It’s that time of year again, time for overindulgence. It happens to many of us during this time of year. We want to try everything, cook everything, and enjoy everything. One way to counteract that is by enjoying more soups. What I love about this cannellini bean and sausage soup is that it comes together in just a few minutes and then cooks for about 20 minutes. With just about 10 minutes in preparation and 20 in cooking, you have a delicious warm bowl of soup ready to be enjoyed. This is just a base recipe; there is so much you can do to change it up. For example, you could add chickpeas instead of beans, a few handfuls of pre-washed baby spinach, a few chopped fresh tomatoes instead of canned sauce, or diced chicken tenders instead of sausage!

So grab a crusty slice of toasted bread and enjoy a hot and delicious bowl of cannellini bean and sausage soup to warm you up and counteract the heavier foods you will enjoy during this time of year.

Cannellini Bean and Sausage Soup

Serves 4

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 small onion, finely diced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
4 hot or sweet Italian sausages, diced into 4 or 5 pieces
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
2 (15-ounce) cans of cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 (32-ounce) container vegetable stock
Salt – amount to preference
Freshly ground black pepper – amount to preference

Instructions

1. Add the oil, carrots, celery, onion, and parsley in a large soup pot—Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, until vegetables have slightly softened.
2. Add the sausage and brown it on all sides, mixing it around with a wooden spoon.
3. Add the can of tomatoes and continue sautéing for 2 to 3 minutes longer to heat the tomato sauce. Add the beans and vegetable stock, assuring there is enough liquid to cover the ingredients by several inches. Season with salt and pepper and cover the pan. (If more liquid is needed, add more stock or top it off with water.)
4. Bring to a boil and continue boiling for 20 minutes or until the beans are tender. Serve hot with crusty bread.