16 Bean Soup With Sausage

Written by
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Diana Rattray
Updated 03/06/21
Bean soup in a bowl.
Diana Rattray
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 6 hrs
Total: 6 hrs 15 mins
Servings: 4 to 6 servings
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
502 Calories
30g Fat
19g Carbs
39g Protein
See Full Nutritional Guidelines Hide Full Nutritional Guidelines
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 502
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 30g 38%
Saturated Fat 11g 56%
Cholesterol 110mg 37%
Sodium 803mg 35%
Total Carbohydrate 19g 7%
Dietary Fiber 3g 11%
Protein 39g
Calcium 118mg 9%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Slow-cooked bean soups are perfect at the end of a cold day, offering a warm and filling bowl without much effort. Using a 16-bean mix gives this recipe a nice variety, and cooking in the slow cooker means there's no need for soaking the beans beforehand. The added turkey sausage and vegetables turn a simple soup into a hearty, satisfying dish. Serve with cornbread or biscuits, or spoon over cooked rice for a complete meal.

This recipe is quite flexible; feel free to use ground or link pork sausage, or a smoked sausage, instead of the turkey sausage. Ground beef is another great choice if you prefer. You can also easily make this recipe vegetarian by omitting the meat and using vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.

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Ingredients

  • 1 package (16 ounces) 16-bean soup mix
  • 3 medium bay leaves
  • 1 tablespoon oregano (crushed dried leaf)
  • 2 cans no-fat chicken stock, low sodium or unsalted
  • 2 cups additional water (or enough to cover, as needed)
  • 3 ribs celery (chopped)
  • 3 medium carrots (diced)
  • 1 large onion (chopped)
  • 3 cloves garlic (sliced)
  • 1 pound turkey Italian sausage (cooked and sliced)
  • 2 cans stewed tomatoes (or diced) 
  • Optional: cayenne or crushed red pepper to taste
  • Kosher salt to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Steps to Make It

  1. In the slow cooker, combine the bean mixture, bay leaves, oregano, chicken stock, and enough water to cover the beans. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours, or until the beans are tender.

  2. Add the celery, carrots, onion, and garlic along with the cooked sausage and tomatoes and change the setting to low. Cook for an additional 3 to 4 hours.

  3. Remove the bay leaves. If desired, add cayenne or crushed red pepper.

  4. Taste and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, as needed.

  5. Serve in a bowl and enjoy.

Tips

  • If the turkey sausage is raw, boil the links or saute them in a small amount of olive oil until browned. Slice and add to the beans.


  • Leftovers can be refrigerated for 3 to 4 days in an airtight container. For longer storage, freeze in a sealed container.

Recipe Variations

  • Replace the turkey Italian sausage with pork Italian sausage, chorizo, or a spicy smoked sausage. Andouille sausage or kielbasa would work well in this soup.
  • Use bulk Italian sausage in the soup. Brown in a large skillet over medium heat, drain, and then add to the soup. Or make it with browned hot or mild breakfast sausage.
  • Make the soup with ground beef instead of sausage. Cook until browned and no longer pink.

What Is Bean Soup Mix?

A typical bean soup mix will contain 15 or 16 different types of beans, including pinto, small red, pink, red kidney, great northern, blackeye peas, navy, black, whole green peas, yellow split peas, green split peas, lentils, chickpeas, baby and large lima beans, and pearl barley.