Sausage and Bean Soup

By khovater

Ingredients

• 5 Italian sausage links (or smoked sausage-I prefer)
• 1 medium sweet onion, diced
• 5 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 15 ounces can diced tomatoes
• 32 ounces chicken stock or broth (I prefer stock)
• 2 (15 ounce) cans white kidney beans (I used Bush’s White Beans)
• 4 cup fresh baby spinach (1 bag)
• Garnish: grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Step 1

In a large heavy pan or Dutch oven, cook sausage, onions and garlic until sausage has started to brown. Stir occasionally.

Remove sausage when brown and cut into one inch slices. Return to pan.

Add stock and stir until all the brown goodness has been loosened from the bottom of the pan. Some of you may know this process as deglazing. My grandmother called it “stirring up the goody”. Add tomatoes, beans, red pepper flakes and bring to a boil.

Add spinach. Simmer for two to three hours. Garnish with Parmesan cheese.