BEAN, SAUSAGE, AND SPINACH CASSEROLE

Bean, Sausage, and Spinach Casserole image

Provided by Starman5

Time 45m

Yield 6 1 cup servings, 6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 9

1 lb Italian sausage (I like the hot better than the mild)
1 small bunch fresh spinach leaves, chopped (3 to 5 cups) or 1 small one 1 pound package of frozen cut spinach leaves, thawed
2 (15 ounce) cans cannellini beans or 2 (15 ounce) cans great northern beans
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
1 tablespoon fennel seeds, ground or 1 small fennel bulb, finely chopped
2 tablespoons sage, fresh and chopped or 1 tablespoon dried ground sage
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups parmesan cheese, grated

Steps:

Remove the casing from the Italian sausage and brown over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove sausage and when cooled, crumble the sausage.
Add the fennel, onion, and garlic to the skillet and cook over medium heat until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.
In a large bowl, mix the fennel, onion, and garlic with the spinach, beans, sausage, Parmesan cheese, sage, salt and pepper. Spoon the mixture into an 8 by 8 inch baking dish.
Cover the dish with tin foil and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.
Optional: Substitute 1 (15 oz) can white Kidney beans (cannelloni beans), and 1 (15 oz) can Kidney beans, or 2 (15 0z) cans of Navy beans for the 2 (15 oz) cans of Kidney beans.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 580.5, Fat 28.6, SaturatedFat 11.7, Cholesterol 65.1, Sodium 1402.7, Carbohydrate 43.1, Fiber 9.9, Sugar 2.2, Protein 38.4