This Herbed White Bean and Sausage Stew is an easy, economical and flavorful one‑pot meal the whole family will enjoy. Made in an Instant Pot with dried Great Northern beans and your favorite sausage, this hearty dinner comes together in under 30 minutes when beans are pre‑soaked. It’s nutritious, budget‑friendly and perfect with crusty bread and cheese.
Recipe Video
Sausage and Beans Stew
Once you try this Herbed White Bean and Sausage Stew, canned beans will feel like a distant memory. This Instant Pot version is a fantastic one‑pot meal for families and gatherings. Beans stretch your budget while supplying fiber, protein and essential nutrients, making them a smart, tasty choice year‑round.
The recipe shown uses Bratwurst and Great Northern beans, but you can swap in Italian, Andouille, smoked or chicken sausage depending on preference.
What is Herbed White Beans and Sausage Stew?
This stew is a filling, economical one‑pot dish made with Great Northern beans, sausage and a handful of vegetables, simmered with herbs and spices. It’s easy to customize with the herbs and sausage you prefer and feeds a crowd without breaking the bank.
Instant Pot White Beans and Sausage Ingredients
Most ingredients are pantry staples. Using soaked dried beans speeds cooking and improves texture, though canned beans work for a quicker version.
- Great Northern white beans: Dried and soaked overnight for best results; canned beans can be used to save time.
- Sausage: Bratwurst shown, but Andouille, Italian, smoked or chicken sausage all work.
- Crushed tomatoes: Canned crushed tomato.
- Vegetables: Onion, carrots, celery and optional leek.
- Garlic: Minced or chopped.
- Hot sauce: Optional but recommended for brightness; Frank’s used here.
- Balsamic vinegar: A small splash adds subtle tang and depth.
- Spices: Smoked paprika and cumin for earthiness.
- Oil: Olive oil for sautéing.
- Liquid: Chicken stock and a little water.
- Herbs: Fresh thyme, rosemary and bay leaf (dried can be substituted).
Summary: Soaked dried beans are economical, more digestible and often tastier than canned beans. One cup dried yields roughly 2.5 cups soaked beans.
5 Tips to Make the Best Sausage and Beans Stew
- Sear the sausages: Browning builds flavor—sear until golden and set aside.
- Sweat the vegetables: Don’t overcook; soften them until translucent to preserve texture.
- Use plenty of garlic and herbs: They complement the sausage and beans beautifully.
- Don’t skip balsamic vinegar: It adds a pleasant tang and depth to the stew.
- Add fried sausages after pressure cooking: Simmer briefly with the cooked beans so the sausages keep their seared flavor and texture.
How to Make Herbed White Beans and Sausage Stew?
Steps (summary)
Time needed: 25 minutes
Instant Pot beans and sausage
- Fry the sausages
Set the Instant Pot to Sauté (Normal). Add diced sausages and brown lightly; set aside.
- Sauté the vegetables
Sauté onion, garlic, celery, leek and carrots until soft.
- Add tomatoes and spices
Stir in crushed tomato, cumin and smoked paprika.
- Add soaked beans
Mix in the drained soaked beans so they are coated with the tomato mixture.
- Deglaze with stock
Pour in chicken stock and water, scraping up any browned bits. Add thyme, rosemary and bay leaves.
- Pressure cook
Pressure cook on High for 6 minutes. Natural pressure release for about 10 minutes, then quick release remaining pressure.
- Finish with sausages
Open the pot, add the fried sausages, balsamic vinegar and hot sauce. Simmer on Sauté (Low) for 2–3 minutes. Garnish with parsley and serve hot.
Best Sausage Choices
Good options include:
- Andouille
- Bratwurst
- Smoked sausage
- Italian (choose spicy if you like heat)
- Chicken sausage
What to Serve With White Beans and Sausage Stew?
Serve with crusty bread and cheese, a simple potato salad, or enjoy the stew on its own—the dish is hearty and filling enough to be a complete meal.
Storing Ideas
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat gently with a splash of water or stock to restore consistency, and garnish with fresh parsley.
Great Northern Beans and Sausage Stew – FAQs
Bring water to a rolling boil, add dried beans and boil for 2 minutes. Turn off heat, cover and let sit for 1 hour. Drain and use.
Soak dried beans overnight or up to 8 hours for best results.
Yes. On the stove, simmer covered for about 2 hours. In an Instant Pot, cook on High pressure for about 40 minutes with enough water.
Soaking is recommended to reduce certain indigestible sugars and to shorten cooking time. Soaked beans are easier to digest.
Bratwurst is a type of German sausage, typically made from pork or veal and sold in links. “Sausage” is a broader term for ground meat preparations in casings or loose form.
Yes. Great Northern beans are a white bean similar in taste and texture to cannellini beans and are high in fiber and B vitamins.
Yes. They are low in fat, cholesterol‑free and a good source of soluble fiber and B vitamins.
Dry beans are more economical and typically lower in sodium than canned beans. They also allow more control over texture and flavor.
If you love stews and soups, keep exploring similar recipes and adapt this stew with different sausages or herbs to suit your family’s taste.
Herbed White Bean and Sausage Stew
Watch Recipe Video
Ingredients
- 5 cups soaked Northern white beans (soaked overnight)
- 1.5 cups diced sausage (about 3 links, bratwurst used)
- 1 cup chopped onion
- ½ tbsp garlic, roughly chopped
- ½ cup chopped carrot
- ½ cup chopped celery
- ½ cup chopped leek (optional)
- ¾ cup crushed tomato (canned)
- ½ tsp cumin powder
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp red hot sauce (optional)
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 1.5 cups water
- Salt, to taste
Herbs
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 2 small bay leaves
Instructions
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Dice sausages into 1″ pieces and set aside.
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Set Instant Pot to Sauté (Normal). Add olive oil and brown sausages until golden. Remove and set aside.
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In the same pot, sauté onion, garlic, celery, leek and carrots until softened. Add a pinch of salt to help them sweat.
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Stir in crushed tomato, cumin and smoked paprika.
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Add soaked, drained beans and mix so they’re coated with the tomato mixture.
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Pour in stock and water and deglaze the pot thoroughly, scraping up any browned bits. Add thyme, rosemary and bay leaves.
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Cancel Sauté and set to Pressure Cook on High for 6 minutes. Allow Natural Pressure Release for about 6–10 minutes, then release the rest of the pressure.
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Open the lid, stir in fried sausages, balsamic vinegar and hot sauce. If needed, add more liquid. Sauté on Low for a few minutes to combine flavors. Garnish with parsley and serve hot.
Notes
- Measurements: 1 cup = 240 ml, 1 tsp = 5 ml.
- 1 cup dried white beans yields about 2.5 cups soaked beans.
- This recipe uses about 2 cups dried beans (≈5 cups soaked).
- Cooking time for dried beans can vary with age; fresher beans may cook faster.
- For firmer beans, reduce pressure cooking time slightly or perform a quick release.
- If you run out of celery, the stew still works, but celery adds classic flavor.
- The stew may form a thin surface layer when cooled; stir it back in when reheating.
- Reheat with a splash of water or stock to restore consistency and finish with fresh parsley.
- Thoroughly deglaze the pot before pressure cooking to avoid an Instant Pot BURN warning.
- Using dried beans without pre‑soak: Cook beans first with stock, water, salt and rosemary at High pressure for 40 minutes in the Instant Pot, then drain and proceed with the recipe, simmering instead of pressure cooking.
- Using canned beans: Skip pressure cooking. Add canned beans and simmer 5–6 minutes on Sauté (Low) to meld flavors.
- Slow cooker method: Soak beans, add ingredients to the crockpot and cook on High for 3–4 hours or Low for twice the time. Add fried sausages near the end, then rest 30 minutes before serving.
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