Saturday, October 6, 2012

White Bean, Sausage and Kale Soup


One week ago we were having 100 degrees weather, air conditioners were on, the pool was full of people. Fast forward to today and we are at 70 degrees.  Chilly mornings and evenings, sunny days with gentle breeze.  Fall is here! The drastic change had me thinking about my favorite fall foods and craving apple pie, pumpkin bread and soup.  I love soup!

  
I've been drinking green smoothies with kale for the last couple of weeks and have a refrigerator full of kale, so I knew I wanted to do something that had kale in it.  Don't say "ewww"!  Kale is fabulous and so good for you!  It has very little flavor and basically takes up the flavor of whatever ingredients you cook it with.  In a smoothie it will taste like all of the yummy fruits you mix it with.  It tastes fabulous sauteed with garlic and prosciutto.  It is also perfect in soups. Sausage in the freezer, cans of white beans, fresh thyme out in the garden!  Sounds like the ingredients for a great soup to me!



This is a very easy soup with very few ingredients and it comes together in no time at all.  Feel free to experiment with it and add more vegetables, different beans, you could even use a different type of sausage.  The point is, this is a very good, easy, and healthy soup that will warm you up on a cold fall night!


See? I don't just sit around all day eating cupcakes!  I even like to eat the healthy stuff!  LOL  ;)

Enjoy!

White Bean, Sausage and Kale Soup

1 lb Italian Sausage (I used Italian chicken sausage), cooked and sliced
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
6 cups chicken broth
2 cans white beans (such as great northern), drained and rinsed
1 piece parmesan rind
1 bay leaf (not California)
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
1 lb kale, stems and center ribs discarded and leaves coarsely chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
hot sauce, to taste

Cook onions in oil in an 8-quart pot over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add cooked sausage, beans, broth, cheese rind, bay leaf, thyme, salt and pepper, and kale. Simmer, uncovered, about 30 minutes.  Check seasoning, add hot sauce to taste.

Recipe shared on:


10 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. Thanks Lisa...so happy we are getting some of the cooler weather, I didn't do so well when it was 100!

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  2. What do white beans taste like? I have never tried them... Love black, kidney, ok with pinto - but the white one make me think of little slugs...

    Help me be brave and buy a can of slugs...

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    Replies
    1. I promise....no slugs in sight! White beans are extra creamy and very mild in taste. There is not a lot of flavor so they are great mixed with flavor ingredients, such as sausage!

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    2. Ok I did it!!! changed it up a bit... did not have sauage but had soy chorizo - so went with that, and cut the whole thing in 1/2 as I did not want so much - came out great and the white beans were fine!

      thanks for the push

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  3. I love the ingredients in this soup perfect to warm you up :)

    Cheers
    Choc Chip Uru

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    Replies
    1. Thanks CCU....I am happy we are getting into the weather when I will be able to make more soups, no time better than fall! :)

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  4. Sounds so good to me! Thanks for sharing at Foodie Friends Friday!

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  5. It's quite chilly in New York today and I'm totally getting into soup mode. I love white bean soups!

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  6. Thanks for linking this super sausage post in to Food on Friday. I am now signed up to follow you. A follow back to Carole's Chatter would be wonderful – or are you already following? Cheers

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