White Bean Sausage Stew

Serving Size: 6 (~2 cups per serving size)

Cook Time: 40 minutes & Prep time: 10 minutes

Nutrition Facts Per Serving

Calories: 640 | Protein: 30 g | Carbohydrates: 40 g | Fat: 42 g | Fiber: 10 g | Sodium: 1200 mg

Ingredients:

• 1 LB Italian Sausage

• 1 small Yellow Onion, diced

• 2 cans Cannellini Beans

• 6 Cloves Garlic, minced

• 3 Tbsp Tomato Paste

• 3-4 Large Carrots, chopped

• 3-4 Celery Stalks, chopped

• 1 cup Heavy Cream

• ½ bag (~5 handfuls) Spinach

• ½ jar (~1/2 cup) Sun Dried Tomatoes

• 4 cup Low Sodium Chicken Broth

• 1-2 Tbsp Olive Oil

• ½ cup Dry White Wine

• ½ cup Parmesan, shredded

• ½ cup Basil, chopped

Instructions:

1. Build the Base: In a large pan or Dutch oven, heat a drizzle of oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion, celery, and carrots, and sauté for about 5 minutes, until they begin to soften. Add the onion and garlic and cook for another 3 minutes, or until fragrant.

2. Cook the Sausage: Remove the casing from the Italian sausage and add it to the pan. Cook for about 8–10 minutes, breaking it into crumbles as it cooks, until it is mostly browned and cooked through.

3. Deglaze the Pan: Pour in the white wine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. This adds depth and flavor to the base.

4. Build the Sauce: Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes and tomato paste until well combined. Add the chicken broth, heavy cream, and rinsed beans, then bring the mixture to a gentle boil.

5. Simmer the Soup: Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20–30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.

6. Finish & Serve: Remove from the heat and stir in the spinach, basil, and Parmesan cheese until the spinach is wilted and the cheese is melted. Serve warm.

Special Note

• This high-protein, high-fiber stew is the perfect comfort meal, best served with toast or garlic bread.

• Substitute Italian Sausage with 1 pound of ground pork or ground turkey and season it with 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, and ¼ teaspoon paprika. For a little heat, add ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes.

• For a leaner protein option, use chicken sausage instead.

• To lower fat and calories, substitute heavy cream with half-and-half.

• Lower fat/calories by replacing heavy cream with half and half.

• If you're short on time, you can simmer the soup for 15–20 minutes instead of longer cooking, and it will still develop great flavor.