Ingredients:

  • 1 lb Italian Sausage (mild or hot), casings removed
  • 1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 large Yellow Onion, finely diced
  • 2 medium Carrots, finely diced
  • 2 medium Celery stalks, finely diced
  • 4 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp Dried Rosemary
  • 1/2 tsp Dried Oregano
  • 2 Tbsp Tomato Paste
  • 1/2 cup Dry White Wine (e.g., Pinot Grigio)
  • 6 cups Chicken or Vegetable Stock (low sodium)
  • 1 (14.5 oz) can Diced Tomatoes (undrained)
  • 2 (15 oz) cans Cannellini Beans, drained & rinsed
  • 3 cups packed Fresh Baby Spinach or Kale
  • Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper, to taste
  • 1/4 cup Fresh Parsley, chopped (for garnish)
  • Grated Parmesan Cheese (for serving, optional)

Instructions:

  1. Brown the Sausage: Heat the Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add sausage and break it up with a spoon. Cook until well browned and crispy. Remove sausage with a slotted spoon, leaving about 1 tablespoon of rendered fat behind. Set sausage aside.
  2. Sauté the Soffritto: Add 1 Tbsp olive oil (if needed) to the residual fat. Add onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté until softened, about 6–8 minutes.
  3. Bloom the Aromatics: Add garlic, rosemary, and oregano. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute more to deepen the flavour.
  4. Deglaze: Pour in the white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Let it bubble and reduce by half (about 2 minutes).
  5. Simmer: Add the stock and diced tomatoes. Bring the mixture to a boil, then immediately reduce heat to low, cover partially, and simmer for 15 minutes to allow flavours to marry.
  6. Incorporate Beans and Sausage: Stir in the rinsed cannellini beans and the reserved cooked sausage. Continue to simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes so the beans warm through and absorb the broth.
  7. Add Greens: Stir in the spinach or kale. Cook just until the greens wilt down (1–2 minutes).
  8. Final Seasoning: Taste the soup and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
  9. Serve: Ladle hot soup into bowls. Garnish generously with fresh parsley and Parmesan, if using.