Sausage Bean & Pasta Stew (slowcooker)

• servings: 6-8
• active time: 10 min
• total time: 4/8 hours

Ingredients

1 onion, cut into ½-inch pieces

2 carrots, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

8 ounces dried white beans, such as cannellini, rinsed and picked over

6 to 8 sprigs fresh thyme, tied with a piece of kitchen twine

1 pound sweet or hot Italian sausage links (4 to 6 links)

One 14.5-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes

3 cups low-sodium chicken broth or stock

One 4 ounce chunk Parmesan rind, optional, plus grated Parmesan, for serving

½ cup ditalini pasta

2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Crusty bread, for serving

Directions

Spread the onions over the bottom of a 5 ½- to 6-quart slow cooker

Top with:

- carrots

- garlic

- white beans

- thyme bundle

- sausage links

Mix the diced tomatoes with the broth and 3 cups water and pour over the sausages. Add the Parmesan rind if using.

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High for 4 to 5 hours

OR

Low for 7 to 8 hours

(the beans will be tender and begin to fall apart)

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Uncover slow cooker, remove and discard the thyme bundle and Parmesan rind and transfer the sausage links to a cutting board.

Stir the pasta into the stew and continue to cook, covered, until the pasta is cooked throug

(~20 minutes)

Turn off heat

Cut the sausages into bite-size pieces and stir in

Add

- parsley

- vinegar

- Salt

- Pepper

Serve with grated Parmesan on the side for sprinkling on top and crusty bread for soaking up the broth.