This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
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, 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.
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. 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.
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
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
{originally posted 8/6/14 – recipe notes and photos updated 9/6/22}
This has become our favorite winter time soup over the last couple of years. The only modification I’ve made is to add potatoes. So hearty and delicious!
It’s a hearty recipe for sure, Kim. We love to make it during cold winters. Enjoy the soup!
Can u use fresh tomatoes instead of canned tomatoes
Hi, Brandi. You can use fresh tomatoes as well.
This sounds wonderful! I’ve been looking for a recipe for a sausage and bean soup with other veggies. I like the idea another poster suggested of adding potatoes. Can I brown the sausage and just dump it and the rest into a crockpot? I love my crockpot.
That should work fine, Cheryl. Just watch to see when things are done. I haven’t tested this soup that way myself.
Thank you for a winning recipe. I love vegetables, so I added red skin potaoes (they were going go bad), and carrots. More like a stew than soup. I will add this recipe to my “go to” recipe for a hearty meal. Yummy!
I’m so glad you like the recipe, Lorene! Thanks for taking the time to tell me.
This was so tasty and really didn’t take longer than what was stated. Will be a repeat on this
I’m thrilled you like the soup, Nancy!
I used turkey sausage for less fat, added another can of beans for protein, and a couple of home grown tomatoes! Delicious! I will cook this year round!
I’m so glad to hear that you’re enjoying the soup!
One of my families favorite soups!
I’m so glad the soup is a winner for your family, Niki.
Came out great added a can of sliced potatoes and can of sliced carrots
I’m so glad you like the soup!
I made this soup for our New Year’s tradition, but I used black eye peas instead
I’m so glad you like it!
This soup was delicious! I’ve been looking for a sausage and bean soup for a while and now I’ve found it. The only thing I changed was adding an extra can of beans. I always add extra beans to everything. This will be a regular for me. I think I will try Italian sausage next time. Thanks for sharing this awesome recipe! 😋
I’m so glad you like it! (I typically add extra beans to most recipes too. We love them!)
This was DELICIOUS! I had been looking for a sausage and bean soup but before this recipe hadn’t found one I liked. The others didn’t have cabbage but I liked the addition of it. I’m wondering if Italian sausage would be good in it. Maybe I will try it. I will definitely be making this again. Thanks so much for the recipe. 🙂🙂
This is great with Italian sausage too. I’m glad you like it!
I made it and my grandchildren can’t eat it often enough. We love it. It has great flavor.
Aww, I’m so glad that your grandkids loved it. That makes my heart feel so full. Thank you for sharing!
We really love this soup! the flavors are delicious, and it’s all the things- easy, comforting, filling, inexpensive, and nutrient dense. Thank you, Mary! A couple of times we’ve added a little cooked barley, but it’s great as is!!
I’m thrilled the soup is a hit!
I made your sausage, bean and cabbage soup for dinner. Very excited to have dinner! BUT I was trying to read your peanut butter oatmeal cookie recipe and the “you don’t have to hate salad” put your email in WON’T go away!!!!!! Help!!
Hi Claudette, I’m so sorry for your frustration. You should be able to click the X in the corner of the screen to close the email subscribe box.
This was excellent! I love soup & this one is so easy, tastes great & will be one of my regulars. I am pre-diabetic so am trying to get my numbers down too by the next bloodwork & this will definitely help. It has great flavors & everything I like. I use cabbage in a lot of recipes so it’s terrific to have another soup with it. Thank you so much for yet another wonderful recipe!
I’m thrilled that you loved it, Esther!