2 November 2011
Soup 8 of 25: Spicy Cajun Slow-Cooker White Bean Soup with Andouille and Collards
Catch up on past Season of Soups:
- Soup #1: Manhattan Clam Chowder
- Soup #2: Easy Beef Stew
- Soup #3: 15-Minute Southwestern Chicken Soup
- Soup #4: Spicy Sweet Potato and Coconut Soup
- Soup #5: Slow Cooker Greek Lamb Stew
- Soup #6: Liquid Gold Chicken Soup with Matzo Balls
- Soup #7: NPR Fish Chowder
- Soup #8: Slow-Cooker White Bean Soup with Andouille and Collards
Desperate to use my prized slow cooker again, I looked for a recipe that would help add some variety to my Season of Soup arsenal. This recipe from Real Simple totally fit the bill, since I haven’t used pork yet (I know I definitely need another vegetarian soup soon!). Andouille sausage is so flavorful, and I always love sturdy greens — like kale or collards — in my soups. My notes are below.
You’ll need:
- 1 pound dried white beans (I used cannellini. I would cut down the beans to 1/2 or 2/3 lb next time. A full pound made this dish really bean-y and not liquid-y enough for me)
- 1/2 pound Andouille sausage links, halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise (I used a full pound, which was a good idea! The extra sausage added so much flavor)
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth (I ended up adding some extra water, but I think you could easily use another 1-2 cups of broth)
- 1 bunch collard greens, stems discarded and leaves cut into bite-size pieces (about 8 cups)
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- kosher salt and black pepper
Make it:
- In a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker, combine the beans, sausage, onion, celery, and thyme. Add the broth and stir to combine.
- Cover and cook until the beans are tender, on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours (this will shorten total cooking time).
- Twenty minutes before serving, discard the thyme stems, add the collard greens, cover, and cook until the greens are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Add the vinegar and ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper.
I ended up starting this at around 6pm, so it didn’t finish cooking until close to 11pm. Not the brightest idea, but my house did smell delicious as I was drifting off to sleep. I tried a few bites for quality control last night, but I didn’t really get to dig in until lunch today.
It was so freaking good! Lots of spicy Cajun flavor from the Andouille. I just wish (and this will come as no big surprise to anyone who’s been following this soup series) that it had more broth. It was definitely really chunky, and the beans absorbed almost all of the liquid. Still really tasty. I might add some water or chicken broth to the rest of the pot just because I don’t think it’ll water down the flavor at all!
Stay tuned for a fun little contest for Soup #10, and in the meantime, check out this Season of Soup post from goodhappyfit. It’s actually a little preview of what I’m making for Soup #9. Remember to keep tagging your soup recipes with #SeasonofSoup so I can share them here!
Keep on soupin’.
