TURKEY SAUSAGE BEAN SOUP

Turkey Sausage Bean Soup image

This recipe is from my great-grandmother, though I've added a few ingredients to make it my own. Serve it with a side salad and some artisan bread for a wonderful, hearty family dinner. -Terrel Porter-Smith, Los Osos, California

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories Lunch

Time 40m

Yield 8 servings (2 quarts).

Number Of Ingredients 12

Ingredients

4 Italian turkey sausage links, casings removed
1 large onion, chopped
1 cup chopped fennel bulb
1 cup chopped peeled celery root or turnip
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
3 cups water
4 bay leaves
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium beef base
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 cans (15 ounces each) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
Shaved Parmesan cheese, optional

Steps:

In a Dutch oven, cook sausage, onion, fennel and celery root over medium heat 4-5 minutes or until sausage is no longer pink, breaking into crumbles; drain. Stir in tomatoes, water, bay leaves, beef base, Italian seasoning and pepper., Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in beans; heat through. Remove bay leaves. If desired, top servings with cheese. Freeze option: Freeze soup without cheese in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat through in a saucepan, stirring occasionally. If desired, top with cheese.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 168 calories, Fat 4g fat (1g saturated fat), Cholesterol 20mg cholesterol, Sodium 585mg sodium, Carbohydrate 22g carbohydrate (3g sugars, Fiber 6g fiber), Protein 11g protein. Diabetic Exchanges