Spicy Bean Soup with Andouille Sausage

It was a pretty cold day outside, and snow was expected later in the evening. The weather forecasters were surprised that the snow started to fall in early afternoon. That morning, I had decided to make some bean soup. For a spicy twist to my usual bean soups, I added some andouille sausage. And so was born my Spicy Bean Soup with Andouille Sausage. Simple to make in a crockpot, and perfect as a hot dinner on a cold night.

Andouille sausage is a spicy sausage that is popular in the American South, particularly in the area of New Orleans, Louisiana. It’s a Cajun specialty mostly. And its spicy flavor really makes this soup.

This is a very easy soup to make. Put some chopped onion, sliced celery, canned black beans, canned black-eyed peas, frozen corn, chopped cabbage, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef broth, and water into a crock pot. Let that simmer for about 5 – 6 hours. Then saute some andouille sausages, slice, and add to the soup. Add some dried parsley and some salt to taste. Simmer another hour or so and serve!

This soup is very tasty and is pretty spicy depending on your selected andouille sausage. I prefer to use freshly made sausage, but you could also use pre-cooked sausage, just browning it and slicing before adding to the soup. And this soup is better the next day, so your leftovers (if there are any) will taste fantastic, too!

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From the kitchen of A Food Lover’s Delight….

Spicy Bean Soup with Andouille Sausage

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, sliced thinly
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
1 c frozen corn
2 c chopped green cabbage
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
3 c beef broth
3 c water
1 lb andouille sausages, whole, preferably freshly made from your grocer
1 T dried parsley
2 t salt
Fresh parsley sprigs for garnish

Method:

1. In a crockpot, combine all of the ingredients except the sausages, parsley, and salt.
2. Simmer the soup on high for 4 – 5 hours, stirring occasionally, and adding liquid if needed. If your crock pot tends to run hot, then you can lower the temperature halfway through the cooking process.
3. Saute the whole sausages in some oil in a skillet over medium low heat until browned on the outside and cooked in the middle.
4. Slice the sausages into 1/4 inch rounds, and add to the soup. Add the dried parsley and salt.
5. Simmer the soup for another hour, tasting to adjust seasonings. You may need to add more liquid if the soup thickens too much. Also, your crockpot may take more or less liquid, so take that into account and adjust accordingly.
6. Serve in soup bowls. Garnish with a sprig of fresh parsley.

Serves 4 – 6 people. Offer garlic bread or a hot crusty bread and a side salad for a hearty meal.

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