Sausage Bean Soup with Spinach

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Chicken sausage, beans, mushrooms, and spinach come together to create the most comforting and hearty soup! Slow cooker bean sausage soup is so easy to prepare and bursting with flavor. 

Sausage bean soup with spinach in white serving bowls.

If you are looking for an easy, slow cooker dinner then you are in the right place! This bean sausage soup is full of flavor and is the perfect solution if you don’t know what to have for dinner. I love how quickly this dish can be prepared, it only takes a few minutes to combine all the ingredients and the result is a delicious, warm bowl of soup.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • The soup is hearty, comforting, and satisfying. 
  • You can prepare everything in 10 minutes, and the slow cooker does the rest.
  • It is full of flavor from the spices, beans, veggies, and sausage.

Recipe Ingredients

portion bowls each with raw ingredients to make sausage bean soup with spinach.
  • Sausage—Sliced. We use Italian chicken sausage, but any kind is great! 
  • Bean Soup Mix—A prepackaged blend of dried beans.
  • Onion—Finely chopped. These will release a bright flavor as they cook.
  • Garlic—Minced. To add depth to the dish. 
  • Chicken Broth—Helps cook your beans and infuse them with flavor.
  • Water— To help cook the beans.
  • White Mushrooms—Trimmed and quartered.
  • Spinach—Fresh or baby spinach will work.
  • Spices—A blend of thyme, red pepper flakes, and bay leaves for optimal flavor. 
  • Salt and Pepper—Season to your taste.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

How to Make Slow Cooker Bean Sausage Soup

clear mixing bowl in the process of making sausage bean soup with spinach.
crockpot with sausage bean soup with spinach.

Step #1. Microwave the sausage, onion, garlic, thyme, and pepper flakes in a bowl until the onion starts to soften. Place the onion mixture in your slow cooker.

Step #2. Add the broth, water, mushrooms, dried beans, bay leaves, and salt. Stir to combine. 

crockpot with sausage bean soup with spinach.
crockpot with sausage bean soup with spinach with being scooped with a white spoon.

Step #3. Cover and cook until the beans are tender. Remove and throw away the bay leaves. Stir in the spinach and let it sit until slightly wilted. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Step #4. Remove and throw away the bay leaves. Stir in the spinach and let it sit until slightly wilted. Season with salt and pepper to taste.Serve and enjoy!

Recipe FAQs

Can I use canned beans instead?

Yes, if you are in a pinch then you can use canned beans instead of the dried bean mix. We love to use dried beans because it gives a nice variation without having to do too much work, but they also absorb the flavor of the broth better than canned beans. As they cook, they will soak up the flavor in the soup and elevate the dish. But, if you can’t find the dried bean mix, then drain and rinse some canned beans and those will work just as well! 

How can I thicken my soup?

As the dried beans absorb the liquid, your soup will naturally thicken. But, if you notice that your soup is very runny, you can easily thicken the soup with a slurry of flour and water. Whisk together equal parts of water and flour to create the slurry, then mix it into the soup about 30 minutes before it is done cooking in the slow cooker. This will give the broth enough time to thicken up! Alternatively, if the soup seems too thick with not enough liquid, you can add another ½ cup of chicken broth and stir everything together.

crockpot with sausage bean soup with spinach with being scooped with a white spoon.
  • Switch up the meat— Instead of chicken sausage you can use beef, or even chopped bacon. You can also use hot or sweet sausage for different flavors. 
  • Make it vegetarian— Instead of switching the meat, omit it completely! You can easily make this vegetarian by using tofu, or just adding extra vegetables instead of sausage. 
  • Make it spicy— Crank up the heat by adding cayenne pepper and extra red pepper flakes to season your soup.
  • Swap the vegetables— If you don’t like some of the vegetables, don’t use them and swap them for something different! Zucchini, broccoli, or carrots are great choices. 

How to Serve and Store Slow Cooker Bean Sausage Soup 

This soup is hearty and filling enough to be served on its own, but you can also add some simple side dishes to make a complete meal. We love to have bread with our soup because it is perfect for dipping! Try serving breadsticks, French bread, or cornbread with butter. Other yummy sides include steamed vegetables such as brussel sprouts or carrots, stuffing, baked potatoes, or a light garden salad. You can’t go wrong! 

Any leftovers of your soup can be stored in the fridge for up to 3-5 days in an airtight container. Scoop one serving of the soup in a bowl and reheat in the microwave for about 30 seconds at a time until it is warm! 

Expert Tips

  • Keep in mind that a 4-7 quart slow cooker is the best size for this recipe, but you can always adjust the ingredient amounts if needed! 
  • There are many different bean soup mixes out there with different kinds of beans, so pick one that you like or you can use a homemade mix if you have that instead. 
  • If you are cooking the soup on low, set the timer for 9-11 hours, and if you are cooking on high, set the timer for 6-8 hours. You’ll know it is done if it has thickened and the beans are soft!
  • If you don’t have any fresh garlic cloves then you can use 1 ½ teaspoons of garlic powder instead.

More Soup Recipes To Consider

Sausage bean soup with spinach in white serving bowls.
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Healthy Slow Cooker Bean and Sausage Soup with Spinach

Healthy Slow Cooker Bean and Sausage Soup with Spinach is a mouthful to say and a mouthful of flavor- mushrooms, beans, Italian sausage, and Spinach to liven up the dinner table and fill you up. Plus it is made in the slow cooker, so you don't have to worry about it all day.
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 8 hours
Total: 8 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients 

  • 8 ounces cooked hot or sweet Italian chicken sausage, sliced 1/2 inch thick
  • 1 onion, chopped fine
  • 4-6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 6 cups chicken broth
  • 2 cups water
  • 8 ounces whit mushrooms, trimmed and quartered
  • 8 ounces (1 1/4 cups) 15-bean soup mix, flavoring packet discarded, rinsed and picked over
  • 2 bay leaves
  • salt and pepper
  • 4 ounces baby spinach, (4 cups)
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Instructions 

  • Microwave the sausage, onion, garlic, thyme, and pepper flakes in a bowl, stirring occasionally, until the onion starts to soften, about 5 minutes. Place the onion mixture in your slow cooker. Add the broth, water, mushrooms, dried beans, bay leaves, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Stir to combine. Cover and cook until the beans are tender, 9 to 11 hours on low or 6 to 8 hours on high.
  • Throw away the bay leaves. Stir in the spinach and let it sit until slightly wilted, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve right away.

Notes

A 4 to 7 quart slow cooker is the best size for this recipe.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 of 6 servings, Calories: 217kcal, Carbohydrates: 15g, Protein: 12g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 33mg, Sodium: 1269mg, Potassium: 560mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 1860IU, Vitamin C: 11mg, Calcium: 62mg, Iron: 3mg
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33 Comments

  1. Katherine says:

    This looks delicious! Somehow I have never heard of 15-bean soup mix before.

    1. Melissa says:

      I didn’t think that I had either, but it’s just that bag of mixed beans you get in the dried bean section. Who knew it had 15 different kinds of beans in it!!

  2. crystal says:

    I really like bean soup, this is going to be good!

  3. Bethany says:

    I love cookbooks, and ATK. Looks great!

  4. Tamara says:

    Thanks for this great recipe — can’t wait to try it! And, thank you for the giveaway and opportunity to enter. I love ATK too!

  5. Malia says:

    This looks so yummy! Pinned!

  6. Amber says:

    Putting this one on my Amazon wish list….love crockpot soups!

  7. kristinsalazar59702019 says:

    Oh yummy that looks so good!!!! Thanks for sharing!

  8. Taryn @ Design, Dining Diapers says:

    Looks delicious!

  9. katie w says:

    I think I need to invest in some ATK cookbooks, seriously every recipe I try is a winner!

    1. Melissa says:

      They really don’t make a bad recipe. I swear by it!

  10. Jennifer says:

    Love ATK! Need more recipes for my slow cooker, esp healthy!