Soup

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T is for Tuscan, Tomatoes, Toasted

Tuscan Sausage Soup is a hearty soup made with hot Italian sausage, cannellini beans, fire-roasted tomatoes, carrots, spinach, and ditalini pasta. A sprinkle of Parmesan and toasted Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs adds the finishing touch.

This soup has a tomato-based broth with plenty of sausage, beans, vegetables, and pasta in every bite. The toasted breadcrumbs add a little crunch while the Parmesan adds a delicious finish.

Why You’ll Love This Tuscan Sausage Soup

• Hearty and satisfying. Sausage, beans, pasta, and vegetables make this a substantial bowl of soup.
• Just the right amount of heat. Hot Italian sausage and crushed red pepper flakes give the tomato broth a gentle kick.
• The crispy topping sets it apart. Toasted Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs and Parmesan add a nice textural contrast to the soup.

What You’ll Need

• Hot Italian sausage
• Onion
• Carrot
• Garlic
• Crushed red pepper flakes
• Chicken broth
• Cannellini beans
• Fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• Dried oregano
• Bay leaf
• Ditalini
• Baby spinach
• Olive oil
• Italian-seasoned panko breadcrumbs
• Parmesan cheese

How to Make It

Heat a 6-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the sausage, onions, and carrots and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, breaking up the sausage as it cooks, until the sausage is no longer pink.

Stir in the garlic and crushed red pepper flakes and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, until the garlic is fragrant.

Add the chicken broth, cannellini beans, fire-roasted tomatoes, dried oregano, and bay leaf and stir. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.

Stir in the pasta and continue simmering for 8 to 9 minutes, or until the pasta is tender. Remove and discard the bay leaf.

Stir in the chopped spinach, then cover the pot and remove it from the heat. Let the soup stand for 5 minutes before stirring.

While the soup rests, make the toasted breadcrumbs. Heat the olive oil in an 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the Italian-seasoned panko and cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes, until toasted and golden brown.

Ladle the soup into bowls and top with grated Parmesan and toasted breadcrumbs before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of sausage should I use?

This recipe uses hot Italian sausage, but mild Italian sausage or turkey sausage can be used instead.

What pasta can I use instead of ditalini?

Tubettini, elbow macaroni, acini di pepe, and orzo are options. Cooking times will vary by pasta shape, so adjust the simmering time according to the package directions.

Can I use a different type of bean?

Yes. Great Northern beans, navy beans, or baby lima beans can be used instead of cannellini beans.

Can I use frozen spinach?

Yes. Thaw the spinach and squeeze out as much excess water as possible before adding it to the soup. Frozen spinach is already cooked, so it only needs to be heated through.

Can I make this soup ahead of time?

Yes. The soup can be made ahead and reheated. Keep in mind that the pasta will continue to absorb some of the broth as it sits.

Can I freeze Tuscan Sausage Soup?

Yes. Allow the soup to cool completely before freezing. The pasta may soften somewhat after thawing and reheating.

What should I serve with Tuscan Sausage Soup?

 A Caesar salad or basil garlic bread would work well alongside the soup. For a full Italian feast, finish with Zeppole for dessert.

This recipe is part of our Alphabet Challenge series hosted by Wendy. We’re working our way through the alphabet again this year, and you can follow along with my participating recipes here: Alphabet Challenge 2026. Scroll down to see what the other bloggers are sharing for the letter T.

Tuscan Sausage Soup

Author: Jolene's Recipe Journal

Ingredients

• 1 pound hot Italian sausage links, casings removed
• 1 cup chopped onions
• 1 large carrot, peeled, cut into quarters lengthwise and into 1/4-inch slices, about 1 cup
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 6 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
• 19 oz cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 28 oz fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 bay leaf
• 3/4 cup small ring pasta, such as ditalini
• 3 cups baby spinach, coarsely chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup Italian-seasoned panko breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Heat a 6-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add sausage, onions, and carrot. Cook 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to break up sausage, until sausage is no longer pink. Stir in garlic and pepper flakes; cook 1 to 2 minutes or until garlic is fragrant.
2. Stir in broth, beans, tomatoes, oregano, and bay leaf. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Add pasta; simmer 8 to 9 minutes or until pasta is tender. Remove bay leaf and discard.
3. Stir in spinach; cover and remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes; stir.
4. Meanwhile, in an 8-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add breadcrumbs; cook and stir 2 to 3 minutes or until toasted and golden brown. Remove from heat.
5. Divide soup among serving bowls. Garnish each serving with Parmesan cheese and toasted breadcrumbs.

Notes

Adapted from Betty Crocker's Tuscan Sausage Soup.

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