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Tag: Sausage

Minestrone Soup Recipe with Spicy Sausage and Fennel
How to make minestrone soup with sausage, fennel, white beans and pasta. Jump to the Easy Minestrone Soup Recipe or read on to see our tips for making it.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Easy kale soup packed with greens, low-fat chicken sausage, and potato. Jump to the Chicken Sausage, Potato and Kale Soup Recipe.

How to Make Minestrone with Sausage and Fennel

We make this easy soup often. You can think of our recipe as a guide — this is perfect for using up vegetables in the refrigerator. Potatoes, kale, turnips and squash would all be excellent added to the soup.

I love the addition of sausage for this, it adds so much flavor. For a meatless minestrone, skip the sausage and replace the chicken stock with a hearty vegetable stock. It still tastes great, just different. If you have access to it, fennel is delicious in this. It adds a sweet, licorice flavor. I especially love it with the sausage.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: How to make quick and easy creamy vegetable soup with only one pot in under 35 minutes. Jump to the Creamy Vegetable Soup Recipe.

Recipe updated, originally posted August 2009. Since posting this in 2009, we have tweaked the recipe to be more clear. – Adam and Joanne

Minestrone Soup Recipe with Sausage and Fennel

PREP
10 mins

COOK
40 mins

TOTAL
50 mins

Think of this recipe as a guide. The soup is excellent as written, but this is the perfect opportunity to use up vegetables in the fridge. This is great eaten straight away and it will keep overnight. The pasta may become softer overtime, but the flavors of the soup will improve.

Makes approximately 6 servings

You Will Need

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

8 ounces bulk spicy or Italian pork sausage, see note

2 medium bulbs fennel, trimmed and finely chopped

1 medium onion, finely chopped

3 medium carrots, peeled and finely chopped

3 stalks celery, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 medium zucchini or yellow summer squash, finely chopped

1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with juice

1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans (white kidney beans)

8 cups low-sodium chicken stock, see how we make chicken stock

1 bay leaf

3 sprigs fresh thyme

3/4 cup small dried pasta such as penne, elbow or orecchiette

1 pound baby spinach (about 4 cups)

Salt and fresh ground black pepper

1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves and tender stems, chopped

Fresh grated Parmesan cheese for serving

Directions

1Heat the olive oil over medium-low heat in a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven and add the fennel, onion, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring, until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon of salt and garlic and cook for 1 minute.

2Add zucchini, tomatoes with juice, beans, bay leaf, thyme and the chicken stock, and bring to a simmer. Stir in 1 teaspoon of salt, taste then adjust with more as needed. Add 6 to 7 generous grinds of black pepper. Reduce heat to low and simmer about 20 minutes.

3Add pasta and cook until it is tender but not mushy, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in spinach and parsley and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Taste the soup and adjust with more salt and/or pepper. Serve with parmesan cheese on top.

Adam and Joanne’s Tips

Depending on the store, you can find bulk sausage. If you cannot and instead buy sausage formed into links, remove the casings by cutting a slit down the sausage and pulling the casing away from the meat. The meat from two large sausages should do it.

If you make this recipe, snap a photo and hashtag it #inspiredtaste — We love to see your creations on Instagram and Facebook! Find us: @inspiredtaste

AUTHOR:

Adam Gallagher
Previous Post: Easy Chocolate Cookies with Dried Fruit and Nuts
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January 24, 2026
Sausage and White Beans with Sage
This Sausage and White Beans with Sage is flavored with tomatoes and ground fennel and it can be made in the Slow Cooker or the Instant Pot. This tasty combination of sausage and beans is surprisingly not that high in carbs, but for even lower carbs just double the sausage and use fewer beans.

PIN the Sausage and White Beans to try it later!

Sausage and White Beans with Sage is one of my favorite slow cooker recipes that I’ve discovered can be made more quickly in the Instant Pot! And it’s fun to have recipes that can work for people who prefer different cooking options. And sausage and white beans are a classic combination that worked out perfectly in both methods.

This recipe was inspired by a lovely woman named Ilva, who lives in Tuscany. I met her online in the early days of blogging and we chatted frequently for a while. Then Ilva stopped focusing on recipes and started to focus on her beautiful food photography, and for the last few years I haven’t talked to her so much.

But I appreciate Ilva introducing me to rustic Italian dishes like this one, where the emphasis is entirely on the flavors and not on the looks of the dish. And there are a lot of ways to adapt this recipe and still get good results, but no matter how you cook it or what kind of beans you use, please do not skip the dried fennel that makes this dish so amazingly flavorful!

What ingredients do you need for this recipe?

(This is only a list of ingredients; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)
- dried white beans
- celery
- whole cloves garlic
- fresh sage leaves, divided
- salt
- dried Italian Herb Seasoning (affiliate link), divided
- Olive Oil (affiliate link), divided
- uncooked turkey, chicken, or pork Italian sausage
- ground fennel (affiliate link)
- canned petite dice tomatoes with juice
What sausage did I use for Sausage and White Beans with Sage?

I used uncooked Italian Sausage for this tasty combination of sausage and beans! You can use turkey, chicken, or pork Italian Sausage and choose mild or spicy Italian Sausage, whichever you prefer.

What gives this sausage and white beans recipe the Italian flavors?

Of course the Italian Sausage used here is partly what makes this a recipe with Italian flavors! But the other ingredients that add Italian flavor notes include garlic, sage, Italian Herb Seasoning, and ground fennel. And I think fennel is one of the best flavors in Italian cooking. If you haven’t cooked with fennel much, I hope this recipe will help you see why I love it.

Can you use canned beans for this sausage and white beans recipe?

Whether you use the Instant Pot or the slow cooker for this recipe featuring sausage and beans, you’ll definitely get the best flavor if you start with dried beans and cook them yourself. But if that just isn’t happening at your house, I’ll also give tips for making this with canned beans.

How high in carbs is this sausage and white beans?

If you check the nutritional information you may be surprised this has only 14 net carbs per serving, with 18 grams of protein.

How can you make this recipe lower in carbs?

If you’re strictly watching carbs, you can double the amount of sausage and use half as many beans in this recipe for a lower-carb dish with sausage and beans.

How to make Italian Sausage and White Beans with Sage:

(This is only a summary of the steps for the recipe; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)
1. If you’re cooking your own beans, start with 2 cups of fresh dried white beans. If you want to cook the beans on the stovetop, I would soak them in cold water overnight; for cooking dried beans in the slow cooker or the Instant Pot, you can skip the soaking.
2. Put dried beans, celery, garlic, sage, salt, Italian Herb Seasoning (affiliate link), and a little olive oil in the slow cooker or Instant Pot with enough water to just cover the beans.
3. Cook beans 5-6 hours in the slow cooker. (more here about How to Cook Dried Beans in a Slow Cooker.)
4. In the Instant Pot, lock the lid and cook 30 minutes at HIGH PRESSURE; then let beans NATURAL RELEASE for 15 minutes followed by quick release as needed.
5. For either cooking method, drain the beans, saving the large cloves of garlic and 1/2 cup cooking liquid.
6. While beans cook (or when they’re nearly cooked for slow cooker method) heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large frying pan and brown the sausage. Then slice into diagonal pieces and brown the sides of those pieces. (This adds flavor; please don’t skip the browning!)
7. Put the drained beans, sausage pieces, garlic, sage leaves, canned tomatoes, and ground fennel into the slow cooker or Instant Pot with 1/2 cup reserved liquid.
8. For Instant Pot cook 10 minutes at HIGH PRESSURE, then NATURAL RELEASE for five minutes, and then quick release.
9. For slow cooker, put same ingredients into the slow cooker and cook on high for 2-3 hours.
10. Serve Sausage and White Bean with Sage hot, with a little freshly-grated Parmesan if desired, although the cheese is definitely optional.
Love Your Instant Pot or Slow Cooker?

Check out all my Instant Pot Recipes or Slow Cooker Recipes if you’re a fan of one or both of these handy cooking gadgets!

Weekend Food Prep:

This recipe for sausage and white beans has been added to a category called Weekend Food Prep where you’ll find recipes you can prep or cook on the weekend and eat during the week!
Ingredients

2 cups dried white beans (see notes)

2 stalks celery

4 large whole cloves garlic (or more)

13 fresh sage leaves, divided (see notes)

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tsp. dried Italian Seasoning, divided

2 T olive oil, divided

5 links uncooked turkey or pork Italian sausage (see notes)

1 tsp ground fennel seed (see notes)

one 14.5 oz. can petite dice tomatoes with juice

1/2 cup cooking water (saved from cooking beans)

Instructions

If you’re cooking your own beans, start with 2 cups of fresh dried white beans. If you want to cook the beans on the stovetop, I would soak them in cold water overnight; for cooking dried beans in the slow cooker or the Instant Pot, you can skip the soaking.

Put dried beans, celery, garlic, 3 leaves sage or a pinch of dried sage, salt, 1 tsp. Italian Seasoning, and 1 T olive oil in the slow cooker, Instant Pot, or in a pan on the stove with enough water to just cover the beans.

Cook beans 5-6 hours in the slow cooker. (more here about How to Cook Dried Beans in a Slow Cooker.)

For Instant Pot, lock the lid and cook 30 minutes at HIGH PRESSURE; then let beans NATURAL RELEASE for 15 minutes followed by quick release as needed.

To cook beans on the stove, cook at a low simmer until beans are tender; cooking time will depend on how fresh the beans are.

For either method, drain the beans, saving the large cloves of garlic and 1/2 cup cooking liquid.

While beans cook or when slow cooker beans are almost done, heat another 1 1/2 tsp. olive oil in a large frying pan and brown the outside of sausage well. Let sausage cool and then cut into diagonal pieces. Add another 1 1/2 tsp. olive oil and brown the cut sides of the sausage well. (Don’t skip browning the sausage; this builds flavor.)

Chop garlic pieces and add the cooked beans, chopped garlic, browned sausage pieces, 10 sage leaves or a little dried sage, canned tomatoes with juice, ground fennel, second teaspoon of Italian Seasoning, and the 1/2 cup cooking water from the beans to slow cooker or Instant Pot.

For slow cooker, cook 2-3 hours on high.

For Instant Pot, lock lid and then cook at HIGH PRESSURE for 10 minutes; then let the dish NATURAL RELEASE for 5 minutes followed by quick release as needed.

Serve Sausage and White Beans with Sage hot, with some freshly-grated Parmesan to add at the table if desired.

Notes

Fresher beans will cook more quickly if you’re starting with dried beans, so try to get some that haven’t been sitting on the shelf for a long time..

Use 3 cans (15 oz. can) if you don’t want to cook beans from scratch.

If you don’t have fresh sage leaves you can use dried ground sage if needed, but use it sparingly.

The ground fennel seed (affiliate link) is highly recommended; please do not skip it!

Be sure to use gluten-free ingredients if you need this to be gluten-free.

This recipe adapted from an early blogging friend and The Silver Spoon.

Nutrition Information

Yield

8

Serving Size

1

Amount Per Serving

Calories 222Total Fat 9gSaturated Fat 2gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 7gCholesterol 44mgSodium 292mgCarbohydrates 17gFiber 3gSugar 4gProtein 18g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.

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Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
Sausage and White Beans with Sage would be suitable for any phase of the original South Beach Diet. South Beach would recommend turkey Italian Sausage, but lately it’s been hard to find, and pork sausage would also be delicious. Dried beans can be high in carbs if you’re following a strict low-carb eating plan, but this is probably lower in carbs than you think with 14 net carbs per serving! For a more carb-conscious version, just double the sausage and cut the amount of beans in half.

Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use the Diet Type Index to find recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. Use Instant Pot Recipes to find more recipes like this one. You might also like to follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, on TikTok, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.

Historical Notes for this Recipe:
The recipe for Sausage and White Beans with Sage was first posted as a slow cooker recipe in 2007, probably with dismal photos in those days! The recipe was updated to include Instant Pot instructions in 2017 and was last updated with more information in 2025.
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January 24, 2026
Sausage Stuffed Shells Recipe
Our family’s favorite sausage stuffed shells recipe has an incredibly flavorful filling made with sausage, ricotta, and spinach. It’s also surprisingly easy to make.

Everyone I’ve shared these with has loved them. The cheesy, sausage filling tucked inside each shell makes this recipe hard to resist. The first time I made them, I stepped away from the table for just a minute and came back to find that Adam had already eaten half the pan.

That’s when I knew this one was special. So many of our readers have fallen for these sausage and spinach stuffed shells, and I can’t wait for you to try them too.

Key Ingredients
- Pasta Shells: Use large dried pasta shells and cook them in boiling water until al dente before filling.
- Sausage: Italian bulk sausage is my go-to, but fresh sausage links with the casings removed work just as well. For extra kick, try using hot or spicy sausage.
- Tomatoes and Spinach: I use canned tomatoes and frozen spinach. Be sure to thaw the spinach and squeeze out any excess moisture before mixing it into the filling.
- Ricotta and Mozzarella: I like whole-milk ricotta and shredded mozzarella for the creamiest filling. Cottage cheese is a great substitute for ricotta. It’s actually what I use in our popular manicotti recipe.
- Marinara Sauce: You’ll bake the shells on a layer of marinara sauce. You can use homemade marinara, our easy pasta sauce, or your favorite store-bought pasta sauce.
Find the full recipe with measurements below.

How to Make Sausage Stuffed Shells

Tip 1: Make the filling while the pasta shells cook. While the pasta shells cook in boiling water, I make the easy sausage filling. I brown the sausage, then stir in garlic, tomatoes, and spinach. Then, for my favortie part. To make it creamy, I mix in the ricotta cheese.

Tip 2: Bake on a bed of marinara. I love how the shells turn a little golden and crisp on top as they bake. Placing them on top of the marinara sauce instead of covering them helps with this.

I stuff the ricotta sausage mixture into the shells, set them on a bed of marinara, sprinkle cheese over the top, and bake until the edges begin to brown and the cheese melts.

Serving Suggestions

Serve these with a crisp green salad tossed in a simple vinaigrette, or go classic with our Caesar or Italian chopped salad. Add slices of cheesy garlic bread, homemade focaccia, or a crusty baguette on the side for soaking up the sauce. For a little extra veggies, roasted vegetables like broccoli, zucchini, or asparagus are perfect.

More Stuffed Shells Recipes
Sausage Stuffed Shells

PREP
15 mins

COOK
35 mins

TOTAL
50 mins

The sausage and ricotta filling for these shells holds up beautifully, making them just as perfect for a cozy dinner as they are for serving as finger food. You can use any type of sausage you prefer. If you’re using a leaner sausage, add a drizzle of oil to the pan before browning to keep the filling rich and flavorful.

When cooking the pasta, add a few extra shells to the pot, as some may tear during boiling. The filling in this recipe makes enough for about 16 filled shells.

Makes 4 servings

You Will Need

20 jumbo dried pasta shells

20 jumbo dried pasta shells

1 pound fresh Italian pork sausage, casings removed (450g)

3 medium cloves garlic, minced

1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes

1 (10 ounce) package frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry, 1 ¼ cups

½ cup ricotta cheese (113g)

½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese (56g)

Salt and fresh ground black pepper

2 cups marinara sauce (470ml)

Directions

1Prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Set aside a 3-quart baking dish.

2Cook the shells: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta shells and cook according to the package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking.

3Make the filling: Meanwhile, heat a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook until browned, about 10 minutes, breaking it into small pieces with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Stir in the garlic, tomatoes, and the thawed, ringed-out spinach. Cook until heated through and the liquid has reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the ricotta cheese. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

4Assemble: Spread about 1 cup of marinara sauce over the bottom of the baking dish. Fill each shell with the sausage mixture and arrange them in the dish. Sprinkle the top with mozzarella cheese.

5Bake: Bake until the tips of the shells begin to brown and the cheese has melted, about 25 minutes. Warm the remaining marinara sauce and serve it alongside the shells.

Adam and Joanne’s Tips

Storing: Leftover shells can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and about 3 months in the freezer.

Sausage with casing: If you cannot find bulk sausage, buy sausage formed into links, and then remove the casings by cutting a slit down the sausage and pulling the casing away from the meat.

Use fresh spinach: Cook 1 pound of fresh spinach until wilted, squeeze out excess moisture, and add to the filling.

The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.

Nutrition Per Serving
Calories
625
/
Protein
33g
/
Carbohydrate
32g
/
Dietary Fiber
7g
/
Total Sugars
8g
/
Total Fat
30g
/
Saturated Fat
13g
/
Cholesterol
86mg

AUTHOR:

Joanne Gallagher
We are Adam and Joanne Gallagher, the creators of Inspired Taste. Established in 2009, Inspired Taste grew from a childhood dream into one of the internet’s most trusted recipe sites with hundreds of reliable recipes, step-by-step videos, and expert tips.More About Us

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January 14, 2026
Simple Sausage, Cheddar and Guinness Pie Recipe
How to make pot pie with sausages in a rich and savory Guinness beer broth. Jump to the Sausage, Cheddar and Guinness Pie Recipe or read on to see our tips for making it.

After sharing Guinness Chocolate Cake and Guinness and Beef Stew, we decided to throw another Guinness recipe your way. You don’t mind, do you? We didn’t think so.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: How to make the best Guinness beef stew with carrots and potatoes. Jump to the Guinness Beef Stew Recipe.

How to Make Stout Pot Pie with Sausages

This recipe is delicious made into a pie, but you can just as easily skip the pastry and serve the sausages over mashed potatoes instead.

If you do make the full pie, take a look at our homemade pie crust. It’s an all-butter recipe and can be made in advance.

To make the pie, brown sausages on all sides. They don’t need to be cooked all the way through, only browned. Transfer them to a plate then cook onions and carrots with garlic. When the vegetables are beginning to soften, add butter and flour to make a roux. The butter-flour mixture will help thicken our gravy.

In goes beef stock and Guinness as well as the sausages from earlier and grated sharp cheddar cheese. Spoon everything into a baking dish, cover with pastry and bake until golden on top.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: How to easily roast a whole chicken with lemon and garlic. One of our favorite recipes! Jump to the Whole Roasted Chicken Recipe.

Recipe updated, originally posted March 2012. Since posting this in 2012, we have tweaked the recipe to be more clear. – Adam and Joanne
Sausage, Cheddar and Guinness Pie Recipe

PREP
10 mins

COOK
40 mins

TOTAL
50 mins

This stout pie is delicious made covered with pastry, but you can just as easily skip the pastry and serve the sausages over mashed potatoes instead.

Makes approximately 6 servings

You Will Need

1 tablespoon olive oil

6 bratwurst sausages

1 medium onion, sliced into 1/4-inch half moons

3 medium carrots, cut into 1/4-inch rounds

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon butter

1 heaping tablespoon flour

1 cup beef stock

1 cup Guinness Stout beer (about 3/4 bottle)

1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

Salt and fresh ground black pepper

Pastry Topping

1 large egg

1 tablespoon water or milk

1/4 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

1 (9-inch) pie crust, see our homemade pie crust recipe

Directions

Make Filling

1Heat oven to 375 degrees F.

2Heat oil in a large deep pot over medium heat. Add the sausages and brown on all sides. Transfer sausages to a plate, and then add the onions and carrots to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic.

3Add the butter and flour then cook, stirring constantly for one minute until the flour has been absorbed and darkens in color. Stir in the stock and beer. Bring to a simmer then add sausages back into the pot. Simmer, uncovered, until the sausages are cooked through, about 8 minutes.

4Remove the sausages and slice into 1/2-inch rounds then add back to the pot. Stir 1 cup of cheese into the gravy. Taste for seasoning then adjust with salt and/or pepper.

To Finish

1Make an egg wash by whisking the egg and water until blended.

2Spoon the filling into a 2-quart baking dish and brush the top and sides of baking dish with egg wash.

3Shape the pie crust so that it will cover the top of the baking dish. Top baking dish with crust. Brush the top of the crust with additional egg wash and top with the remaining 1/4 cup of cheese. Bake in the oven until the crust is golden brown on top, about 30 minutes.

Adam and Joanne’s Tips

If you use store-bought dough, it will likely be in a circle. You may find that you need to use two circles of dough to cover the baking dish (depending on the shape of the dish). If you make your own homemade crust, just after making it, shape the dough into a similar shape as the baking dish you plan to use.

If you make this recipe, snap a photo and hashtag it #inspiredtaste — We love to see your creations on Instagram and Facebook! Find us: @inspiredtaste

AUTHOR:

Adam Gallagher
We are Adam and Joanne Gallagher, the creators of Inspired Taste. Established in 2009, Inspired Taste grew from a childhood dream into one of the internet’s most trusted recipe sites with hundreds of reliable recipes, step-by-step videos, and expert tips.More About Us

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January 2, 2026