Zuppa Di Fagioli Alla Toscana

Ingredients

Olive oil

2 tablespoons

Italian sausage

1 pound, casings removed

Onion

1 large, chopped

Carrots

2 medium, diced

Celery

2 stalks, diced

Garlic

3 cloves, minced

Cannellini beans

2 cans (15 ounces each), drained and rinsed

Chicken broth

4 cups

Tomato paste

2 tablespoons

Fresh rosemary

2 sprigs

Fresh thyme

2 sprigs

Kale

2 cups, chopped

Salt

to taste

Pepper

to taste

Parmesan cheese

for serving, grated

Instructions

1. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the Italian sausage and cook until browned, breaking it up into small pieces with a wooden spoon, about 5-7 minutes.
2. Add the chopped onion, diced carrots, diced celery, and minced garlic to the pot. Cook until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.
3. Stir in the cannellini beans, chicken broth, tomato paste, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld together.
4. After simmering, remove the rosemary and thyme sprigs from the pot. Using an immersion blender, blend about half of the soup until creamy, leaving some beans and vegetables intact for texture.
5. Add the chopped kale to the pot and cook for an additional 10 minutes, until the kale is wilted and tender.
6. Serve the Zuppa di Fagioli alla Toscana hot, garnished with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.