White Bean, Sausage, and Greens Soup

Serves 4

This is one of those soups where you have your protein, green veggies and starch all together in one bowl. I use pork sausage but this recipe would work with other types of sausage like chicken sausage if desired. Broccoli rabe is an underappreciated vegetable because it can be slightly bitter, but the bitterness brings the dish together with the flavorful sausage.

Ingredients 

1 tbsp olive oil

1 lb spicy Italian Sausage

1 yellow onion

4 stalks of celery 

3 carrots 

6 cloves garlic, minced

½ tsp oregano 

½ tsp thyme 

½ cup dry white wine 

1 can white beans (I used cannellini beans) 

1 qt chicken broth 

2 c water 

1 bunch broccoli rabe 

1 tsp lemon juice

salt 

pepper

Instructions

Heat the oil in a dutch oven or high sided skillet over medium heat. Remove the sausage from the casing and crumble into the pan, using a spoon to break it up. Allow to brown for 10-12 minute, then remove from the pan and set aside. Try to keep the oil in the pan, and return to the stove.

While the sausage is browning, dice the yellow onion, celery stalks, and carrots. Add the chopped vegetables into the pan used earlier and saute over medium heat. 

After about 7 minutes add the minced garlic, oregano, thyme and ½ tsp of salt, and ½ tsp pepper to the pan. Mix and allow to continue cooking for about 6 minutes.

Add the white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping the bottom to ensure all the dark bits are incorporated. Continue to reduce the mixture for about 5-7 minutes until the wine is almost completely evaporated, and the pan begins to become dry. 

Add the white beans, the broth, and 2 cups of water to the pan. Add an additional ½ tsp of salt,  cover the mixture and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes.

Roughly chop the broccoli rabe into bite-sized pieces and add to the simmering soup. Add in the sausage set aside earlier, stir in the lemon juice and serve!