Herbed White Bean and Sausage Stew

Name: Herbed White Bean and Sausage Stew
Total time: 2 h 30 min
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving; 1 pound sweet Italian sausage, sliced 3/4-inch thick; 1 tablespoon tomato paste; 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin; 2 medium carrots, finely diced; 2 celery stalks, finely diced; 1 onion, chopped; 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 1 pound dried great Northern beans, rinsed and picked through; 2 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste; 2 thyme sprigs; 1 large rosemary sprig; 1 bay leaf; 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar, plus more for serving; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste

By Melissa Clark

Updated Feb. 11, 2020

Herbed White Bean and Sausage Stew — David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews

Total Time: 2½ hours
Rating: 5(5,554)
Comments: Read comments

Here’s a meaty, cold-weather stew laden with white beans, sweet Italian sausage, rosemary, thyme, cumin and garlic. It is deeply flavored and complex, but quite easy to make. Pan-fry the sausages in a bit of olive oil, then sauté the vegetables with cumin and tomato paste in the drippings. Add plenty of water and the dried beans that, wait for it, you did not have to soak. Simmer until the house is fragrant and the windows fog up (about 2 hours).

Featured in: Tender Beans, Without Soaking

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Ingredients

Yield:6 to 8 servings

2tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
1pound sweet Italian sausage, sliced ¾-inch thick
1tablespoon tomato paste
½teaspoon ground cumin
2medium carrots, finely diced
2celery stalks, finely diced
1onion, chopped
2garlic cloves, finely chopped
1pound dried great Northern beans, rinsed and picked through
2teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste
2thyme sprigs
1large rosemary sprig
1bay leaf
2teaspoons balsamic vinegar, plus more for serving
½teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
Heat oil in a large stockpot over medium-high. Add the sausage and brown until cooked through, about 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel.
Step 2
Add the tomato paste and cumin to the pot. Cook, stirring, until dark golden, about 2 minutes. Add the carrots, celery, onion and garlic. Cook, stirring, until the vegetables have softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the beans, 8 cups water, salt, thyme, rosemary and bay leaf. Turn the heat up to high and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to low and simmer gently until the beans are tender, about 2 hours, adding more water if needed to make sure the beans remain submerged.
Step 3
When beans are tender, return the sausage to the pot. Simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the vinegar and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning. Ladle into warm bowls and serve drizzled with more vinegar and olive oil.

Tip

Make this in the slow cooker by adding all the ingredients, except the sausage and garnishes, and 7 cups water (instead of 8) to the machine. Cook on low for 8 hours. (It holds well on low for 2 more hours.) When you’re ready to serve, roast the sausage on a sheet pan at 425 degrees for about 20 minutes. Slice and add the sausage, as well as any accumulated juices from the pan, to the soup. Warm through and serve.

Ratings

5 out of 5

5,554 user ratings

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Comments

s-monk7 years ago

One of the reasons to soak beans is that hey are far more nutritious if you do. Soaking beans and grains can reduce phytic acid. Phytic acid binds minerals in the digestive tract, making them less available to our bodies. So, soak if you can.

Garrett7 years ago

This is like a far easier version of cassoulet. As others have noted, you don't need to soak the beans: just bring the pot to a boil, cover and simmer for two hours. The beans will be nice and done.

I held off on adding the salt until I seasoned the pot at the end; salt makes beans crunchy while they're cooking.

Lastly, the rosemary and thyme leaves will come off the branch during the simmer. Not a problem for thyme, which largely dissolves, but I suggest chopping the rosemary first.

Lmckenna7 years ago

Nice for fall & winter. Added Parmesan rind to simmering stage. I also added several handfuls of dark leafy greens to the bowls before ladling in the hot stew.

Jennie1 month ago

Very hearty and crowd-pleasing. I subbed 1 lb of sweet Italian turkey sausage plus 1 lb hot ditto, and pomegranate molasses for balsamic vinegar. The liquid is viscous in the best way and the taste keeps improving (we're currently on Day 3). Did not soak beans, and they cooked in about 3.5 hours.

KL3 months ago

I used canned beans and ground Italian sausage and added a couple chunks of parmigiano reggiano. Delicious!

anna frances!3 months ago

delicious. i added a bit of nutritional yeast + parmesan + miso paste, used veggie broth instead of water, and added 1 cup lentils along w the beans in step 2. i had to add more water periodically during it's 2-hour simmer.

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