Italian White Bean, Cabbage, and Sausage Soup

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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.

White Beans, Cabbage, and Sausage Soup in white bowl

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!

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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.

close up photo of cabbage soup with sausage
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 SoupCreamy Mexican Chicken and Corn SoupReuben SoupChicken, 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.

White beans and cabbage with sausage in bowl on gray table

Kitchen Tip: I use this pot or this (fantastic deal ->) dutch oven when I make this recipe!

Sausage Cabbage Soup

  1. Cook and crumble the sausage in a large pot, over medium high heat.
  2. When the sausage has almost finished browning, add the onions.
  3. Cook for a few more minutes, until the sausage has browned and the onions are tender.
  4. Add the cabbage, beans, tomatoes, broth, and spices.
  5. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer for about 5 minutes to soften the cabbage.
soup in bowl with spoon - close up photo

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!

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This Italian Cabbage and Sausage Soup is a favorite with everyone who tries it!

Italian White Bean, Cabbage, and Sausage Soup

4.86 from 69 votes
This hearty soup is full of flavor and it’s filled with far more vegetables and meat than broth. Best of all, this soup comes together in under 30 minutes.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 8 servings

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

A small amount of sausage in a soup like this provides a great deal of flavor. I don’t always add salt to recipes that include sausage, so be sure to taste and adjust the seasonings as you like.

Nutrition

Calories: 264kcal · Carbohydrates: 18g · Protein: 14g · Fat: 16g · Saturated Fat: 5g · Cholesterol: 41mg · Sodium: 1103mg · Potassium: 724mg · Fiber: 6g · Sugar: 5g · Vitamin A: 216IU · Vitamin C: 61mg · Calcium: 105mg · Iron: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @barefeetkitchen or tag #barefeetkitchen!

{originally posted 8/6/14 – recipe notes and photos updated 9/6/22}

soup in bowl with tomatoes, beans, and cabbage
soup in bowl with spoon on grey background

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Mary Younkin

Mary Younkin

Hi, I’m Mary. I’m the author, cook, photographer, and travel lover behind the scenes here at Barefeet In The Kitchen. I'm also the author of three cookbooks dedicated to making cooking from scratch as simple as possible.

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  1. 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.

  2. 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!5 stars

  3. 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!5 stars

  4. 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.5 stars

  5. 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.4 stars

    • 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

  6. 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?

  7. 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! 🙂5 stars

  8. Carly says

    I’m confused how the cabbage is supposed to soften in 5 mins….I let it cook on med high for 15 mins and my cabbage was still so tough :/ now I’m trying to figure out if I can continue cooking the finished thing in the instant pot because the chewy cabbage is ruining it for me4 stars

    • Mary Younkin says

      Hi, Carly! The cabbage is still supposed to have a firm texture, but it shouldn’t be that tough. Did you happen to substitute/omit any ingredients? In any case, I’m glad to hear that you liked the recipe.