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White Bean Soup with Collards and Spicy Sausage

Serves 6 as a main course. As with many bean soups, this one tastes even better on the second day.
Servings 6

Ingredients

  • 1/2 pound dried white beans (canellini, navy, great northern, etc.) or four 15-ounce cans of the same white beans
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 3 cups chopped yellow onions
  • 1 tablespoon peeled and finely minced garlic
  • 1/4 pound smoked ham , diced
  • 1/4 pound spicy sausages (such as chorizo), sliced
  • 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 1 large potato , peeled and cut into large cubes
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 bunch collard (or kale) greens (between 5-10 leaves), tough stems removed and very coarsely chopped
  • 2 teaspoons white vinegar
  • 1/4 teaspoon sugar
  • Salt (if needed) and black pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. If using dried beans for this soup, soak them overnight in one quart water, drain them, and rinse them well. Boil the soaked beans in one quart of water for approximately 50 minutes (or 4-5 minutes in a pressure cooker) until just tender.
  2. In a large Dutch oven or stock pot set on a medium-heat burner, sauté the onions in olive oil for two minutes until wilted.
  3. Stir in the garlic and sauté for an additional two minutes. Stir in and sauté for an additional minute the ham, sausage, sweet paprika, smoked paprika, and crushed red pepper.
  4. Add the cooked dried (or canned) white beans, their broth, the chicken broth, potato, collard (or kale) greens, vinegar, sugar, and (if needed) additional water to cover. Simmer for 30-60 minutes.
  5. Taste, correct the seasoning (if needed), and serve.