White Bean & Sausage Soup

     In anticipation of soup weather, I've begun to experiment with some new soup recipes. 
     This one was inspired by ingredients we had on hand, including kale that is still growing in our garden.

White Bean & Sausage Soup

¾ to 1 lb. pork sausage

1 onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

2 to 3 roasted red peppers, chopped

3 to 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Kosher salt & black pepper to taste

3 ½ to 4 cups chicken broth

2 russet potatoes, diced

½ to 1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes

½ teaspoon paprika

1 cup of stemmed and finely chopped kale

1 can (15.5 oz.) cannellini (white kidney) beans, undrained

Garnish (if desired): sprigs of fresh thyme, paprika

1. Sauté sausage in a hot skillet (oil could be added if needed); add onions and then garlic and continue to sauté until sausage is cooked through and onions are tender.

   

   I used a meat chopping tool to break up the sausage as it cooked.

2. Add thyme leaves and chopped red pepper.
   
3. Stir in flour, salt and pepper and cook for a couple of minutes.
   
4. Stir in about 2 cups of the broth and let soup thicken.
   
5. Add about another 1 cup of broth, potatoes, red pepper flakes, paprika and kale. Simmer until potatoes and kale are tender, then add beans and continue to cook until they are heated through.
   
   
   
6. Garnish with springs of fresh thyme and a sprinkling of paprika if desired.

Recipe without photos . . .
White Bean & Sausage Soup

¾ to 1 lb. pork sausage

1 onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

2 to 3 roasted red peppers, chopped

3 to 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Kosher salt & black pepper to taste

3 ½ to 4 cups chicken broth

2 russet potatoes, diced

½ to 1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes

½ teaspoon paprika

1 cup of stemmed and finely chopped kale

1 can (15.5 oz.) cannellini (white kidney) beans, undrained

Garnish (if desired): sprigs of fresh thyme, paprika

1. Sauté sausage in a hot skillet (oil could be added if needed); add onions and then garlic and continue to sauté until sausage is cooked through and onions are tender.
2. Add thyme leaves and chopped red pepper.
3. Stir in flour, salt and pepper and cook for a couple of minutes.
4. Stir in about 2 cups of the broth and let soup thicken.
5. Add about another 1 cup of broth, potatoes, red pepper flakes, paprika and kale. Simmer until potatoes and kale are tender, then add beans and continue to cook until they are heated through.
6. Garnish with springs of fresh thyme and a sprinkling of paprika if desired.