Slow Cooker White Bean and Chicken Sausage Soup with Fennel

7 steps

• Add chicken broth, diced tomatoes, and rinsed and drained cannellini beans to the slow cooker and turn on high for 3 hours. Be sure cover stays on throughout entire cooking cycle.
• Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet on medium heat and saute onions and sliced fresh fennel bulb for about 4 minutes.
• Add dried thyme, black pepper, 1 bay leaf, and dried rosemary to the onion mixture and saute for another 1 minute, stirring constantly to avoid burning the spices.
• Add onion and spice mixture to the slow cooker.
• If you are using sausage links, poke them a few times with a fork then place them on a microwave-safe plate with a cover. Microwave on high for 2 minutes, then flip links and microwave for another 2-3 minutes. Blot dry after cooking then dice, chop, or slice and put in slow cooker.
• About 10 minutes before the end of the cook cycle, add spinach to the slow cooker.
• At the end of the cook cycle, take out bay leaf then serve and enjoy.

Total yield = 8 cups
1 serving = 1 1/3 cups

Tips:
Garnished with freshly grated black pepper in recipe photo.

5 oz of packaged baby spinach = 4¾ cups of spinach

2 medium fennel bulbs = 2 cups sliced

You can choose to brown the sausage instead of microwaving. Use a nonstick skillet on medium-high heat and brown on one side for about 4-5 minutes then flip contents to brown on other side. You don't need to stir too often - the point is to brown the side touching the pan. Use a splatter screen if you have one.