Cabbage Soup with Sausage is loaded with great flavors and it’s filled with far more vegetables and meat than broth. Today, I’m giving you the first new soup recipe for the fall and I couldn’t be more excited about it–Italian White Bean, Cabbage, and Sausage Soup.
Updated to add: I’ve made this soup countless times over the past few years and it’s a favorite freezer meal now too.
When I first made this, we were living in the desert and that meant cranking the a/c to really enjoy a bowl of soup. Now? Living in Ohio as the weather begins cooling off? Soup is a beautiful way to warm up at dinner time!
Cabbage Soup with Sausage
Best of all, this soup comes together in under 30 minutes. I am so very ready for cooler weather and this soup represents my wishful thinking for more of the rain that we were lucky enough to see here in the Arizona desert last week.
This was a dinner that I pulled together without any advance planning at all. (The ingredients were about all we had in the house after a couple of weeks of travel!)
All it takes is browning some sausage, adding broth, beans, cabbage and simmering it all together. Onions, tomatoes, and lots of Italian herbs and spices add the finishing touches.
Italian White Bean and Sausage Soup is ideal for a weeknight meal and also makes enough that you’re likely to have leftovers for lunch the next day!
I love adding sausage to my soups. It adds a terrific flavor and holds up very nicely both for leftovers and for soups stashed in the freezer.
This soup is so hearty that it’s almost more of a stew. This is plenty filling enough for a full meal on its own, especially served with a side of crusty Italian Bread or soup crackers.
When you’re feeding a crowd, cabbage and sausage soups are an economical choice, too. Cabbage is one of the least expensive vegetables per pound and sausage can be found at a bargain, too.
Cabbage and Sausage Soup
You can use either regular breakfast sausage or a spicier variety of sausage to make this soup recipe. I’ve used both depending on what I have on hand and it turned out well both ways. If you’re a spice lover, using hot sausage adds a kick you’re sure to love!
The Italian white beans add a lovely element of texture and flavor to the sausage soup with cabbage. White beans, navy beans and Cannellini beans all work beautifully in the soup. I enjoy that they don’t get mushy but the creaminess contrasts well with the bits of sausage and cabbage.
The first time I made this soup it turned out so well that my husband commented twice about how much he liked it. So, I decided to photograph my dinner before sitting down to eat it.
It’s super easy to whip up a double batch of this recipe in order to keep plenty on hand in the freezer. When he was working outside the home, Sean used to take this soup for his lunch at work on a regular basis.
More Favorite Soups for Fall
If your weather is cooling off and you’re ready for even more soup recipes, here are some of our best soups that go from start to finish in less than 30 minutes: Three Bean Minestrone Soup, Creamy Mexican Chicken and Corn Soup, Reuben Soup, Chicken, White Bean, and Kale Soup, White Bean, Spinach, and Beef Soup, and Pasta Pizza Soup are all big favorites with my family.
This classic French Onion Soup and this Mexican Noodle Soup are calling my name as well, so they’re on my must-try list for fall as well.
There is just something about tomatoes and Italian spices simmering that never fails to make me smile. Luckily for me, everyone in my family shares this love of Italian flavors in Italian Chicken and Vegetable Soup.
Kitchen Tip: I use this pot or this (fantastic deal ->) dutch oven when I make this recipe!
Sausage Cabbage Soup
- Cook and crumble the sausage in a large pot, over medium high heat.
- When the sausage has almost finished browning, add the onions.
- Cook for a few more minutes, until the sausage has browned and the onions are tender.
- Add the cabbage, beans, tomatoes, broth, and spices.
- Stir to combine and bring to a simmer for about 5 minutes to soften the cabbage.
Sausage Soup Recipes
I almost always have sausage on hand in my fridge for quick and easy meals throughout the week. Pair it with cabbage or another veggie and you have a delicious filling meal that pleases both kids and adults.
If you like sausage soups, check out our Hearty Italian Vegetable Beef Soup, this Cabbage, Potato, and Sausage Soup, and Sean’s favorite Corned Beef and Cabbage Stew.
Along with soups, I love sausage and cabbage in these Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls and Cabbage Ribbons with Sausage and Thyme Marinara Sauce. This fall I also plan to make at least a few batches of Italian Corn Soup with Sausage to stock in the freezer for easy lunches and dinners.
Tender chunks of roast chicken, creamy white beans and fresh kale combine with a sprinkling of herbs and a bit of chicken broth to make a surprisingly hearty meal.
When the weather is chilly, it’s hard to beat the comfort of a steaming bowl of soup. And this sausage soup is delicious enough that I’ve even found myself making it when it’s not exactly fall weather outside. (We do live in Arizona, so that’s often.)
Add this one to your meal plan for the week; you won’t be sorry!
Italian White Bean, Cabbage, and Sausage Soup
Ingredients
- 1 pound hot or regular breakfast sausage
- 1 small onion diced
- 1 small cabbage sliced into bite size pieces, about 4 cups worth
- 14 ounces canned diced tomatoes
- 15 ounces canned great northern beans drained
- 48 ounces chicken broth store-bought or homemade
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon basil
- ¼ teaspoon thyme
Instructions
- Cook and crumble the sausage in a large pot, over medium high heat. When the sausage has almost finished browning, add the onions. Cook for a few more minutes, until the sausage has browned and the onions are tender.
- Add the cabbage, beans, tomatoes, broth, and spices. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer for about 5 minutes to soften the cabbage. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
{originally posted 8/6/14 – recipe notes and photos updated 9/6/22}
Randall James Nied says
If you had to guess, about how many gallons would this recipe yield?
Mary Younkin says
Hi Randall! I typically assume a 2-cup serving size, so with 8 servings, this soup should yield approximately 1 gallon.
Krissa McCarson says
Do you think this recipe is crockpot friendly?
Mary Younkin says
Krissa – Yes! You could adapt this for the crockpot.
Eileen Gugliotta Simon says
I just made this soup today & it was excellent! My husband loved it. In fact if anyone is interested I also canned 5 pints in my pressure canner for 65 minutes wonderful! Thank you!
Mary Younkin says
Canning for future use is so smart! I need to plan ahead and make a larger batch so I can do that. My crew doesn’t leave me enough leftovers to make it worthwhile.
karen says
This soup was move flavorful then I thought it would be. I made a second batch with turkey sausage, I used one hot, and one regular and added a bit of fennel too. It was perfect!! Love this for the winter months, thank you!
Mary Younkin says
Karen, I am so happy to hear you say that. The ingredients are so simple that when you take the first bite it really is a WOW!
Geraldine Chafin says
This sounds like a very hearty soup. Thanks for sharing.
Mary Younkin says
It is the perfect fall/winter soup, Geraldine.
Karen says
I doubled the sausage (1 regular and 1 spicy) and added garlic. Yummy and so easy!!
Mary Younkin says
I’m so glad you like it, Karen!
Jenein says
Delicious! I used two cans canelinni beans, 1 can reg diced & 1 can fire roasted diced tomatoes, & added some red pepper flakes to spice it up!!!! I also used Italian turkey link sausage!! yum!
Shawna says
LOVE this soup, tastes just as good after being frozen.
Mary Younkin says
Thank you for sharing that Shawna. I am glad to hear it worked so well after being frozen.
Mark Robbins says
I did not have any cabbage available but I did have spinach so I used it, I used mild Italian and threw in some pepperoncini, threw it in the crockpot on low, and it turned out awesome.
Mary Younkin says
That sounds amazing, Mark.
Susan G says
Absolutely delicious! I also added a can of dark red kidney beans, carrots and celery… thanks for the recipe
Mary Younkin says
Sounds perfect, Susan.
David hill says
I didn’t do 5th star yet because I have yet to taste. The meal looks and smells so good. I looked for it a recipe containing all the the same ingredients as you: sausage(kielbasa), onions, cabbage, tomatoes, and chicken broth. Of course I also use garlic.
Mary Younkin says
Fingers crossed for that fifth star, David! I am sure you will enjoy it.
Elaine Dorion says
Hello, if I was to make this in the slow cooker, what would be your suggestions?
Mary Younkin says
This is such a quick soup, Elaine, it isn’t something I’ve tried in the slow cooker. I suppose you could cook the meat and add it to the slow cooker with the potatoes and liquids. It likely won’t take all that long to soften the potatoes and you’ll want to add the cabbage closer to the end time.
Elaine Dorion says
Thank you for your quick response. I will make it in a day I am home on stove top
I was wondering, you mentioned potato in the soup, but I don’t see it in the ingredients
Mary Younkin says
I don’t see where I mention potato. Perhaps you meant tomato?
Ricardo Castro says
Italian white bean soup with hot sausage
Onion tomato cabbage 🥬 I added red pepperAnd zucchini delicious
Margaret Coleman says
Love a hearty soup with vegetables, Ricardo.
Susie Gardner says
This is a yummy easy recipe! Love it!
Mary Younkin says
Thank you, Susie. I am delighted you enjoyed it.
Patsy says
I am a Keto dieter. Recipe says it makes 8 servings. Is the nutrition information based on 1 cup or 2 cups per serving?
Mary Younkin says
It is based on 8 equal servings not an exact cup size.
Nichole says
My family absolutely loves this recipe!! No modifications at all. We alternate between hot and mild sausage depending on what we have in the freezer. It’s a delicious and comforting soup on a cold day! Can’t wait for dinner tonight! 🙂
Mary Younkin says
That’s awesome, Nichole.
dody says
Question-Can Italian sausage be used instead of breakfast sausage?
Mary Younkin says
Yes, you could use Italian sausage.
Maryann Pettengill says
I love the soup, I’ve cooked it alot due to having diabetes I can eat it.
Mary Younkin says
I’m glad it’s a hit, Maryann.
Marina says
I used Italian sausage in a roll and petite diced tomatoes with basil, oregano flavors. It was delicious.
Mary Younkin says
That sounds delicious, Marina! I’m glad to hear that you’ve been enjoying the soup. Happy cooking!