White Bean and Spicy Sausage Soup

In honor of Mardi Gras (Tuesday, February 28th), I used Cajun Style Andouille smoked sausage in this soup. I buy the all natural brand that has no nitrates and no artificial ingredients. The sausage lends a nice kick to the soup, but I find that it does not overwhelm the overall flavor of the dish. I love to make corn bread (look for it on Thursday's post) as it complements the soup. It is a great pairing! So this Fat Tuesday (also known as Mardi Gras Day or Shrove Day), go and celebrate by spicing up the holiday with this awesome soup!

Bon Appetit Chéri

Useful Tips:

1. As you cook and sauté your vegetables, you may need to adjust the heat level on your stove-top. If the bottom of your Dutch oven (very large heavy pot) is browning too much, you need to lower your heat.

2. After browning your sausage, drain the excess fat on paper towels.

3. Be careful of splattering grease when browning your sausage. Ouch!

4. This soup is great doubled!

Ingredients:

1 (12 ounce) package of spicy fully-cooked poultry sausage, sliced 1/2 inch thick
3 tablespoon of olive oil, divided
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1/2 pound small red potatoes, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 (32 ounce) container of chicken broth
2 (15 ounce) cans of great northern beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped

Directions:

In a medium nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium to high heat. Add the sliced sausage, and sauté it until browned. This should take about 6 to 8 minutes. Set aside the sausage for later. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in your Dutch oven (or a 6 quart heavy pot) over medium to high heat. Add the onions, carrots, celery, red potatoes, paprika, and salt. Sauté for approximately 3 to 4 minutes, and then add the garlic. Sauté 2 more minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, and then cook 1 minute while stirring often. Increase the heat to high. Add the beans, chicken broth, and sausage to the Dutch oven. Bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. Stir in the parsley, and serve immediately. This recipe makes 6 servings.