Navy Beans and Sausage

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours

This is a hearty dish that makes a wonderful meal on a chilly fall day. I love adding a little cheddar cheese and spring onions to top it off. This dish is so good with a side of crusty garlic or french bread, broccoli topped with a drizzle of Italian dressing and iced tea with a hint of peach.

Here's what you'll need:

• 14 oz. Kielbasa sausage
• 1 lb. dry navy beans
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 4 cups water
• 1 small white onion
• 2 Roma tomatoes
• 2 cups of fresh spinach
• 1 - 2 jalapeno peppers (depending on your heat preference)
• 2 spring onions
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
• Cheddar cheese (optional)

 

Start by soaking the beans in 6-8 quarts of water for a minimum of 8 hours. I usually place the dry beans in a large plastic container and let them soak on the counter overnight. The beans will puff up as they absorb the water.

Chop the vegetables and sausage and set aside. Rinse and drain the beans thoroughly.

In a 4-quart sauce pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat and saute the onions until they become translucent (approximately 4 -5 minutes).

Add the sausage to the pan and continue cooking the onions and the sausage until the sausage begins to brown (approximately 7 minutes).

Add the chicken broth, water, peppers, tomatoes, garlic powder and Italian seasoning to the pan.

Cover and continue cooking on medium heat for 2 hours. Add the chopped spinach to the pan 20 minutes before the beans are finished cooking.

Top with cheddar cheese (if desired) and the spring onions.

I hope you enjoy this dish as much as I did!