Sausage, Fennel and White Bean Soup
Sausage, Fennel and White Bean Soup
There’s a soup and salad deli in downtown Cleveland called Souper Market. When I was pregnant years, I was hooked. I went nearly every day. It’s been years since I ate there, but when I found myself stuck at jury duty, the only beacon of hope was the fact that the Justice Center is directly across from one of their locations.
Maybe it was because my brain was about to go numb from being stuck in the jury pool, but the Sausage, Fennel and White Bean soup I got for lunch there was incredible. It was like “hope to get put on a two week trial” good. I knew I needed this soup in a regular rotation.
The sausage brings a warmth and spice to the broth, which has a little bit of a tomato base. The fennel sweetens once it’s cooked, adding a nice compliment to the white beans. It’s one of those soups perfect for a colder evening in the late fall and winter.
I obviously didn’t get the recipe from the deli, although that would have been easier. I had to guess at what was in it. But in my opinion, it turned out even better. The kids even loved it, even though it has a “kick” to it.
I hope you like it as much as I do. Enjoy!
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
Bulk Sausage - This can be found in the meat section of the grocery store. If you can find it in bulk without the casing, that saves you a step. If your butcher doesn’t provide this option, you can always cut the sausage from the casing.
Fennel Bulb - Fennel is part of the carrot family, but is closest to a celery. It’s anise flavor is fresh and crisp. My Italian family would eat it raw as a palate cleanser, but it’s really delicious cooked.
White Beans - I use canned. But if you have the time to soak dried beans overnight, please tell me your secret to being so organized.
White Wine - Go for the good stuff here. I used some Sauvignon Blanc I had on hand and it was the perfect citrus-crispness the soup needed.
Lincinato Kale - This is the dark, hearty variety of kale. It holds up well within the soup and adds great texture and color.
THE RECIPE: SAUSAGE FENNEL AND WHITE BEAN SOUP
2 lb bulk mild Italian sausage
1 fennel bulb
1 onion
2 cloves of garlic
6 oz can tomato paste
4 cups of chicken stock
1.5 cups Sauvignon Blanc or other crisp white wine
2 cans cannellini white beans
1 bunch Lincinato kale
1/4 tsp Red pepper flakes
1 tbsp Paprika
Salt & pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
Using a stock pot, sauté the chopped white onion in olive oil on medium heat until translucent.
Chop the fennel bulb into pieces thin one inch slices, almost like how celery would be cut up for a soup. Add to the onions to sauté slightly.
Once the onion and fennel is cooked through, add the bulk sausage and cook until browned.
Add the entire 6 oz can of the tomato paste to the cooked meat, onion and fennel mixture and stir until well incorporated.
Pour in the chicken stock, 2 cups of water and the 1 1/2 cups of white wine.
Turn up the heat slightly to medium high as you add in the drained and rinsed white beans.
Chop the washed Lincinato Kale into small strips. Add to the simmering pot of soup and mix in well.
Add the paprika, red pepper flakes and salt & pepper to taste.
Let the soup cook on medium for 15 minutes for the flavors to blend.
Serve hot and enjoy!
