Tuscan White Bean Soup

This hearty, but lean recipe bursts with flavor from our pastured pork Italian sausage and classic Italian herbs. Try pairing this soup with crusty bread for a filling meal.

Ingredients

1 package of pastured pork hot or mild Italian sausage, depending on your preference
1 lb. package of pastured chicken breast, diced in large chunks
1 onion, diced
1 teaspoon of olive oil
½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes, adjust to taste if desired
3 carrots peeled and sliced
1 large sweet potato, cut into 1 inch cubes
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 cans of Cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
14 oz of crushed or diced tomatoes
2 large sprigs of fresh rosemary
2 sprigs of fresh oregano
1 sprig of fresh thyme
2 cups of chicken stock
1 lemon, zested and juiced
6 large kale leaves, rinsed, spines removed and torn into bite-size chunks
Salt and pepper to taste


Directions

1. In a large Dutch oven, sauté the onions and red pepper flakes in olive oil on medium heat, adding in the pork sausage when the onions begin to become semi-transparent.
2. When the sausage is just barely cooked through, but not browned, add in the chicken, cooking lightly on all sides. Set the chicken aside to avoid overcooking it.
3. Add in the carrots, sweet potatoes, garlic, and herbs, stirring occasionally.
4. Stir in beans, tomatoes, lemon juice and zest, and chicken stock. Allow the mixture to come to a low boil, then add in the chicken and reduce to low.
5. Allow the mixture to simmer, covered, for at least 20 minutes, but up to 2 hours, until the beans are soft and the soup has thickened. The chicken should be fork tender.
6. Just before serving, stir in the kale, and allow it to cook until the kale wilts.
7. Remove the stems of the herbs and taste, if needed, add salt and pepper to achieve desired taste.