Spinach and White Bean Soup with Garlic-Chili Oil
This simple soup is something my Nana would always make for us in the winter, it was one of her faves. Cheap and quick, with lots of flavor, it’s a true peasant dish. Originally, it called for escarole, but that became so hard to locate that we started swapping it out for spinach years ago.
You’ll need a bigger pot than 6 quarts if you want to multiply the recipe, or you can sweat down the spinach in batches. I wouldn’t freeze this soup because of the texture of the spinach, but it’ll last about 5 days in the fridge. And don’t you dare forget that rustic bread or garlic bread to swipe the bowl clean when you’re done, DON’T YOU DARE!
Spinach & White Bean Soup
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup oil (fill a ⅓ measuring cup halfway with olive oil and half with veg oil)
- 1 Tbsp garlic, minced
- ¼ tsp red pepper flake
- 1¼ cups chicken broth, divided
- 1 pound fresh spinach, preferably pre-washed
- 1 – 15oz can cannellini beans (white kidney beans) DON'T DRAIN!!!
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 2 links Italian sausage
- garlic salt
- black pepper
- grated parmesan, for garnish
- rustic bread/garlic bread, for serving
Instructions
- In a small pan over medium low heat, add oil, garlic, and chili. Heat for 20 minutes. Keep watch on this, we want it to be warm enough to get infused, but not so hot as to fry.
- While the oil is getting infused, place a medium pot/dutch oven over medium heat. Add ¼ cup chicken broth and spinach. Smash that shit down and cover. Cook until wilted.
- Once spinach is cooked down, add remaining 1 cup chicken broth, beans PLUS liquid from can, and zest. After oil has infused for 20 minutes, add it all to spinach mixture. Cover and continue to simmer.
- Remove sausage from casing. In a small/medium pan over medium heat, heat up a splash of olive oil and add Italian sausage meat. Cook until browned through.
- Taste soup and adjust seasoning with garlic salt and pepper. It will be VERY spinach-heavy and that's ok! It's supposed to be!
- Divide soup into bowls and top with Italian sausage and parmesan. Serve with rustic bread to suck shit up and ENJOY!!!
VEGETARIAN:
Omit Italian sausage!
VEGAN:
Omit Italian sausage and cheese!
OPULENCE:
FRIED EGG ON TOP, KWEEN!!!
EQUIPMENT:
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So good!! And it’s healthy with all that spinach! My 12-year-old enjoyed it, said, “very full of flavor, all that spinach, and so much flavor!”
KID’S GOT GOOD TASTE!
SO GLAD YOU ALL ENJOYED THIS RUSTIC ITALIAN DISH!!!