White Bean Soup with Turkey Italian Sausage, Zucchini, and Basil

Ingredients

• 2 cups dried white beans
• 6 cups chicken stock, plus added water as needed
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• 1 tsp. dried marjoram
• 1 tsp. ground fennel
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 pkg. turkey Italian Sausage
• 2 cups diced zucchini
• Fresh ground black pepper
• 1 tsp. hot pepper flakes, or less if you don't like spicy foods
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

Directions

1. Cover the dried beans and soak them overnight, or leave them soaking during the day while you’re at work.
2. Pour off the soaking liquid, rinse the beans well, and pick out any loose skins or damaged bits.
3. Add the beans to a soup pot along with the chicken stock, onion, dried basil, dried marjoram or oregano, ground fennel, and garlic. Bring the pot to a gentle simmer and cook for about 1 hour, until the beans are beginning to soften. Dried beans can be unpredictable depending on age, even after soaking, so taste one to check.
4. As the beans simmer, heat the oven or toaster oven to 400F/200C. Roast the turkey sausage for about 25-35 minutes, until it is nicely browned and firm. Or, warm a small amount of oil in a frying pan and brown the sausage thoroughly on every side.
5. Take the sausage out of the roasting pan or frying pan. Add 1/2 cup water to the pan and loosen the browned bits from the bottom, then pour that flavorful liquid into the soup.
6. Slice each sausage in half the long way, then cut it crosswise into pieces and stir it into the soup.
7. Let the soup keep bubbling gently over low heat, adding a little water if it begins to look too thick.
8. Wash the zucchini, trim off both ends, halve it lengthwise, and cut it into 1/2 inch slices. When the beans have softened and are almost finished cooking, stir in the zucchini, black pepper, and hot pepper flakes. Simmer for another 30-45 minutes.
9. Once the beans are completely tender, stir in the chopped fresh basil or frozen basil and cook for 5 minutes longer.
10. Serve the soup hot.
11. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for several days, or freeze them for later.