As the weather gets a little cooler, I begin to gravitate toward more comfort food recipes. Not necessarily bad-for-you recipes, recipes that are simple but flavorful and filling.
To me, there are very few things as comforting as this stew with ground sausage, cannellini beans, and kale. (I’m referring to this as a stew, but there is very little broth. It’s meant to be that way.) Something magical when these ingredients are cooked with onions and garlic!
This recipe is adapted from Simply Recipes, where it was originally intended to be a side. My version is pretty similar, but I make enough for it to be a nice dinner on its own; just serve with a side of crusty bread to sop up that wonderful sauce!
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large white onion, thinly sliced
- 4 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 pound hot Italian sausage, casings removed (for gluten-free, make sure to use gluten-free sausage)
- 2 (5 oz) containers baby kale, divided
- 1 1/4 cups beef stock, divided
- 2 (15 oz) cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained (or any white beans you prefer)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
To make, add the olive oil to a large pot or skillet with high sides over medium-high heat. Add the onion slices and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until fragrant and the onion softens and cooks down. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for another minute.
Push the onions and garlic to one side of the pan and add the sausage to the other side of the pan, cooking for 3 to 5 minutes, breaking up the sausage as you stir. When mostly cooked through, stir to combine the sausage and onion mixture.
Add one 5 oz container of kale and sprinkle with a little bit of salt and pepper. Add 1/2 cup beef stock and cover. Lower the heat to medium, and cook for 2 minutes. After 2 minutes, the kale should have wilted enough for you to add in the second container. Sprinkle with a little bit more salt and pepper, and add the remaining 3/4 cup beef stock. Cover again for 2 minutes.
Uncover and stir to combine. Add your rinsed beans. (You’ll notice that I ended up using 1 can cannellini beans and 1 can butter beans. I didn’t realize I had opened a butter beans can until I poured it into the same colander as the cannellini beans for rinsing! Oops.)
Cover and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Add in the white wine vinegar and stir to combine.
Spoon into bowls and serve with crusty bread.
Yum. This is very much a rainy day or “sweater weather” kind of meal. Despite its simplicity, there is so much wonderful flavor! Plus, it will definitely keep you full with the sausage and cannellini beans.
If you are a fan of spice, I suggest stirring in a pinch of crushed red pepper when you’re cooking the onion and garlic to give it a little bit more of a kick.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large white onion, thinly sliced
- 4 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 pound hot Italian sausage, casings removed (for gluten-free, make sure to use gluten-free sausage)
- 2 (5 oz) containers baby kale, divided
- 1 1/4 cups beef stock, divided
- 2 (15 oz) cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained (or any white beans you prefer)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
Instructions
- To make, add the olive oil to a large pot or skillet with high sides over medium-high heat. Add the onion slices and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until fragrant and the onion softens and cooks down. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for another minute.
- Push the onions and garlic to one side of the pan and add the sausage to the other side of the pan, cooking for 3 to 5 minutes, breaking up the sausage as you stir. When mostly cooked through, stir to combine the sausage and onion mixture.
- Add one 5 oz container of kale and sprinkle with a little bit of salt and pepper. Add 1/2 cup beef stock and cover. Lower the heat to medium, and cook for 2 minutes. After 2 minutes, the kale should have wilted enough for you to add in the second container. Sprinkle with a little bit more salt and pepper, and add the remaining 3/4 cup beef stock. Cover again for 2 minutes.
- Uncover and stir to combine. Add your rinsed beans. (You’ll notice that I ended up using 1 can cannellini beans and 1 can butter beans. I didn’t realize I had opened a butter beans can until I poured it into the same colander as the cannellini beans for rinsing! Oops.)
- Cover and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Add in the white wine vinegar and stir to combine.
- Spoon into bowls and serve with crusty bread.
What do you think?