Vermont Farmhouse Apple Sausage & Bean Soup - Standard Recipe

You Will Need

Vermont Farmhouse Apple Sausage & Bean Soup Mix
8 cups chicken broth (64 oz.)
2 cups water (16 oz.)
12 oz. chicken apple sausage links or other variety, cut up
2 firm apples, such as Gala, peeled and diced (3-4 cups)
5 oz baby spinach, roughly chopped (about 5 cups), or 1 box frozen chopped spinach

Here's What You Do

Preparing the beans:

Rinse, drain, and pick over beans.
Place beans in a bowl, cover with plenty of water and allow to soak for 4 hours at room temperature or overnight. Or, for a quick soak, boil for 10 minutes in water and let stand for 2 hours.
Drain beans, place in 4-qt. pot with 2 qts. fresh water, bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer covered for 1 ½ hours.

Preparing the Soup:

Pick through the beans. Remove discolored, shriveled beans and any foreign material. Rinse well.
Place beans in 6 or 8-quart pot. Add broth and water. Bring to a boil for 10 minutes, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 1 1/2 hours or until beans are tender.
Slice the sausage lengthwise and then crosswise into half circles. Add to the pot with the contents of vegetable & seasoning packet. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer covereed for 30 minutes.
Add diced apples, return to a simmer and cover for 5 minutes. If using frozen spinach, add with apples.
Stir in fresh spinach for 1 minute, and serve.

Got leftovers? Learn how to cool, store, and reheat soup safely in our guide to soup storage and food safety.

Cooking & Nutrition Tips

Use the tips below to customize nutrition, boost flavor, or stretch the soup to fit your needs.

Reducing Sodium?

All of our mixes contain no added salt, only what occurs naturally in the ingredients. To further reduce sodium, use a low-sodium broth, bone broth, or stock. Organic broths often contain less sodium, and homemade broth/stock gives you the most control.

Cut sausage amount in half or use low-sodium chicken sausage
Add extra vegetables and fruit for flavor without added salt

Boosting Protein?

Try swapping standard broth for bone broth, doubling the beans (cannellini or navy), and adding high-protein ingredients like cooked chicken breast, nutritional yeast, or blending in cottage cheese for creaminess.

Cutting Calories/Fat?

Use lean turkey sausage or go vegetarian
Add spices or chili for bold flavor without fat

More Veggies?

Add 1 finely chopped hot chili pepper for sweet heat
To boost vegetables, add 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen, diced butternut squash or shredded green cabbage when adding apple pieces.

Interested in whole grains or extra fiber?

Serve with a side of whole grain crackers or add 1/2 cup cooked millet for a subtle, nutty flavor

Looking for Mediterranean-Inspired additions?

Add a touch of curry powder or chopped chili pepper for warmth
Finish with chopped almonds or sunflower seeds

Serving and Garnish Ideas

Top with fresh Parmesan cheese, chopped fresh herbs, and a drizzle of lemon juice to brighten the flavor.

Cooking Methods

Slow Cooker

Recommended slow cooker size: 4-6 quart

Here’s What You Do:

Preparing the beans the night before:

Rinse, drain, and pick over beans.
Place beans in a bowl with 2 quarts water, let stand on counter overnight.

Assembling the soup in the morning (or night before):

In the morning drain beans and place in 4-quart pot on the stove with fresh water to cover by two inches.
Bring to a boil, cook for 10 minutes and lower heat, simmer covered, 30 minutes.
Turn off heat, and drain when ready to add to slow cooker bowl.
In large skillet sauté the sausage in oil about 10 minutes over medium heat.
Stir in contents of seasoning packet.
Transfer to bowl of slow cooker and add broth. (May cover and refrigerate overnight).

Cooking:

Drain beans and add to crock pot.
Cover and cook on high 4-5 hours.
Add spinach and diced apples, cook 30 minutes until spinach is absorbed into soup and serve.

Pressure Cooker

We do not have a specific Pressure Cooker recipe for this soup at this time.

Dietary Adaptations

These mixes are flexible by design. Use the adaptations below to meet your dietary needs or cooking preferences.

Vegan

The sweetness of the apples and squash combines with a hint of curry in the seasonings for a delish dish!

You Will Also Need:

8 cups vegetable broth
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced (optional)
16 oz. fresh or frozen butternut squash cut up into 1-inch cubes
2 large apples, cut up
3 or 5 oz. fresh baby spinach, (4 cups, loosely packed) shredded

Here’s What You Do:

Preparing the Beans:

Pick though the beans. Remove discolored, shriveled beans and any foreign material. Rinse well.
Place beans in a bowl, cover with plenty of water and allow to soak for 4 hours at room temperature or overnight. For a quick soak, boil for 10 minutes in water and let stand for 2 hours.
Drain beans, place in 6-8 qt. pot with 8 cups fresh water.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer covered for 1 hour.

Preparing the Soup:

In a 4-quart soup pot, sauté onion in oil for 5 minutes over medium heat, adding in garlic for the last 2 minutes over medium heat.
Stir in contents soup mix seasoning packet.
Add drained, cooked beans, vegetable broth, apple pieces, and butternut squash to pot.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer covered for 1 hour.
Just before serving, stir in fresh spinach, cook uncovered for 5 minutes.

Vegetarian

Replace sausage with 1 diced medium eggplant, 1 chopped small onion, and 3 minced garlic cloves
Sauté vegetables before proceeding with recipe

Gluten Free

This soup is naturally gluten free when prepared as directed. No special substitutions are needed.

Dairy Free

This soup is naturally dairy free when prepared as directed. No special substitutions are needed.

Recipe Variations

Looking to switch things up? A few simple tweaks can make this recipe your own.

Specialty Sausage Swap:
Try using different sausage varieties to change the flavor of the soup. Andouille, kielbasa, or flavorful chicken sausages such as sun-dried tomato basil all work well. Turkey breakfast sausage tends to be milder and may not add as much texture or flavor.

Greens Timing Tip:
Add the spinach just before serving for the best texture. Avoid freezing the soup with spinach already added.

Apple Sausage & Turnip Greens:
Use apple sausage and fresh Honeycrisp apples for extra sweetness. Substitute turnip greens for the spinach for a slightly heartier, earthy flavor.

Inspired by our customers. Thanks to Jill for sharing her idea. Have a favorite twist of your own? Send us an email or leave a review on the product page.