This soup is healthy, hearty and delicious. Pureeing some of the bean soup and adding it back in creates a creamy thick broth. I like to use the hot Italian chicken sausage to give it a nice kick!
Sausage & Bean Soup
Author: Adapted from Nick Stellino
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 8
Ingredients
- 1 Pound Sweet or Hot Italian chicken sausage, casings removed
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Onion, chopped
- 1 Pound of your favorite dried beans (cannellini, navy beans or great northern beans), soaked in water overnight
- 2 Carrots, chopped fine
- 2 Celery ribs, chopped fine
- 2 Tbsp finely chopped garlic
- 1 Tsp crushed red pepper (optional)
- 1 Tbsp italian seasoning
- 2 Bay leaves
- 2 Cups of your favorite tomato sauce
- 6 Cups of Chicken broth
- Cooked ditalini pasta (optional)
- Grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan Cheese for serving
Instructions
- Heat a dutch oven or soup pot to high and add 1 Tbsp olive oil.
- Add the onions and cook for 5 minutes. Turn the heat to medium and add the garlic, celery and carrots. Cook for 5 minutes. Add the bay leaves, crushed red pepper and italian seasoning and season with salt & pepper.
- Add the beans, tomato sauce and chicken broth. Stir well.
- Partially cover and cook for 2 hours, stirring every 15-20 minutes.
- When the beans are soft, remove 4 cups of the soup and puree in a blender. Add the puree back to the pot.
- Meanwhile, heat a saute pan to high, add the remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil and add the sausage to the pan. Breaking up the sausage as small as possible. Cook for 8-10 minutes until the sausage is browned. Add the sausage to the soup and cook for 20 more minutes.
- Serve with the ditalini if using and garnish with pecorinio romano or parmesan cheese.