Fraser's Favorite Sausage & Bean Soup

I love to cook.

I have many talented friends who are incredible cooks, and I would never classify myself as that, but I do love to be in the kitchen. I think I enjoy cooking so much because it is communal, and simply sharing a recipe leads to creativity. I also like that it’s not about perfection with cooking, and I rarely—if ever—measure when cooking.

Virtually anyone can be a cook by meticulously following a written recipe, but to have a fearless spirit in the kitchen means to see a recipe as a jumping off point.

Two of my most-repeated soup recipes are inspired by two of my favorite cookbooks: Dishing Up the Dirt by Andrea Bemis (this recipe!) and Simply Real Eating by Sarah Adler (rainbow chili). These gals have always been big personal inspirations for me in their approaches to life, food, and, more recently, motherhood. I believe each of these women to be very true to themselves and their personal philosophies, which is somewhat rare these days.

I don’t know exactly when, but this soup became my daughter’s favorite, which I love because it’s packed with goodness. It’s one I make often for friends who need a meal—it’s hearty enough to pack up alongside a simple salad and baguette. It also evokes memories of good times shared around the table. Wow, here I am getting emotional about a soup!

Without further adieu, here it is:

FRASER’S FAVORITE SAUSAGE & BEAN SOUP

*NOTE: Per my note above, I don’t often measure and use what I have on-hand. This can be a tricky tactic when writing a recipe down. For this soup, specifically, I cover (by about an inch) the ingredients with a combination of stock and water to ensure there’s enough liquid for the amount of veggies I end up including. Hope this helps!

INGREDIENTS:
Hearty drizzle of olive oil
1 pound Italian ground sausage (I use mild, but go ahead and use spicy if you’d like)
1 medium onion, diced
3 (or more) carrots, diced
3 (or more) celery stalks, chopped
2 russet potatoes, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
6-8 cups (or more, see note above) vegetable stock (I find veggie stock to be more flavorful)
1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 bunch kale, stems removed, chopped into small pieces
Salt & pepper, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:
In a large pot over medium heat, drizzle olive oil. Add sausage and brown it, breaking it into bit as it cooks. Next, stir in rest of the ingredients through garlic. Cook until the veggies soften up a bit, stirring occasionally (about 5 minutes). Add bay leaf and stock. You can also use a combination of stock and water if you don’t have enough stock on-hand. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and allow the soup to simmer for at least 30 minutes. Then, stir in the beans, kale, and add salt and pepper to your liking. Simmer for another 10 minutes. Serve with crusty bread and enjoy!