Creamy Bean Soup with Kielbasa: A Comforting Delight

Ingredients

• 1 pound kielbasa, sliced into rounds
• 2 cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 medium carrots, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• to taste salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• for garnish fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions

1. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for about 5-7 minutes until the vegetables are softened.
2. Add the minced garlic and sliced kielbasa to the pot. Cook for an additional 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the kielbasa is slightly browned.
3. Stir in the thyme, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Mix well to incorporate the seasonings.
4. Add the rinsed cannellini beans and vegetable broth to the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for about 20 minutes.
5. After simmering, use an immersion blender to blend the soup until creamy but still with some texture. (If you don’t have an immersion blender, transfer half of the soup to a regular blender, blend until smooth, and return it to the pot.)
6. Stir in the heavy cream and let the soup simmer for another 5 minutes to heat through.
7. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.