One-Pot Wonder: Hearty sausage, bean and Swiss chard soup in 30 minutes

It’s finally getting cooler, and that means it’s time for your favorite soup. What if I said this soup tastes amazing, is filling (it’s a meal on its own) and can be on the table in 30 minutes? If I were you, I’d take that as a signal to run to the grocery store for the ingredients.

This is a great recipe because the sausage adds the majority of the flavor to the dish. If you include spicy Italian sausage like I did, you’ll definitely be able to taste the flavor in this soup. The beans add heft, and the Swiss chard color, iron and fiber. (You can easily swap in another leafy green, like spinach, if you prefer it over Swiss chard.)

This is the perfect soup to make as the cooler temps begin to head our way. Serve it with your favorite crunchy, Italian-style bread.

Sausage, cannellini and Swiss chard soup

Serves 6

Prep time: 5 minutes | Cook time: 18-25 minutes | Total time: 23-30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 spicy Italian sausage links, cut into pieces
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 cup onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 2 cups water
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 (15.5 ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 2-3 cups Swiss chard, packed leaves cut into 4-inch pieces, stems/spine diced
• Grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish (optional)
• Crunchy Italian-style bread, to serve on the side (optional)

Directions:

1. To a large pot over medium heat, add the sausage, and cook until browned and cooked through. Remove from the pot, and wipe the pot clean. Set aside the sausage.
2. Add the olive oil to the pot over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the onion and diced Swiss chard stems. Cook for about 3 minutes or until they begin to soften. Add the garlic, and cook for 30 seconds, stirring.
3. Add the vegetable broth and water to the pan, along with the beans, salt and black pepper. Increase the heat to high, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to simmer, and add the sausage. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes, adding the Swiss chard leaves to the pot with about 5 minutes of cooking time left. Stir occasionally as it cooks.
4. Remove from the heat, and serve immediately, garnished with grated Parmesan cheese and crunchy bread.

More One-Pot Wonder recipes

One-pot panang curry with chicken
One-pot chicken and barley soup with spinach and pancetta
Vegan wheat berry and black bean chili