Italian Sausage White Bean Soup in 45 Minutes

Instructions:

1. Heat olive oil in a 6-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the Italian sausage and break into bite-sized chunks. Cook for 6-8 minutes until deeply browned and crispy. Note: This crust is where 50% of your flavor lives.
2. Lower the heat to medium and add the diced onion, carrots, and celery to the pot. Sauté for 5 minutes until the onion is translucent and soft. The moisture from the vegetables will start to loosen the browned bits from the sausage.
3. Stir in the minced garlic, dried oregano, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.
4. Pour in 1 cup of the 6 cups chicken bone broth. Use your wooden spoon to scrape every last bit of fond from the bottom. Scrape until the bottom of the pot is clean.
5. Add the remaining chicken bone broth, the 2 cans of rinsed cannellini beans, the Parmesan rind, and the bay leaf. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil.
6. Once boiling, take your wooden spoon and mash about 1/2 cup of the beans against the side of the pot. Stir the mashed beans back into the liquid. Note: This creates a naturally creamy consistency without adding dairy.
7. Reduce the heat to low. Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes. This allows the flavors to meld and the Parmesan rind to soften and release its oils.
8. Remove and discard the Parmesan rind and the bay leaf. Stir in the 5 oz of baby spinach. Cook for 1-2 minutes until the leaves are wilted and bright green.
9. Stir in the 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice. Taste the soup. Add kosher salt and black pepper as needed. The amount of salt will depend on how salty your broth and sausage were.
10. Ladle the hot soup into bowls. Top with a generous dusting of Parmigiano Reggiano and a crack of black pepper. Serve immediately while the cheese is just beginning to melt into the broth.