Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, but not smoking, add the sausage.

Cook the Italian sausage for approximately 3-4 minutes until it is browned. Stir the sausage frequently while breaking up any large pieces with a wooden spoon or spatula.

Lower the heat to medium and add the onions and carrots to the pot.

Cook the vegetables with the sausage for 2-3 minutes until the onions are translucent, stirring frequently.

Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stir frequently.

Add the flour to the pot and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Add the chicken broth to the pot while gently scraping any bits off the bottom. Raise the heat to high and bring the broth to a boil.

Once the soup comes to a boil, lower the heat to medium-low and cover the pot. Keep the soup at a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Raise the heat to medium-high and bring to soup to a full boil.

Add the potatoes and the cannellini beans.

Lower the heat to medium, cover and continue cooking the soup for 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.

Remove the pot from the heat. Add the half and half to the soup and stir until incorporated. Now, place the pot back over medium-low to low heat but do not allow the soup to come to a boil.

Add the spinach to the Tuscan soup. Heat it gently until the spinach wilts. This will only take a minute or two, stir occasionally.

Taste the Tuscan Soup and add salt, if needed. As a reference, we didn’t add extra salt to our soup.