Ingredients
- 16 ounces dried Great Northern beans
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 2 cups diced butternut squash
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 4 large cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- 4 bay leaves
- 4 sprigs thyme
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pound ground Italian sausage
- 4 cups baby kale leaves
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- Shaved Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Pour the dry beans into the base of a 6 quart slow cooker with the chicken broth, carrots, celery, onion, butternut squash, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook on low for 8 hours. Meanwhile, form the sausage into small meatballs and refrigerate until ready to cook.
- Take ½ cup of the soup broth and pour into a small bowl. Whisk in the tomato paste until smooth and then add back to the slow cooker. Add the baby kale and then the sausage meatballs and cook for 30-45 minutes or until the sausage is cooked through and the beans are tender. Adjust seasonings to taste.
- Serve with shaved parmesan cheese scattered on top.
