Black Bean and Italian Sausage Soup ✅

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound dried black beans
• 3/4 pound whole sweet Italian sausage and 1/4 pound whole hot Italian sausage (or all sweet Italian sausage if you don't like the heat.)
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium onion, peeled and diced
• 3 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 1 1/2 ribs celery, sliced
• 8 cups chicken or beef stock
• 1/2 can tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 3 dashes Worcestershire sauce
• pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• sour cream and slivers of red pepper for garnish

Steps

1. Place the beans in a large, deep bowl. Add enough water to cover by 2 inches. Place in the refrigerator and soak overnight or on the counter for at least 4 - 6 hours. Drain before using.

2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Place the sausages on the pan and bake for 25 minutes. Let cool on a plate lined with paper towels. Cut into 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick slices and set aside.

3. Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, garlic, onion, carrots and celery. Saute for 10 minutes. Add the black beans and saute an additional 5 minutes. Pour in the stock, tomato paste, and fennel seeds and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 1 1/4 hours or until the beans are very tender. Remove from the heat.

4. Puree the soup in the pot using a hand blender or working in batches in a regular blender, until very smooth. Return the pot to the stove. Add the wine, sausage slices, Worcestershire sauce, red pepper flakes, vinegar, salt and pepper. Simmer an additonal 10 minutes. Taste for seasoning and add more salt, pepper or red pepper flakes as desired.

5. Garnish with a dab of sour cream and a couple of red pepper slices.

6. Serves 5 - 6

Notes