Kielbasa Bean Soup is a hearty, brothy pot of browned kielbasa and creamy cannellini beans simmered with onion, garlic, carrots, tomato paste and fire-roasted tomatoes in chicken broth, seasoned with thyme, rosemary and a bay leaf. It’s made on the stove in about 40 minutes with canned beans, and it serves 6.
How to make it: Brown the kielbasa in a little oil, then soften the onion, garlic and carrots in the same pot. Stir in the tomato paste, add the tomatoes, beans, broth and seasonings, and simmer covered for 20 to 25 minutes. Discard the bay leaf, season to taste and top with parsley.
Why You’ll Love It
- Canned beans, no soaking: the whole pot is done in about 40 minutes.
- Smoky and savory: browned kielbasa, tomato paste and fire-roasted tomatoes build the flavor.
- Plenty of sausage: 1 1/2 pounds of kielbasa for 6 bowls.
- One pot: brown, sauté and simmer in the same Dutch oven.
Which Sausage and Which Beans?
Sausage: Kielbasa, a smoked Polish sausage, is the classic choice; it adds smoky flavor and makes the soup hearty. Cut it into 1/2-inch pieces so every spoonful gets some.
Beans: This recipe uses 45 ounces of canned cannellini beans, rinsed and drained. Great Northern or navy beans work the same way. Any white bean gives you a creamy bite against the smoky sausage.
Ingredient Notes
Aromatics: A large yellow onion, 2 cloves of garlic and 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced.
Tomato paste and fire-roasted tomatoes: Three tablespoons of tomato paste and a 15-ounce can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes with their juice. Don’t drain the tomatoes.
Chicken broth: Four cups.
Seasoning: Two teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon each of black pepper, dried thyme and dried rosemary, and a bay leaf.
Parsley: Chopped fresh parsley for serving.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds kielbasa sausage, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 can (15 ounces) fire-roasted diced tomatoes, not drained
- 45 ounces canned cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 bay leaf
- Chopped fresh parsley, for serving
How to Make Kielbasa Bean Soup
1. Brown the kielbasa. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or stock pot over medium-high heat. Add the kielbasa and cook until it begins to brown.
2. Soften the onion. Add the onion and cook until it’s soft and translucent, 5 to 7 minutes.
3. Add the garlic and carrots. Stir in the garlic and carrots and cook for another 5 minutes.
4. Add the tomato paste. Add the tomato paste and give it a stir.
5. Add the tomatoes, beans and broth. Add the fire-roasted tomatoes with their juice, the beans, the broth, the Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, thyme, rosemary and bay leaf.
6. Simmer. Bring the soup to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. If your kielbasa is raw, it’s ground meat: make sure it reaches 160°F on a food thermometer.
7. Season and serve. Discard the bay leaf and add salt and pepper to taste. Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle with chopped parsley.
Common Bean Soup Mistakes (and Fixes)
| Mistake | Fix |
|---|---|
| Salting too early | Broth and sausage both bring salt. Add the 1 teaspoon with the seasonings, then taste at the end before adding more |
| Flat flavor | Brown the kielbasa first and cook the tomato paste into the vegetables |
| Too sour or sharp | A tiny bit of sugar takes the edge off |
| Thin, watery soup | Don’t add extra water; the 4 cups of broth are enough |
| Starchy, murky broth | Rinse and drain the canned beans |
| Bay leaf left in | Fish it out before serving |
Want it brighter? Stir in a splash of cider vinegar and a spoonful of brown or spicy mustard, then taste again.
Check the label on your kielbasa. If it’s raw, cook it to 160°F, the USDA FSIS number for ground meat.
Variations
- Creamy kielbasa bean soup: cook 1/4 cup of flour into the vegetables for a minute or two, until it loses its raw taste, then stir in broth and milk and simmer until thickened. It uses its own amounts.
- Different beans: Great Northern or navy beans, or add a can of dark kidney beans.
- Quicker pot: skip the carrots and use a smaller batch of kielbasa, onion, garlic, fire-roasted tomatoes, white beans and broth with rosemary.
- Add chorizo: brown 2 chorizo sausages, out of their casings, with the kielbasa.
- Different fat: olive oil, butter, canola or vegetable oil all work for browning.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerator: Divide the soup into shallow covered containers so it cools quickly and refrigerate it within 2 hours. USDA FSIS says to eat it within 3 to 4 days.
Freezer: Freeze it for 3 to 4 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator, in cold water or in the microwave.
Reheat: Reheat covered until the soup comes to a rolling boil. Don’t reheat leftovers in a slow cooker.
What to Serve With It
Serve it with something for dunking: crusty bread, French bread, crackers or cornbread. Our German bread is a good match. For more bean soups, try slow cooker 15 bean soup or Crock Pot ham and beans. More kielbasa dinners: slow cooker Amish kielbasa potatoes and 3-ingredient slow cooker kielbasa and pierogies. Another cozy soup: slow cooker unstuffed cabbage roll soup.
Frequently Asked Questions
What sausage is best for bean soup?
Kielbasa, or another smoked Polish sausage, is the classic choice. It adds smoky flavor and makes the soup hearty.
What are the ingredients in kielbasa bean soup?
Kielbasa, cannellini beans, onion, garlic, carrots, tomato paste, fire-roasted tomatoes, chicken broth, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, rosemary and a bay leaf.
Can I use Great Northern or navy beans?
Yes. Either one can replace the cannellini beans. Rinse and drain them first.
Why is my bean soup bland?
Brown the kielbasa well, cook in the tomato paste, and taste for salt at the end. A splash of cider vinegar also brightens it.
Can I freeze kielbasa bean soup?
Yes. Freeze it for 3 to 4 months and thaw it in the refrigerator.
Final Notes
Take your time browning the kielbasa; the soup is built on it. Then taste before you add more salt. If you make it, tell me in the comments which beans you used.
Kielbasa Bean Soup
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Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds kielbasa sausage diced into 1/2 inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 large yellow onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 medium carrots peeled and diced
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 can fire-roasted diced tomatoes 15 ounces, do not drain
- 45 ounces canned cannellini beans rinsed and drained; Great Northern or navy beans can replace them
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste at the end
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground; plus more to taste at the end
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 bay leaf
- fresh parsley chopped, for serving
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or stock pot over medium-high heat. Add the kielbasa and cook until it begins to brown.
- Add the onion and cook until it is soft and translucent, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic and carrots and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Add the tomato paste and give it a stir.
- Add the fire-roasted tomatoes with their juice, the beans, the broth, the Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, thyme, rosemary and bay leaf.
- Bring the soup to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. If your kielbasa is raw, it is ground meat: make sure it reaches 160°F on a food thermometer.
- Discard the bay leaf and add salt and pepper to taste. Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle with chopped parsley.
