Sausage, White Beans and Spinach Soup

THE MOMENT YOU REALIZE THAT WHEN TWO SEASONS COLLIDE

HALF THE LEAVES ARE STILL ON THE TREES AND THE REST ARE BURIED UNDER THE SNOW AND YOU HAVE NOT RAKED!

I declare it must be time for a bowl of Sausage, White Beans and Spinach Soup to stay warm.

Recipe adapted from iowasgirleeats.com and serves 6.

Chicken Stock vs Chicken Broth
To pack as much flavor as possible into this sausage and white bean soup (and all my soups/stews for that matter!) I use chicken stock vs chicken broth for the liquid. Chicken stock is made with bones, vegetables, and aromatics (garlic, onion, etc) and is simmered for several hours. Chicken broth contains meat but not bones, and is simmered for a short period of time. Translation: stock’s got a TON of flavor!

Possibilities for the soup include:

Sausage 

Alternatives for this soup include polish kielbasa, Italian sausage links, or ground Italian sausage.

Beans

Alternatives for this soup include great northern beans, cannellini beans, or white beans.

Pasta

Small shells uncooked work best added in toward end of the cooking time to avoid being cooked mushy.

Sausage, White Beans and Spinach Soup

Cook's Notes: If possible prepare soup several hours ahead or the day before for flavors to intensify.   

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 3/4 cup chopped sweet onions, chopped
• 1 cup each of baby carrots and celery thinly sliced
• 2 cups cooked Italian sausage crumbled or 8 oz. Polish kielbasa, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 cups (low sodium) chicken stock plus 1 box (32 oz.) chicken stock
• 15 oz. can great northern beans or white beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 can 14.5 oz. diced tomatoes (basil and oregano)
• 3/4 cup dried small pasta shells
• 3 packed cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions: 

• Heat oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions, celery and carrots saute until crisp tender, 5-7 minutes, placing a lid on top for the last few minutes to help speed along the softening process. 
• Turn the heat up slightly then add kielbasa and continue sautéing until sausage starts turning golden brown, 5 minutes. If adding in cooked crumbled sausage instead add in at this step. Sauté garlic until extremely fragrant and golden brown, 1-2 minutes, being careful not to burn the garlic.
• Add in chicken stock plus beans, pasta shells, diced canned tomatoes, and bay leaf. Bring soup to a boil and turn the heat down to low. then simmer for 15 minutes.
• Add in fresh spinach and 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, stir and simmer until spinach is wilted, 1-2 minutes. Remove bay leaves and serve.