Italian Sausage and White Bean Stew

Last weekend I went through the piles and piles of recipes that I have saved over the last year. It was really interesting to take a look at the stuff I thought I would want to make, which I don’t anymore, and other items that still seemed like a really good idea. This sausage and bean stew was one that was kept and what a hidden treasure it turned out to be.

This recipe is not only really easy to throw together but it is so tasty! Eaten with crusty French bread or maybe some Irish Soda Bread, it’s delicious. By cooking the sausage in the same pan you cook the sausage you develop a rich sauce to make up the base of the stew. Trust me, you will be licking your bowl clean.

Ingredients

• olive oil
• 1 pound low-fat Italian turkey sausage
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 medium onion, diced
• 2 stalks of celery, diced
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 can (15.5oz) cannelloni beans (or other white beans) drained and rinsed
• 1 (14oz) can diced Italian style tomatoes in their juice

Heat a little oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add sausages cover and cook until browned. Rotate sausages until browned all over and cooked through. While the sausages are cooking, dice celery, onion, bell pepper

Once sausages are cooked, remove them from the skillet. Add peppers, onion, celery and garlic to skillet and sautee for 3 minutes (add additional olive oil if needed). While vegetables are sautéing, slice sausage. Add sausage and cook for about 5 to 6 minutes until browned.

Add oregano, basil, thyme, tomatoes with their juice and beans. Simmer over medium low heat, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Enjoy!