Roasted Garlic White Bean Soup.

As I’m sitting at home on this icy-cold snow day, I could not think of a better time to be sharing this recipe — a rich and hearty soup, chock-full of vegetables and a warm, flavorful broth. I’m still kind of baby when it comes to eating a lot of vegetables — it’s not that  I don’t like them, it’s just that pasta and chocolate and cheese are SO much tastier. So I’ve been attempting to sneak them into dishes (and let’s be honest — covering them with cheese does help — this recipe has both!). Sausage and white beans make the soup filling enough to have it as a dinner, the roasted garlic gives it tons of flavor, and the secret ingredient gives the broth a little extra oomph: a parmesan rind that breaks down partially as it simmers. Full recipe below:

Ingredients:

• 2 Bulbs of Garlic
• Olive Oil
• 1 Yellow Onion
• 1 Large Shallot
• 1 lb Sweet Italian Sausage (casing removed)
• 5 oz Bag of Fresh Spinach
• 2 cans of White Beans
• 2 cups of Carrots (diced)
• 4 cups of Chicken Stock
• Parmesan Cheese Rind

Instructions:

• Slice the top of each bulb of garlic off and drizzle with olive oil. Wrap the bulbs in foil and place in the oven at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until the garlic cloves become soft and caramelized. Remove cloves from bulb once cooled.
• Dice onion and shallot and add to a large dutch oven or stock pot with a drizzle of olive oil. As they begin to soften, add sausage and begin to brown, breaking up into smaller pieces as it cooks.
• Once sausage is browned, add spinach to the mixture and mix in to wilt.
• Add white beans, carrots, roasted garlic, chicken stock and parmesan rind to the pot and bring to a slow-boil for 10 minutes.
• Reduce soup and simmer for an hour; remove what remains of the parmesan rind.
• Serve hot with fresh grated parmesan cheese and a side of crusty bread — enjoy!