BLACK BEANS & SAUSAGE

When this link for “Quick Budget Friendly Recipes” showed up on my Facebook feed, I knew it was one worth saving.

On Monday the girls and I made Martha’s Black Beans and Sausage Skillet Dish, and it delivered as promised.  Great flavors, with relative ease and low expense to prepare.

I did make a few adjustments to the original recipe – substituting one-12.8 ounce package of Trader Joe’s Smoked Andouille Sausage for Martha’s 1 pound of Polish kielbasa, and quadrupling the ingredients to serve 16.

We browned most of the ingredients in batches in skillets and then transferred everything to a large stock pot to combine the caramelized flavors with the broth and beans.  Our finished dish came out more like a thick, rich soup than a skillet meal – requiring bowls and spoons to enjoy it.  But it was deeply satisfying.

A fantastic, low budget dinner for 16, prepared in one hour.

Enjoy!

BLACK BEANS AND SAUSAGE, serves 4

ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1-12.8 ounce package of andouille sausage, sliced into 1/2 inch coins (You can substitute any smoked sausage that you prefer in this soup. Please note that andouille sausage is spicy.)
• 3 medium carrots, diced small
• 2 shallots, diced small
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cans (15.5 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus more for serving
• 1/4 cup plain yogurt, for serving (I prefer whole fat Greek yogurt. You get more flavor with a smaller serving.)

directions

• In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add sausage and cook until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Add carrots and shallots to skillet and cook until beginning to soften, about 4 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add black beans and broth and bring mixture to a boil. Add sausage, reduce heat to a rapid simmer, and cook until carrots are tender, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in parsley. Serve with more parsley and a dollop of yogurt.
• That’s it.  It really is that simple.
• If you double, triple or quadruple this recipe for a crowd.  Brown the sausage, carrots, shallots, and garlic in batches.  And then transfer to a large stock pot to combine with beans and broth.  Bring to a boil and then simmer for 12 minutes.

Enjoy!