Home
Healthy Family
Healthy Community
Healthy World
Site Menu
Recipes Meal-o-matic Favorite Foods Blog / Stories
Preschool Adventure Food Adventure Home Edition Classes & Events
Partners Who We Are Stay in Touch
My Stuff Log In Shop our Store Donate
Join us for Casino Night March 7, 2025! Don't miss THE event of the year. Tickets here »
Join us for Casino Night March 7, 2025. Tickets here »

Sausage and Fennel Soup

SAVE ✓ SAVED ADD TO MEAL PLAN PRINT

While at home during the COVID-19 crisis, the Yum Team has been hard at work! Sausage and fennel come together to add amazing flavor to this hearty soup. It is great on its own, or over a grain of your choice. We recommend cooking and storing your grains separately so that it doesn't soak up too much of the yummy broth! We have tried it over noodles, orzo, rice, quinoa, and potatoes!

Note: Pictured pasta is not gluten-free. Omit or use gluten-free option if needed.

Ingredients

Food
Amt
Units
Prep
Notes
1 tablespoon olive oil
olive oil
1
tablespoon
1 pound ground Italian sausage (we used sweet, but can also use regular or spicy - may contain soy)
ground Italian sausage
1
pound
we used sweet, but can also use regular or spicy - may contain soy
1 sweet onion, chopped
sweet onion
1
chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
garlic
4
cloves
minced
3 stalks celery, chopped
celery
3
stalks
chopped
3 carrots, chopped
carrots
3
chopped
2 parsnips, chopped
parsnips
2
chopped
1 fennel bulb, sliced thinly
fennel bulbs
1
sliced thinly
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Italian seasoning
1
teaspoon
1 teaspoon dried parsley
dried parsley
1
teaspoon
½ teaspoon salt
salt
½
teaspoon
¼ teaspoon black pepper
black pepper
¼
teaspoon
6 cups chicken broth
chicken broth
6
cups
1 15 ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (any small white bean works)
cannellini beans
1
15 ounce can
drained and rinsed
any small white bean works
1 28 ounce can Roma tomatoes, drained, rinsed, and chopped
Roma tomatoes
1
28 ounce can
drained, rinsed, and chopped
4 cups baby spinach, chopped
baby spinach
4
cups
chopped
optional: pasta (or other grain, use gluten-free option if needed)
optional: pasta
or other grain, use gluten-free option if needed
optional: parmesan cheese
optional: parmesan cheese

Method

In large Dutch oven, heat olive oil. Cook ground sausage throughly and remove from pot. Add onion and garlic to the pot and sauté. Add celery, carrot, parsnip, and fennel. Stir and sauté for about 5 minutes. Add Italian seasoning, dried parsley, salt and pepper. Add broth, beans, tomatoes, and add sausage back in. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes until veggies are tender. Stir in chopped spinach and let cook for a few more minutes. Serve over your choice of grain! This soup tastes great with a little fresh Parmesan on top.

Prep time
20 min
Cook time
45 min
Yields/Serves:
8
Nutrition Information

Yum Ratings

😫😟😐😀😍 “I really, really, really, really like this soup!” —Rocco, age 7
😫😟😐😀😍 “You should make this soup again!” —Sofia, age 13
😫😟😐😀😍 “This is GOOD!” —Johnny, age 15
😫😟😐😀😍 “This soup is the best I have ever tasted! I tore it up!” —Faye, a grown up
😫😟😐😀😍 “We were so surprised at the taste of fennel and parsnips! Absolutely awesome!” —Pat & Terri, grown ups
😫😟😐😀😍 “I didn't know that I liked parsnips! Yum!” —Tina, a grown up