Bean, Fennel And Sausage Soup

Total Time: 5 hrs 15 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 5 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 2 sweet italian sausage links or 1/2 lb loose meat sausage
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 small fennel bulb, sliced thin
• 5 cups chicken broth
• 15 ounces cannellini beans, drained
• 14 1/2 ounces diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 cups chopped fresh spinach or 1/2 a bag frozen chopped spinach

Recipe

• 1 bake sausage links at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, remove and slice into coin size pieces.
• 2 if using loose sausage meat, saute until done and drain well.
• 3 saute onions and fennel in oil in a skillet until soft.
• 4 combine onions, fennel, broth, beans, tomatoes and seasonings in a slow cooker.
• 5 cook on high for 2 hours, or low for 4 to 5 hours.
• 6 can also be made in a regular soup pot on the stove if desired.
• 7 remove bay leaf.
• 8 add spinach and cook until wilted, or if using frozen until heated through.