Sausage and Garbanzo Bean Soup (4 Ingredients, One Pot)
This sausage and garbanzo bean soup has just four main ingredients: Italian sausage, onion, chicken broth, and garbanzo beans (chickpeas). It takes about ten minutes of hands-on work, cooks in one pot, and costs very little to make. Brown the sausage, add everything to the pot, and let it simmer. Supper is done.
A Soup That Almost Makes Itself
I’ll be honest with you: some of my favorite recipes are the ones where I’m almost done before I’ve really gotten started. This is one of those.
Once you cook your onions and brown your sausage, you’ve pretty much got this soup made. You just throw the rest of the things in the pot, put the lid on, and let it go for about forty-five minutes. That’s it. Supper is done.
And can we talk about the beans for a minute? I call them chickpeas. My husband decided that needed a more masculine option and suggested “dude peas.” We landed on garbanzo beans as the compromise. Whatever you call them in your house, they’re what makes this soup so hearty and filling.
I love how far a few simple ingredients go. There’s lots of flavor from the Italian sausage, the chicken broth brings in a good warm flavor, the onions are delicious in this, and a little fresh cilantro helps bring it all together. If you’ve got kids in the house, this is a great recipe to get them involved in the cooking. It’s a simple one, and it’d be a great one to start with.
And if you want to make it a meal, serve it with a good piece of warm, crusty bread. My husband says it’s a must, and I’m not going to argue with him on that one.
Sausage and Garbanzo Bean Soup
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 55 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 1 pound mild Italian sausage (or hot, if you love heat)
- 1 medium onion, diced
- A drizzle of olive oil
- 1 quart (4 cups) chicken broth
- 1 cup water
- 3 (15-ounce) cans garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
- 2 small splashes Tabasco sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped, plus more for serving
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (heaping), or to taste
- Crushed red pepper, optional
Instructions
- Dice the onion. A chopper makes quick work of it. The onion goes in first, so get it ready before anything else.
- Soften the onion. Heat a large soup pot over medium heat with a little drizzle of olive oil. Add the onion and stir it around in the oil. Let it cook 3 to 4 minutes, until it starts to look translucent. That’s exactly what you want.
- Drain the beans. While the onions cook, drain and rinse your three cans of garbanzo beans.
- Brown the sausage. Add the sausage to the pot with the onions. Break it up as it cooks and let it brown, about 5 to 7 minutes. If you still see a little pink, give it a couple more minutes.
- Deglaze the pot. Pour in about 1 cup of the chicken broth first and scrape the bottom of the pot with your spoon to get up all those browned bits. That’s where a lot of your flavor lives.
- Add the liquids and beans. Add the rest of the chicken broth, the cup of water, and the drained garbanzo beans.
- Season it. Add a splash or two of Tabasco and about 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper. Start small. You can always add more heat later, but you can’t take it out.
- Add the cilantro. Pull the cilantro leaves off the stems, gather them together, roll them over, and give them a rough chop. Stir them right into the pot.
- Simmer. Put the lid on, turn the heat to low, and let it simmer about 45 minutes.
- Taste and serve. Give it a taste and add salt if it needs it. We added a heaping 1/4 teaspoon. Ladle into bowls, making sure everyone gets some of that good broth, sausage, and beans, and top with fresh cilantro.
Tips for the Best Sausage and Garbanzo Bean Soup
- Wait on the salt. The chicken broth, sausage, and canned beans are all already seasoned. Taste at the end before adding any.
- Control the heat your way. We like just a slight undercurrent of heat, so I use mild sausage and a little Tabasco. For more kick, use hot Italian sausage, add crushed red pepper, or add an extra splash of Tabasco.
- Don’t skip the deglazing. Those browned bits on the bottom of the pot add so much flavor to the broth.
- Cilantro is optional. Not a cilantro fan? Leave it out of the pot and let folks add it to their own bowls, or skip it entirely.
- Serve it with bread. A warm, crusty loaf is perfect for soaking up the broth. Try my Easy Rustic Bread made in a Dutch oven, or my Cheddar Bay Skillet Bread.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are garbanzo beans and chickpeas the same thing?
Yes! Garbanzo beans and chickpeas are two names for the same bean. Use whichever you find at the store.
Can I use dried chickpeas instead of canned?
You can. Soak and cook them ahead of time until tender. About 4 1/2 to 5 cups of cooked chickpeas equals three 15-ounce cans. Canned beans are what make this recipe so quick.
Do I need to drain and rinse canned garbanzo beans?
Yes. Rinsing removes the starchy canning liquid and some of the extra sodium, which keeps your broth clean-tasting.
Can I use a different kind of sausage?
Absolutely. Hot Italian sausage adds heat, turkey sausage makes it lighter, and smoked sausage sliced into rounds gives it a smokier flavor.
Is this soup spicy?
Made as written with mild sausage and a little Tabasco, it’s mild with just a hint of warmth. Adjust the heat to your family’s taste.
Can I make this soup in a slow cooker?
Yes. Brown the onion and sausage in a skillet first, then add everything to the slow cooker and cook on low 4 to 6 hours.
How long does sausage and garbanzo bean soup keep in the fridge?
Stored in an airtight container, it keeps 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Can I freeze this soup?
Yes, it freezes well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat on the stove. Add fresh cilantro after reheating.
What can I add to make this soup more filling?
Stir in a handful of fresh spinach or kale at the end, add diced potatoes or carrots with the broth, or serve it with crusty bread or cornbread.
Is this soup budget-friendly?
Very. One pound of sausage, a few cans of beans, an onion, and a carton of broth make about six servings.
Give This One a Try
I hope you’ll give this one a try. It’s simple, it’s inexpensive, and I think your family will love it too. Once that sausage is browned, you’re almost there.
Looking for more soups? Try my Bean and Bacon Soup, Homemade Chili, and Chicken Tortilla Soup.
Thank you so much for joining me at Mary Katherine’s Table. And remember to go out today and find somebody who needs a little bit of kindness and give them some of yours.
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Sausage and Garbanzo Bean Soup
Ingredients
- 1 pound mild Italian sausage or hot Italian sausage for more heat
- 1 onion medium, diced
- olive oil a drizzle
- 4 cups chicken broth 1 quart, divided
- 1 cup water
- 3 (15-ounce) cans garbanzo beans (chickpeas) drained and rinsed
- Tabasco sauce 2 small splashes, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves roughly chopped, plus more for serving
- 1/4 teaspoon salt heaping, or to taste
- crushed red pepper optional, for more heat
Instructions
- Dice the onion. A vegetable chopper makes this quick.
- Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook 3 to 4 minutes, stirring, until translucent.
- While the onion cooks, drain and rinse the garbanzo beans.
- Add the sausage to the pot. Break it up as it cooks and brown completely, 5 to 7 minutes, until no pink remains.
- Pour in about 1 cup of the chicken broth and scrape the bottom of the pot to loosen the browned bits.
- Add the remaining chicken broth, the water, and the garbanzo beans.
- Stir in the Tabasco and black pepper.
- Pull the cilantro leaves from the stems, roughly chop, and stir into the pot.
- Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer about 45 minutes.
- Taste and add salt as needed (we used a heaping 1/4 teaspoon). Ladle into bowls and top with fresh cilantro.
Notes
- Salt last: The broth, sausage, and canned beans are already seasoned. Taste before adding salt.
- More heat: Use hot Italian sausage, add crushed red pepper, or add an extra splash of Tabasco.
- Cilantro is optional: Leave it out of the pot and let everyone add their own if you prefer.
- Slow cooker: Brown the onion and sausage first, then cook everything on low 4 to 6 hours.
- Storage: Keeps 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator and freezes well for up to 3 months.
- Serve it with bread: Warm, crusty bread is perfect for soaking up the broth.
