Sausage and White Bean Soup

1. Heat olive oil and cook sausage

Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat until it shimmers. Add the hot Italian sausage, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Sauté for about 4 minutes, or until the sausage is no longer pink. Browning the sausage at this stage helps to enhance its rich flavor, making the soup more robust.

2. Add onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes

Once the sausage is browned, add the finely chopped onion, thinly sliced garlic, and red pepper flakes to the Dutch oven. Continue to cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion becomes translucent and the garlic is fragrant. This step builds the aromatic base of your soup.

3. Add broth, beans, tomatoes, and seasonings

Next, stir in the chicken broth, rinsed cannellini beans, crushed tomatoes, table salt, and black pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, ensuring to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot – these bits add depth to the soup’s flavor. Once boiling, reduce the heat, cover the Dutch oven, and let the soup simmer gently for about 15 minutes.

4. Add spinach and adjust seasoning

After the soup has simmered, take it off the heat and stir in the baby spinach. The residual heat will wilt the spinach perfectly, adding a fresh element to the soup. Taste and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed.