Soup Days: White Bean and Sausage Soup

We loved this soup!! I have made many variations of white bean and sausage soup over the years but this might be the new favorite!

The flavors from the sausage, roasted red peppers, and the touch of apple cider vinegar added at the end are so rich and bright.

A few notes:

I removed the sausage from the casing and broke up into bite size pieces using a wooden spoon. I used frozen spinach (defrosted and squeezed of excess water) as I didn’t have any kale. Definitely add the cream – I generally don’t love cream in my soup but it creates a nice consistency in this recipe. Next time I might try with hot Italian sausage to mix it up.

Note: the recipe as written serves 12. I halved it as I only have a smaller Dutch oven in NYC.

White Bean and Sausage Soup

The Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 pounds bulk sweet Italian sausage 
• 1 cup jarred sliced roasted red peppers 
• 2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped 
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped 
• 4 cloves garlic, minced 
• 1 large onion, sliced 
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 
• 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth 
• Two 15.5-ounce cans cannellini beans, drained 
• One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes 
• 2 cups chopped kale 
• 1 cup heavy cream 
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 
• Fresh Parmesan cheese, for serving, optional

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in an 8-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the sausage, breaking it into bite-size chunks as it cooks, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate to allow excess oil to drain off.
2. Add the peppers, oregano, rosemary, garlic and onions to the pot. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper and cook until the onions are tender, about 5 minutes. Pour in the chicken broth, beans and tomatoes. Return the sausage to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a low simmer and cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes.
3. Stir in the kale, heavy cream and apple cider vinegar. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese if desired.