Guess what I got for Christmas? Yes, I broke down and asked for a new crock pot. I thought long and hard about it. I own two; one in Lake Lure and one in Florida. The one in Lake Lure died this year and the one in Florida was on its last legs. Both were very, very old. My hesitation came because I don’t use a crock pot all that often and I thought maybe I could do without one. But there are times when they come in handy and this new one has some features that my old ones did not have, including a meat temperature probe and a programmable set and forget cooking mode.
A warming soup sounded like the best first recipe to try in the new slow cooker. It has been rainy and cool in Florida since the holidays, so while I dismantled the Christmas decorations I set the crock pot up to take care of our dinner. I soaked the dried cannellini beans overnight to give them a head start. To the pot I also added sauteed turkey kielbasa, sauteed red peppers, celery and onions with garlic and tomato paste. The liquid ingredients were a mixture of chicken broth and water. Near the end of cooking I added diced canned tomatoes and Tuscan kale.
Top this lovely soup with toasted bread crumbs and you will feel warm and happy. I am happy that I have a new crock pot.
CROCK POT WHITE BEAN AND SAUSAGE SOUP (Adapted from William Sonoma)
-
- 3 Tbs. olive oil
- 2 lb. kielbasa sausages, cut into rounds
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 3 celery stalks, diced
- 2 red bell peppers, seeded and diced
- 1 Tbs. tomato paste
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- Red pepper flakes, to taste (optional)
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 2 cups water
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 fresh thyme sprig
- 1 fresh rosemary sprig
- 1 fresh sage sprig
- 1 lb. dried cannellini beans, rinsed, soaked overnight and drained
- 1 can (14 1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 cup fresh bread crumbs
- 1 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 bunch Tuscan or regular kale, washed, stemmed and chopped, about 3 cups
Drain soaked cannellini beans and add to crock pot. In a large skillet saute kielbasa rounds until lightly browned. Add to crock pot. In same skillet saute onion, celery and red bell peppers until wilted. Add the tomato paste, garlic and pepper flakes and stir together until mixture is fragrant. Add the mixture to the crock pot along with the chicken broth and water. Place the bay leaf and a tied bundle of the herbs, plus the salt and pepper to the pot. Stir to combine.
Cook the soup on low for 8 hours. 1/2 hour before soup is done, add the drained diced tomatoes and the kale. Stir into soup. Return lid to crock pot and continue to cook until kale is wilted, about 1/2 hour. In a small pan melt butter, add bread crumbs and cook until bread is golden brown. Ladle soup into bowls and top with bread crumbs.
That soup looks comforting! It has been cold here, in the 30’s and 40’s. I use my crock pot a couple of times a month in the winter time. It is nice sometime to fix and forget about it!
Hugs,
Penny
I agree Penny. Looking forward to Spring and our ritual springtime lunch.
I was always buying different size crock pots and never used them because we don’t cook meat. I can make soups so quickly, usually just 20 mins. for most – on the stovetop that I think I’ll just keep on this way and save the storage space for other things!
This does look good though – I love white beans – I might try a stovetop version without the sausage.
Mary x
It would work just as well on the stove top Mary. My DIL even makes crock pot recipes in a low oven.
California is finally getting some rain. With all the flooding the weatherman just said it has given us 6 days worth of water. I hope we get a lot of snowpack in the mountains since the rain just runs to the ocean.
Love your soup ingredients, and I especially like the addition of bread crumbs. I made some last week and if I can tweak my photos I will post about it.
Looking forward to your recipe Madonna. Hope your weather is good.
I finally gave mine away. With only me, I hardly ever used it. Now, I wish I had it back! Your soup looks delish, Penny…think I can make it stove top though. I hope.
I know what you mean Barbara. Even with two people it is not always practical. But we are having such a crowd this summer that I figure having a good crock pot will come in handy
We are both in soup mode:) With kale and tomatoes..yours looks delicious..tis my season for soups and I am noting yours!
Looking forward to your soups Monique. A perfect evening for me would be a bowl of soup on a tray with Downton Abbey on the tube.
I really like white bean soup especially your smoked sausage version.
I think you and Bev would like this Larry. Glad you are healing so well.
I’ve been making plenty of old favorites in the soup department lately. It seems my culinary creativity is taking a break 🙂 Your soup sounds wonderful, Penny, and congratulations on the new crock pot!
I like to fall back on old favorites when my creative gene is not working too Susan. Sometimes all I want is meatloaf and mashed potatoes.
Delicious I’m sure. It sounds like we are cooking similar comforting bean dishes. I’ve got to buy a new crockpot, I sold my old one before we moved. Your sounds terrific with all those special features…mine only had two settings 4 and 8 hours.
Your bean soup sounded wonderful Karen. Don’t blame you for not hauling your crock pot to Florida. When we sell here, I will have to haul the new one to Lake Lure.
I, too, got a new crockpot just before the holidays this year. Made your soup today and Mr. Squash exclaimed it was one of the best soups he has ever had! Of course being of Polish descent, he’s a bit partial to Kielbasa, but he loved it regardless of his heritage! Thanks for another great recipe, Penny!
Cheers!
So glad Mr. Squash liked the soup Candace! I love getting feedback when a recipe works. Thank you!
Penny, I wish you lived next door! I’d love a bowl of this on such a rainy, chilly day!
And, a piece of your last post’s coffeecake wouldn’t come amiss either!
From some of the goodies I have seen on your blog Barbara, I would be more than happy to be your neighbor.
Yep, this is it! I have everything, even kale in the frig. Love this soup.
Hope you enjoy it Kate!