One-Pot White Bean & Sausage Stew

This is another one-pot, cold weather, comfort food stew. Before our first snow, I rescued some rosemary and thyme from my garden- I was so happy to incorporate both in this dish. 🙂

The recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Melissa Clark. I added parmesan rind to the pot while the beans were simmering. I also modified the method and used an immersion blender to purée some of the beans after they were cooked to add creaminess to the finished dish.

The recipe can also be adapted to make in a slow cooker, noted below. Easy and delicious with rich and deep flavor.

Yield: Serves 6 to 8

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
• 1+ pounds sweet Italian sausage, sliced 3/4-inch thick (I used 5 links)
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 medium carrots, finely diced
• 2 celery stalks, finely diced
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 pound dried great Northern beans, rinsed and picked through
• 4 cups (1 quart) water
• 4 cups (1 quart) chicken or turkey stock (I used homemade turkey stock)
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste
• 2 thyme sprigs
• 1 large rosemary sprig
• 1 bay leaf
• parmesan rind, optional
• 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar, plus more for serving
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
• minced parsley, for garnish, optional

1. Heat oil in a large stockpot over medium-high. (I used a large enameled cast iron Dutch oven.)
2. Add the sausage and brown until cooked through, about 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel.
3. Add the tomato paste and cumin to the pot. Cook, stirring, until dark golden, about 2 minutes.
4. Add the carrots, celery, and onion. Cook, stirring, until the vegetables have softened, about 5 minutes.
5. Add the garlic and stir for an additional 30 seconds to 1 minute.
6. Stir in the beans, 4 cups water, 4 cups stock, salt, thyme, rosemary and bay leaf. Turn the heat up to high and bring to a boil.
7. Then reduce heat to low, add the parmesan rind (highly recommend!), cover the pot, and simmer gently until the beans are tender, about 2 hours, adding more water if needed to make sure the beans remain submerged. (I covered the pot and did not have to add any additional liquid.)
8. To add creaminess, use an immersion blender to purée some of the stew. (I blended for about 10 seconds.)(Alternatively, 1 or 2 cups of beans can be removed, puréed, and returned to the pot.)
9. When beans are tender, return the sausage to the pot. Simmer for 5 minutes.
10. Stir in the vinegar and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning. Ladle into warm bowls and serve drizzled with more vinegar and olive oil, if desired. Garnish with parsley, if desired.

To Make the Stew in a Slow Cooker:

1. Add all of the ingredients, except the sausage and garnishes, and 7 cups water/stock (instead of 8) to the machine.
2. Cook on low for 8 hours. (It holds well on low for 2 more hours.)
3. When you’re ready to serve, roast the sausage on a sheet pan at 425 degrees for about 20 minutes.
4. Slice and add the sausage, as well as any accumulated juices from the pan, to the soup. Warm through and serve.

White Bean Soup with Bacon & Herbs

My husband usually rejects any soup suggestion unless it has a stew-like consistency. I think I convinced him that this brothy soup would be great because of the bacon. 🙂 By the way, of course, he enjoyed it!

This recipe was adapted from Food and Wine, contributed by Jose Garces. It is based upon a Spanish white bean soup called caldo gallego. I doubled the garlic, used a dried bay leaf, and incorporated homemade turkey stock. The turkey stock made the soup much richer in color and more full-flavored. The fresh herbs brought freshness and color to the finished dish. and… Who doesn’t like crispy bacon sprinkled over the top of their soup? 😉

Yield: 8 to 12 servings

• 1 1/4 pounds thick-sliced bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch strips
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 Spanish onion, finely chopped
• 1 large carrot, finely diced
• 2 celery ribs, finely diced
• 8 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 fresh or dried bay leaf
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 pound Great Northern beans, soaked overnight and drained
• 10 cups chicken stock (I incorporated 4 cups homemade turkey stock)
• coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1. In a large soup pot, cook the bacon over moderate heat, stirring, until browned and crisp, about 7 minutes. Drain, reserving the fat and bacon separately.
2. Heat the olive oil in the soup pot. Add the onion, carrot and celery and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, about 8 minutes.
3. Stir in the garlic, bay leaf and 1 teaspoon each of the chopped thyme and rosemary and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
4. Add the drained beans, stock and 3 tablespoons of the reserved bacon fat and bring to a boil. Simmer the soup over moderately low heat until the beans are tender, about 1 1/2 hours.
5. Discard the bay leaf and stir in the remaining thyme and rosemary.
6. Season the soup with salt and pepper and transfer to shallow bowls. Garnish the soup with the bacon and serve.

Note: The soup and bacon can be refrigerated separately for up to 3 days. Recrisp the bacon before serving.

Two Years Ago:

• Mushroom, Spinach, Barley & Bacon Soup
• Roasted Potato Leek Soup with Arugula & Creme Fraiche

Three Years Ago:

• Lentil-Kielbasa Soup
• Cauliflower Cheese Soup