Sausage, Fennel and White Bean Soup

A ceramic bowl of brothy soup with a silver spoon.

5 from 1 vote

Sausage, Fennel and White Bean Soup

The magic of this soup is that it manages to be comforting and filling but not overly heavy. The broth, infused with white wine and fennel seeds, is studded with bits of garlicky sausage, white beans and an abundance of sweet, aromatic fennel.

Prep Time15

Cook Time45

Course: dinner, lunch, Soup

Cuisine: American, Italian

Servings:

Calories: 355kcal

Author: Leigh Anderson

Ingredients

3-4 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 pound Italian pork sausage about three links, casings removed
1 large fennel bulb diced, fronds and stems reserved for garnish
1/2 large yellow onion diced
4 cloves garlic grated
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 cup dry white wine
4 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock
3 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme
1 15 oz can white beans, drained and rinsed like; navy, cannellini, great northern, garbanzo
salt and pepper

Instructions

Place a large dutch oven or similar heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat-high. Heat the oil then add in the sausage. Cook the sausage in an even layer, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon breaking it into bite-sized pieces until browned, about 10 minutes.
Next, add the diced onion and fennel bulb along with a big pinch of salt and black pepper. Sauté for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally until the onion and fennel are soft and aromatic, then add the garlic and fennel seeds, continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes.
Pour in the white wine, let the wine simmer and bubble for a few minutes, stirring occasionally and scraping the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon to release any browned bits. Once the wine is mostly reduced but not completely evaporated pour in the chicken stock, beans, thyme and a few generous turns of freshly cracked black pepper. Bring the soup to a simmer then reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes. While the soup is simmering roughly chop the fennel fronds and finely dice a few stalks (about 1-cups worth combined), set aside
Just before serving, remove and discard the thyme stems then stir in the chopped fennel fronds. Taste the soup and adjust the seasonings as needed. Divide between bowls – serve warm!

Notes

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions:

Mild Italian Sausage: Pork or chicken is fine.
White Wine: use a dry white wine, nothing too fancy. Pinto Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc work great. If you prefer not to cook with alcohol just skip this step.
Chicken Stock: Vegetable stock, turkey stock or water can be substituted instead of chicken stock.
White Beans: almost any white beans will do! Since this recipe calls for two cans I like to use two different beans. Garbanzo, navy beans, cannellini and butter beans will all work.

Storing and Reheating Leftovers:

Leftover soup will stay fresh in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat over low heat in a saucepan or in the microwave.
Freezing Instructions: Cool the soup completely then transfer to an airtight, freezer-safe storage container. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat, defrost the soup overnight in refrigerator then warm in the microwave or in a saucepan over low heat until hot – stir well.

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