Sausage, White Bean, Rosemary and Spinach Soup

Ingredients

2 Tb. olive oil

1 pound (16 oz.) Isernio’s Italian Sausage – Mild or Hot, Pork or Chicken

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 bell peppers (red, orange or yellow), finely chopped

2 carrots, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 Tb. fresh sage, minced (or 2 tsp. dried)

1 Tb. fresh rosemary, minced (or 1 tsp. dried)

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

4 cups low sodium chicken broth

1 14-oz. can diced tomatoes

3 15-oz. cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup heavy cream

8 oz. bag fresh spinach leaves

Grated Parmesan cheese to taste

Step 1:

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat.

Crumble and cook sausage until brown and no longer pink inside, about 10 minutes.

Transfer sausage to a plate and set aside.

Add onion, peppers, carrots and garlic to pot and cook, stirring often, until onions are tender, about 7 minutes.

Step 2:

Add sage, rosemary, salt and pepper to mixture.

Stir in chicken broth, tomatoes (including juice) and reserved sausage.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

Step 3:

In a medium bowl, coarsely mash beans from 1 can with a fork or potato masher.

Add mashed beans to pot.

Temper the heavy cream by adding a small amount of hot soup mixture to cream, until cream is warmed, then slowly add the cream into the pot.

Stir in remaining 2 cans of beans. Simmer for 10 minutes.

Step 4:

Lastly, remove soup from heat and stir in spinach, allowing it to slightly wilt before ladling into serving bowls.

Top soup with grated Parmesan cheese.