This 15 bean soup recipe with sausage is easy to make and packed with goodness. The colorful beans are simmered with herbs, sausage, and potatoes until thickened, tender, and delicious. The soup is topped with fresh parmesan cheese and herbs. It’s addicting, and so cozy. Be prepared to fall in love with this deeply satisfying soup you’ll want to make as we transition into cooler weather.
Jump to RecipeMulti bean soup with sausage has always been a staple in our home. There are multiple ways to make it too. We usually have it the traditional way with a ham hock and some veggies. This time I wanted to try something new. I wanted to add sausage. Many recipes call for sliced andouille sausage or a ham hock but instead of doing what everyone else was, I chose to use ground sausage instead.
Ground sausage is a great addition to soups. It adds so much flavor and delicious texture. Different than a sliced smoked sausage. There’s still a lot of smokiness in the soup from the smoked paprika that’s added to season the beans. To finish the soup, I topped with fresh parmesan cheese which makes this soup out of this world.
Jump to:
- Why You’ll Love This 15 Bean Soup Recipe with Sausage
- What You’ll Need to Make This One Pot Sausage Bean Soup
- What Beans Are Found In 15 Bean Soup?
- How To Make 15 Bean Soup with Sausage
- Is Soaking The Beans Really Necessary?
- What Are The Benefits of 15 Bean Soup with Sausage?
- Can 15 Bean Soup with Sausage Be Made In The Instant Pot?
- Storing the 15 Bean Soup with Sausage
- Liked This Recipe? Try These Cozy Dinners!
- Easy 15 Bean Soup Recipe with Sausage
Why You’ll Love This 15 Bean Soup Recipe with Sausage
- It’s packed with fiber from the different variety of beans. Fiber has so many health benefits you don’t want to miss out on. More on that later
- Everything can be made in one pot. No need to complicate things in the kitchen.
- The soup will simmer for a couple hours filling your home with aromas of cozy goodness, everyone will be asking what’s for dinner
- This soup is total comfort food on so many levels. It’s warm, hearty, and made with a plethora of vegetables. Everything is homemade, no artificial ingredients or spice mixes are used in this recipe.
- Leftovers are extremely easy to freeze for later making dinner in a month or two easy peasy
What You’ll Need to Make This One Pot Sausage Bean Soup
15 Bean Soup - we’re using all the beans but the bean soup seasoning mix is not needed
Chicken Broth - opt for low sodium for a healthier option. If using regular, taste before adding salt, you'll need a total of 8 cups chicken broth
Fresh Rosemary - because who doesn’t love fresh herbs?
Carrots
Onion - yellow or sweet can be used. No need for onion powder
Garlic - be sure to use fresh minced garlic, trust me it gives the best flavor, garlic powder is not going to cut it
Celery
Potato - I use russet, make sure it’s washed, peeled and chopped
Salt and Ground Black Pepper
Diced Tomatoes - I’ve been loving the fire roasted it adds a subtle smokiness to the soup
Apple Cider Vinegar - for tanginess and extra depth of flavor you can substitute fresh lemon juice
Smoked Paprika - for more smokiness since we’re not using a ham hock or smoked sausage
Ground Sausage - I opt for hot because I love the added spice you can use italian sausage instead
Parmesan Cheese - for garnish and stirring into the soup
What Beans Are Found In 15 Bean Soup?
You can find any of the following varieties in the 15 bean soup. Each vary in size, shape, color, and flavor. Together they cook up perfectly creating a thick soup that’s delicious and cozy. You’ll probably recognize most of the beans on here and for those you don't recognize well, this is a great way to try them. While the package lists more than 15 beans you may only receive 15 out of the 17.
Northern
Pinto
Large Lima
Yelloweye
Garbanzo
Baby Lima
Green Split
Kidney
Cranberry
Small White
Pink
Small Red
Yellow Split
Lentil
Navy
White Kidney
Black Bean
How To Make 15 Bean Soup with Sausage
- Place the beans in a colander and rinse well with cold water. Pick through the beans removing any debris.
- Soak the beans. This is the first and most important step. Place the beans in a large bowl the night before you plan on making the soup then add water until about 2-3 inches over the beans. Add a generous pinch of salt to the water and stir. Let sit for 8 hours or overnight. Don’t have the extra time? Use a quick soak method. To do this, place the beans in a large saucepan. Triple their volume in cold water and add a generous pinch of salt. Bring the water to a boil and cook beans uncovered for 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and soak the beans for 1 hour. After the beans have been soaked, drain from the water and set aside.
- In a large pot or dutch oven add the spicy sausage over medium heat. Break apart with a spatula and cook until the meat is no longer pink. About 5-7 minutes. Toss the sausage and continue to break apart as it cooks. Once done drain in a strainer and set aside.
- In the same pot with the pan drippings and left over oil add the carrots, onion, garlic, celery, and potatoes. Top with salt and pepper, smoked paprika, and rosemary. Toss to combine. Add chicken broth.
- Bring the soup to a simmer and cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until beans are tender. Add the apple cider vinegar and diced tomatoes and simmer for an additional 30 minutes. Serve with fresh parsley and parmesan cheese.
Is Soaking The Beans Really Necessary?
Yes, soaking beans is important in bean soup or just cooking beans in general. Soaking beans helps them cook faster and more evenly. Soaked beans are also firmer and fewer will split open as you boil the soup. This also makes them easier to digest. Adding salt to the water is a good idea because it not only gives the beans more flavor but it allows them to cook even quicker than those not brined in salt.
What Are The Benefits of 15 Bean Soup with Sausage?
If you’re wondering if this is a healthy soup, the answer is kind of. Over the years I’ve realized many people have different ideas on what is healthy. To some people healthy means no meat, dairy, or processed ingredients. For others, anything with veggies is considered healthy compared to their normal diet.
When you ask me what I think about the soup, I’d have to go with it’s mostly healthy. The plethora of beans and veggies have a ton of benefits and pack the soup with so much nutrients. On the other hand, the sausage and parmesan are high in calories and do contain quite a bit of fat and cholesterol. However, this makes a big batch that can feed a whole crowd of people s there’s more portions to be served lowering the calorie content. Plus who’s counting calories on a cozy fall night anyway?
This recipe not only contains beans it’s packed with carrots, celery, garlic, onion, and potatoes. As a result you’ll find that this soup contains beta carotene, antioxidants, potassium, vitamins, and plenty of fiber.
Easy Healthy Variations
- Swap the chicken broth for bone broth and add even more nutritional benefits
- Try a vegetarian spin on the recipe and use ground vegan sausage
- Omit extra salt and use low sodium broth
- Garnish with a little hot sauce for a spicy 15 bean soup variation
Can 15 Bean Soup with Sausage Be Made In The Instant Pot?
If you have an instant pot and want to make this 15 bean soup with sausage, you can very easily. It takes less time overall and soaking the beans isn’t necessary. I would have to say this is the perfect instant pot recipe and I prefer to make it this way. You'll love the pressure cooker 15 bean soup with sausage.
- Rinse the beans in a colander and pick through the beans removing any debris. After all the water has drained set aside.
- Turn the instant pot on the sauté setting and add the sausage. Break apart using a spatula and cook until no longer pink. Remove from the instant pot and set aside.
- Add the carrots, onion, garlic, celery, and potatoes. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper and add the smoked paprika. Stir until the veggie are coated in the seasoning and cook for about 3-5 minutes or until the onion is translucent and the other veggies have started to soften. Press cancel.
- Add the 15 bean soup mix (without the seasoning packet), chicken broth, rosemary, apple cider vinegar, and diced tomatoes. Lock the lid in place and make sure the vent is sealed. Pressure cook on high for 40 minutes.
- When the time is up allow a 15 minute natural release followed by a quick release. Unlock and remove the lid. Add the sausage and use a spoon to press down on the beans to smash a bit of them to thicken the soup. Serve with fresh parsley and freshly grated parmesan cheese.
Storing the 15 Bean Soup with Sausage
Storing the soup is easy. It can be refrigerated for up to a week. To reheat simply place in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 30 seconds at a time. Stir and reheat for an additional 20-30 seconds or until fully reheated. If reheating for dinner you can place in a saucepan and reheat over medium heat until warmed through.
For long term storage you can place the 15 bean soup in the freezer for up to 3 months. Allow the soup to cool a bit before placing in the freezer. Thaw in the refrigerator completely before reheating in the microwave or on the stove.
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Easy 15 Bean Soup Recipe with Sausage
Ingredients
- 20 oz package 15 bean soup spice packet discarded
- 1 lb hot ground sausage
- cup chopped carrots
- 1 onion chopped
- 5 garlic cloves minced
- 3 celery chopped
- 1 russet potato peeled and chopped
- Salt and pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary chopped
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 16 oz can diced tomatoes
Garnish
- Parsley
- Parmesan
Instructions
- Place the beans in a colander and rinse well with cold water. Pick through the beans removing any debris.
- Place the beans in a large bowl the night before you plan on making the soup then add water until about 2-3 inches over the beans. Add a generous pinch of salt to the water and stir. Let sit for 8 hours or overnight.
- In a large pot add the spicy sausage over medium heat. Break apart with a spatula and cook until the meat is no longer pink. About 5-7 minutes. Toss the sausage and continue to break apart as it cooks. Once done drain in a strainer and set aside.
- In the same pot with the pan drippings and left over oil add the carrots, onion, garlic, celery, and potatoes. Top with salt and pepper, smoked paprika, and rosemary. Toss to combine. Add chicken broth.
- Bring the soup to a simmer and cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until beans are tender. Add the apple cider vinegar and diced tomatoes and simmer for an additional 30 minutes. Serve with fresh parsley and parmesan cheese.
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