WHITE BEAN SAUSAGE CHILI RECIPES

Steps:

• Soak beans in cold water, 8 hours to overnight.
• Drain beans and set aside.
• Make a cut down the center of each sausage and peel off the casing. Transfer sausage into a dry soup pot over medium-high heat. Brown sausage, while breaking it up into small pieces with a wooden spoon, 5 to 7 minutes. Cook and stir until juices start to caramelize and stick to the bottom of the pan, creating a fond, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Add onion and stir to coat in the rendered sausage fat. Cook until onion starts to turn translucent, about 5 minutes. Add white wine to deglaze the pot. Add black pepper, red pepper flakes, bay leaf, and water.
• Add drained beans, increase heat to high, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes. Add salt and continue to simmer until beans are tender, about 30 more minutes. Taste beans to be certain they are perfectly cooked.
• Smash about 1/4 of the beans with a potato masher to give the stew a creamy texture if desired. Stir in chopped kale, increase heat to medium, and cook until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Taste and adjust salt.
• Ladle hot soup into bowls, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and a pinch of red pepper flakes.

Steps:

• Optional: In a medium skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Add sausage and cook until golden on both sides, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove and place in slow cooker. Combine white beans, garlic, onion, carrots, celery, thyme and bay leaves into the slow cooker with the sausage. Season with salt and pepper. Add chicken broth and water and stir to combine. Cook on low for 6 to 7 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours. Stir in kale and cook 10 to 15 minutes more on high, or until kale is completely wilted. Remove bay leaf and thyme. Top with freshly grated Parmesan before serving.