White Beans with Tomato and Sausage

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 about 8 oz. links Italian Sausage
• 1 medium onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 can crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• Pinch red pepper flakes, optional
• Freshly cracked black pepper
• 2 15 oz. cans Great Northern beans
• 4 oz. frozen chopped spinach
• Salt to taste

Directions

1. Warm the olive oil in a large pot over medium-low heat, then add the sausage links. Cook until the outsides are browned and the links feel a little firmer, about 5 minutes. Transfer the sausage to a cutting board, cut it into rounds, and put the slices back in the pot.
2. Keep cooking the sliced sausage until it is browned all the way around. As it cooks, dice the onion and mince the garlic. Add both to the pot and sauté until the onion turns soft and translucent. As the onion releases moisture, it should help lift the browned sausage bits from the bottom.
3. When the onion has softened, stir in the crushed tomatoes, dried basil, oregano, red pepper flakes, and plenty of freshly cracked pepper, about 15-20 cranks of a pepper mill. Mix everything together.
4. Pour the 2 cans of Great Northern beans into a colander, rinse them with cool water, and shake off the extra liquid. Add the beans to the pot with the frozen chopped spinach, still frozen. Stir, then let the mixture warm through, stirring now and then, about 10 minutes. Taste and season with salt if it needs it, about 1/4-1/2 tsp. For a thicker pot, simmer a bit longer so the sauce can reduce. Serve hot with crusty bread for dipping.