I so cherish conversations with my grandmother. I sometimes call her when I am in the kitchen and deciding what to prepare for dinner. She recently shared with me her recipe for Cabbage and White Bean Soup. Boy, is it tasty! Here is how you make it.
First, grab a large pot. As you prep each of the ingredients, simply toss them in.
Start with a fresh head of cabbage. My grandmother always encouraged me to look for one with its outer dark green leaves still in tack because they contain more nutrients.
For easier prep, remove the outer leaves. With a large knife, cut the head of cabbage in half starting at the core.
Cut the halves into quarters and remove the core. Then slice into strips.
It may be helpful to toss the cut cabbage into a large bowl to keep your prep area nice and tidy,
or toss it directly into the pot. Don’t forget the nutritious outer leaves.
On a large cutting board, finely dice a whole onion and pile it on top of the cabbage.
Then, dice a whole turkey sausage link and toss it in.
Next, add two cans of tomatoes. My grandmother told me that she likes the flavor of the canned Mexican tomatoes, so those are what I used. I really like the flavor too.
Add a can of white beans (I used Cannellini).
The final step is to pour in 2 cups of water, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
On medium-high heat, bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the cabbage reaches your desired tenderness.
If you like it spicy, open a jar of pickled jalapeños and dice a few. I added about 2 teaspoons (or was it 2 tablespoons)? For more flavor, pour in 1-2 teaspoons of the liquid from the jar.
Serve and enjoy!
