16 Bean Soup With Sausage

Written by
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Diana Rattray
Updated 07/02/19
Bean soup in a bowl.
Diana Rattray
  • Total: 6 hrs 15 mins
  • Prep: 15 mins
  • Cook: 6 hrs
  • Yield: 4-6 Cups (4-6 Servings)
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
502 Calories
30g Fat
19g Carbs
39g Protein
See Full Nutritional Guidelines Hide Full Nutritional Guidelines
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4-6 Cups (4-6 Servings)
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.)

Using a 16 bean soup mix makes an easy and fabulous soup in the slow cooker. You can easily make this recipe vegetarian by omitting the meat and using vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.

This bean soup is a great tasting soup for the slow cooker, made hearty with Italian sausage and vegetables. Serve the soup with cornbread or biscuits for a satisfying dinner.

Feel free to use ground or link pork sausage instead of the turkey sausage, or a smoked sausage instead. Ground beef is another great choice.

Ingredients

  • 1 package (16 ounces) 16-bean soup or 15-bean soup
  • 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) 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 beans are tender.

  2. Add the remaining celery, carrots, onion, and garlic along with the cooked sausage and tomatoes and decrease temperature to low. Cook for additional 3 to 4 hours.

  3. If desired, add cayenne or crushed red pepper along with the garlic and sausage.

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

  5. Serve in a bowl as soup or serve with hot cooked rice.

  6. Refrigerate or freeze leftovers.

Tips

  • Boil the turkey Italian sausage links or saute them in a small amount of olive oil until browned. Slice and add to the beans. Or use bulk turkey sausage; saute until browned and no longer pink.
  • It's easy to make this a vegetarian soup; just omit the sausage and use vegetable broth instead of chicken stock.

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.
  • For a stovetop version, try Janetta's 15-Bean Soup Recipe.

Related Articles