Creamy Bean Soup with Kielbasa is a flavorful dish that combines the smokiness of Kielbasa with the creamy richness of beans and a savory broth. It’s the perfect choice for a cozy and satisfying meal, especially in cooler weather! For another delicious and hearty dish, try my White Bean Chicken Chili, too!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Kielbasa: Kielbasa (sometimes called ring sausage) is a flavorful, lightly smoked sausage that is pre-cooked. You could also use Andouille sausage, Mexican Chorizo, or other sausages as substitutes. I prefer to brown it before adding it to the soup. But, since it is usually pre-cooked (check the label), you could skip this step.
Vegetables: Unsalted butter is used to sauté onions and carrots, adding a rich and creamy base to the soup. If using salted butter, you may want to lessen or omit the salt in the recipe.
All-Purpose Flour: The flour is added to create a roux, which helps thicken the soup and give it a creamy consistency.
Chicken Broth: This liquid provides a savory and flavorful base for the soup, complementing the sausage and vegetables. You could substitute chicken stock, but you may have to adjust the amount of salt added.
Beans: I chose to use Great Northern beans for this soup. They are known for their sizable, pale white appearance and flattened shape. While you have the option to prepare this recipe with navy beans or Cannellini beans, it’s worth noting that the texture may vary slightly, as these beans tend to be a bit firmer in comparison to the soft and creamy Great Northern beans. Rinse and drain the beans before adding them to the soup.
Garnish: Have some parsley and parmesan cheese around for garnish!
How To Serve Creamy Bean Soup
This soup is a hearty and flavorful dish that can be complemented with various side dishes to create a well-rounded meal. Here are some ideas for what to serve with creamy bean soup with kielbasa:
- Crusty Bread or Baguette: A slice of crusty bread or a warm baguette is a classic choice to soak up the delicious soup and add some extra texture to your meal.
- Salad: A fresh green salad like a Wedge salad is a wonderful starter before serving the soup.
- Garlic Breadsticks or Garlic Knots
- Coleslaw
- Roasted Vegetables: A side of steamed or roasted vegetables, such as asparagus, green beans, or Brussels sprouts can add color and nutrition to the meal.
- Cornbread: Cornbread, with its slightly sweet and crumbly texture, complements the soup’s flavors.
Can I Make Creamy Bean Soup Without Kielbasa?
Absolutely! You can definitely make creamy bean soup without kielbasa. It will still be a hearty and delicious soup for those who prefer a meatless option.
Storing & Reheating Creamy Bean Soup
To store creamy bean soup, first, let it cool to room temperature. Next, store it in airtight containers. I like to divide the soup into smaller portions for easy-to-grab lunches! The soup can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Reheat the soup in the microwave or in a saucepan on the stovetop.
Can I Freeze This Soup?
Yes, you can freeze creamy bean soup with kielbasa. To freeze this soup, first, let it cool completely. Then, store it in freezer-safe containers or resealable plastic bags. Leave some room at the top of the container or bag to allow for expansion as the soup freezes. Properly frozen creamy bean soup can last for 2-3 months in the freezer. When ready to enjoy the soup, let it thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
Creamy Bean Soup with Kielbasa
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 rings (13 ounces each) kielbasa, sliced into ¼-inch slices
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
- 2 medium carrots, peeled, diced into ¼-inch pieces (about 1 cup)
- 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup (31 g) all-purpose flour
- 3 cups (720 g) chicken broth
- 1 cup (245 g) whole milk
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 cans (15 ounces each) Great Northern white beans, rinsed and drained
- parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- To a large pot over medium-high heat, add the vegetable oil. Once hot, add the sliced kielbasa. Cook until the kielbasa is browned on both sides, about 7-9 minutes. Remove the kielbasa from the pot and set it aside on a plate to keep warm.
- In the same pot, melt the butter. Add the chopped onion, carrots, garlic, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Cook for an additional 10-12 minutes, or until the onion becomes translucent and the carrots start to soften.
- Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir well. Continue cooking for another minute.
- Pour in the chicken broth, milk, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
- Return the browned kielbasa to the pot. Add the beans.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally until thickened, about 15-20 minutes.
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What the Test Kitchen had to say about this recipe:
Autumn
Wow! I really loved this soup! It was creamy and full of flavor. The kielbasa was such a nice touch!
Elizabeth
I enjoyed this soup and loved that it was loaded with beans. It is filling enough to be a main course with the addition of kielbasa, which I really like!
Rachael
I LOVE this soup, so savory and delicious. The beans are perfectly complemented by the kielbasa. I will make this again for sure!
Bella
A delicious and savory soup great for any day, especially the colder ones! The kielbasa makes this soup more filling.
Annabelle
This is a hearty, delicious soup. Perfect for warming up on a chilly day!
Selena
This soup is just perfect. I love a good white bean soup and this one is really easy to put together. It's also full of flavor and filling with all the kielbasa!
I followed the recipe to the T. The beans were hard, the soup was watery and there was so much stuff the broth was non existent. Have to say, I was really excited for this recipe, but it was the biggest disappointment. Never doing this again, a waste of my time.
Well, if the beans were hard you didn’t follow the recipe to the T. They are canned beans. Soaked in liquid. I can’t even fathom how you ended up with hard beans 😂
I decided that I wanted ground beef in this recipe, so I used 1 lb of kielbasa and 1 lb of ground beef. I cooked them separately and put them to the side. With the exception of replacing the milk with heavy cream (I’ll use half-and-half next time) and adding a bunch more black pepper than the recipe called for, I followed the directions as written. I actually preferred the ground beef in this more than I did the kielbasa, so I think I will just add 2 pounds of ground beef next time. And I think I will also try this recipe with ground breakfast sausage as the only meat source.
Made this for dinner tonight and the family loved it! Thanks for sharing.
It is excellent, has a wonderful taste.
Easy and delicious, winning combination for me!
This soup tasted good, even sfter I found that I had no Worstershire sauce. However, it did taste a bit flour-y but that’s easily fixed. I’ll make it again, with a few adjustments. Thanks for the recipe!
This is really easy and very tasty, very filling and great for work lunches.
Finally someone who knows how to bring us great recipes at the snap of our fingers! So love this site!
Love this recipe
Delicious! I think there should be more soup though since there is so much Kielbasa. Next time I make it I will add and extra can of beans and double the other ingredients with the exception of the Kielbasa. Thank you for the delicious recipe!
I added escarole in the soup and more beans and next time I will added more polish sausage. It was delicious.
Making it with ham (end of a large one, it’s what I have) and added some mushrooms while sauteing the ham.
Will let you know how it turns out! Also white kidney beans ( again, it’s what I have)
Looks delish so far….
I used heavy cream instead of milk and added mushrooms and celery with thcarrots. garlic and carrot. Soooo good!!
Could you use corn starch to make gluten free instead of flour?
Sure
I’ll be using white rice flour to make mine gluten free, because it gives more of the same texture as all purpose flour. Probably my favorite gluten free thickener!
Would adding a can of rotel tomatoes curdle this soup?
This sounds delicious!!! Is there a dairy free substitute I could use in place of the whole milk?
I’m going to either do a white bean slurry to help with the creaminess or just do more chicken broth instead of the milk.
I’m doing the same.
Coconut milk or soy milk. They have similar consistency and add creaminess. Silk has a heavy cream that is Dairy free.
When do you add the beans, did see it In recipe, just recommendations?
It is in Step 5, when you also add the kielbasa.
Can you use dried beans instead of can beans? If yes how would you make it.
Usually interchangeable but measurements on dried beans is different than canned, and they would have to be rehydrated first.
Looks and sounds delicious. It says 8 servings but how much is one serving? 1 cup? More?
I just made this and oh my gosh, it was so delicious. All the ingredients married so well together. I’m keeping this in my rotation!