Spiced Bean and Sausage Soup

A prosperous winter supper

Nothing fits more perfectly into a cold winter evening than a bowl of hearty soup. This one will warm your insides and put a smile on your face. Because it is simple and easy, it’s also a fun soup to make with your spouse, partner, or older children.

This makes for a substantial meal on its own.  Not something you need to partner with anything more, except a side salad or slice of bread.  Makes 4-6 servings.

Here is the recipe:

2 onions, peeled and chopped

Olive oil

2 carrots, peeled and sliced

2 celery stalks, diced

2 red peppers, cored, seeded, and diced

a pinch of hot pepper flakes (to your taste)

4 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

1 bay leaf

1 t finely chopped rosemary

1 quart chicken stock

1 pint of canned tomatoes

1 15 oz can kidney beans, rinsed or drained; or 2 c of cooked beans

1 pound Italian sausage, cooked and drained 

Gently sauté the onion in 4 T of olive oil for 10 minutes on low heat. Add the carrot, celery, peppers, hot pepper flakes, garlic, bay leaf and rosemary. Toss in the oil and cook 2-3 minutes.

Add the stock and tomatoes and cook another 15 minutes on simmer or until the vegetables are just cooked.

Add the beans and cooked sausage and cook another 5 minutes. Adjust to your taste for salt and pepper.

Serve as is, or top with a handful of arugula and/or a spoonful of pesto.

I am blessed to have frozen vegetables from my summer garden to make this soup.  If you are buying produce, choose organic and local when you can.

Be well and prosper and enjoy amazing food this winter season,

Mackey