Broccoli Rabe And Sausage Soup

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 pound Italian sausage – casings removed
• 1 cup yellow onion – finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic – minced
• 0.25 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 0.5 tsp fennel seed – lightly crushed
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 piece Parmesan rind – 2-inch piece
• 1 pound broccoli rabe – trimmed, cut into 2-inch pieces (separate stems and leaves)
• 15 ounces cannellini beans – drained, rinsed
• 1 tsp kosher salt – plus more to taste
• 0.5 tsp black pepper – freshly ground, plus more to taste
• Pecorino Romano – finely grated (for serving)
• crusty bread – for serving

Instructions

1. Wash the broccoli rabe, trim tough stem ends, and cut into 2-inch pieces, keeping thicker stems separate from the leafy tops. Finely chop the onion, mince the garlic, and drain and rinse the cannellini beans.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the Italian sausage and cook, breaking it into bite-size pieces, until browned and cooked through, 6–8 minutes; spoon off excess fat if needed.
3. Add the onion and cook, stirring and scraping up browned bits, until translucent and tender, 5–7 minutes.
4. Stir in the garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, and fennel seed and cook until fragrant, 30–60 seconds.
5. Pour in the chicken broth and add the bay leaf and Parmesan rind. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a lively simmer.
6. Add the broccoli rabe stems and simmer 3 minutes. Stir in the broccoli rabe leaves and the cannellini beans; simmer until the greens are tender but still bright, 8–10 minutes.
7. Season with the kosher salt and black pepper to taste. Remove and discard the bay leaf and Parmesan rind.
8. Ladle into warm bowls, sprinkle with Pecorino Romano, and serve hot with crusty bread.