Fennel and Tomatillo Sausage Soup with Cannellini Beans and Parmesan Broth

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My first cold snap soup

When the weather turns and I start craving something hearty and warming, this is the first thing I make. It’s a big, generous pot of soup built around dried cannellini beans simmered until they are creamy and tender, crumbled Italian sausage — both sweet and spicy so you get depth from both sides — and a broth that gets its backbone from Parmesan rinds and fennel seeds. The tomatillos go in toward the end and add this unexpected brightness that cuts through all that richness and keeps the whole thing from feeling heavy. It’s the kind of soup that makes your entire house smell incredible for hours.

Jump to:

@carmeninthegarden #gardentotable Fennel, tomatillo, sausage and cannellini bean soup. I’m very slowly easing in to fall and embracing late summer vegetables as cozy recipes. I had a bit of a sad weekend, we said goodbye to one of our beloved “ladies,” Rosa. 💔🐓 #garden #soup #latesummer ♬ original sound – Carmen in the Garden

The Parmesan broth

If you are not saving your Parmesan rinds, start now. When you drop them into a simmering soup, they slowly melt and release this deep, savory, almost meaty richness into the broth that no amount of salt or seasoning can replicate. Combined with toasted fennel seeds — which bloom in the hot liquid and fill the kitchen with an anise-like sweetness — you end up with a broth that tastes like it has been building for days even though it only takes about an hour. The fennel bulb goes in later with the tomatillos, so it keeps a bit of texture and that fresh licorice flavor that pairs perfectly with the sausage.

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About the beans

I know canned beans are tempting, but dried cannellini beans soaked overnight and simmered in this flavorful broth become something else entirely. They absorb the Parmesan, the fennel seeds, the sausage drippings — every bit of flavor in the pot gets pulled into those beans. They cook up creamy and almost velvety on the inside while still holding their shape. If you are in a rush, you can use canned beans and reduce the simmering time, but if you have the time, the dried beans make this soup feel truly special.

Serve it with:

Thick slices of crusty bread for dunking into that incredible broth — sourdough is my favorite here. A drizzle of good olive oil and freshly grated Parmesan over each bowl right before serving. Minced green onions and fresh parsley scattered on top for color and a bright, herby finish.

Fall

Fennel and Tomatillo Sausage Soup with Cannellini Beans and Parmesan Broth

Prep: 15

Cook: 60

Total: 75

A hearty fall soup with crumbled sweet and spicy Italian sausage, creamy dried cannellini beans simmered in Parmesan rind-enriched broth, fennel seeds, fresh fennel, and bright tomatillos that cut through every spoonful of richness. Served with crusty bread and fresh herbs.

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Ingredients

Soup

• 1 cup dried cannellini beans, soaked overnight and drained
• 4 Italian sausages (2 sweet and 2 spicy), casings removed and crumbled
• 1 large fennel bulb or fennel fronds, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups tomatillos, diced
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 Parmesan rinds (optional but highly recommended)
• Olive oil
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• Water as needed

For Serving

• Fresh green onions and parsley, minced
• Crusty bread
• Freshly grated Parmesan
• Good olive oil for drizzling

Instructions

Brown the Sausage

1. Heat a generous drizzle of olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the crumbled sausage and cook, breaking it into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until deeply browned and crispy at the edges with rendered fat pooling in the pan, about 6 to 8 minutes. The kitchen should smell savory and slightly spicy. Transfer the sausage to a plate with a slotted spoon, leaving the rendered fat in the pot.

Build the Broth and Simmer the Beans

1. In the same pot with the sausage fat, add a bit more olive oil if needed and cook the chopped onion over medium heat until soft and translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the fennel seeds and stir until they become fragrant and start to pop, about 30 seconds.
2. Add the drained soaked cannellini beans, pour in the vegetable broth, and tuck the Parmesan rinds into the liquid. Season with salt and pepper. Bring everything to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. The broth will start to turn slightly creamy and golden as the Parmesan rinds begin to dissolve.
3. Simmer for about 30 minutes, adding water as needed to keep the beans submerged. The beans should start to feel tender but not yet fully cooked.

Add the Vegetables and Finish

1. Add the chopped fennel and diced tomatillos to the pot. Continue simmering until the beans are completely tender and creamy inside, the fennel is soft but still has a gentle bite, and the tomatillos have broken down into the broth adding a bright, tangy flavor. This takes another 15 to 20 minutes.
2. Remove and discard the Parmesan rinds and any tough herb stems. Return the browned sausage to the pot and stir to combine. Let everything heat through for a couple of minutes.
3. Taste the broth and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Ladle into deep bowls and top with minced green onions and fresh parsley, a drizzle of good olive oil, and freshly grated Parmesan. Serve with thick slices of crusty bread for dunking.

Notes

If you do not have time to soak dried beans overnight, you can use a quick-soak method: cover the beans with water, bring to a boil for 2 minutes, then remove from heat and let them sit covered for 1 hour before draining. Alternatively, substitute two cans of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed, and reduce the simmering time to about 20 minutes total.

Save your Parmesan rinds in a bag in the freezer — they add incredible depth to any soup or broth. If you do not have rinds, a chunk of Parmesan stirred into the soup for the last 10 minutes of cooking will give you a similar effect.

This soup gets even better the next day as the flavors meld and the beans absorb more of the broth. It keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Add a splash of water or broth when reheating as the beans will continue to thicken the soup.