Spicy Butter Bean and Sausage Soup

The weather calls for soup and comfort food, and by jove I will give it what it wants. I have beans in all forms in my kitchen, canned, dried, frozen, fresh, I don't know, can't seem to get away from them. Maybe it's just something in my psyche from when I was vegan. But they are so useful, to bulk out a dish, adding texture and flavour, not to mention their amazing nutritional profile. The recipe I'm sharing today is simple, nutritious and the whole family can enjoy it - goes well with homemade artisan bread.

• 1 x 400g chopped tinned tomatoes
• 1 x 400g tinned butter beans (drained and rinsed)
• 500ml vegetable stock
• 100g - 125g chorizo sausage chopped in small cubes
• 1/2 red chilli pepper - finely chopped (take seeds out to reduce heat)
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 small onion - finely diced 
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme leaves - discard the main woody stem
• *1 teaspoon sugar (optional, depends how tart your tinned tomatoes are)
• *salt and pepper to taste after cooking

1. Add the oil a clean deep soup pan and fry off the onion and chilli pepper 1 - 2 minutes, add the the chorizo cubes and stir fry for 3 minutes on low heat.
2. Add the chopped tomatoes and juice and the drained beans stir well, add the thyme, sugar and vegetable stock.
3. Cook over medium heat for 20 minutes.
4. After 20 minutes, take out 2 scant ladle full and blitz in a blender till smooth and creamy.
5. Add this back to the main pan of soup and continue to cook for a further 5 minutes.

Labels: dairy free, Gluten free, Nut free, Pantry Throw-down, Recipe List, Soup