Tuscan White Bean and Sausage Dip
A deliciously savory dip that combines sweet and hot Italian sausages with white beans, two cheeses, rosemary and cream.
Ingredients
- 30 oz canned white beans Two-15 oz cans; Great Northern, Cannellini, etc); drained and rinsed
- 1 tsp fresh lemon juice (about ½ a lemon)
- 1½ tsp ground dried rosemary
- ⅛ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp garlic (about 2 plump cloves); minced/grated
- 8 oz Italian Sausage links (4 links); casings removed
- ¾ cup cream half/half works too; +/- to desired consistency
- ¾ cup Parmesan cheese grated
- ½ cup mozzarella cheese grated
- ¼ tsp black pepper +/- to taste
- ⅛ tsp Salt +/- to taste
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley (optional); chopped
Options for Serving
- baguette sliced (fresh or as crostini)
- pita chips naan works well too
- vegetable platter
Instructions
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In a blender, puree one can of beans, lemon juice, rosemary, olive oil and garlic until smooth--this can be done by hand using a potato masher, but it will be slightly chunkier.
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In a large skillet, cook the Italian sausage; drain the renderings.
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Add one can of the rinsed/drained beans to the skillet, mix well breaking the beans but not fully mashing them.
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Add the bean puree, the cream, and the cheeses to the skillet. Cook over medium heat until the cheese has melted.
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If needed, add more cream to reach the desired consistency; add the pepper; add salt and parsley, if using.
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Keep warm during the serving process, as it will thicken as it cools.
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Serve and enjoy.
Recipe Notes
Tuscan White Bean Dip in the Slow Cooker
Sear the sausage to get a nice color on it, but it doesn't need to be cooked completely through, the slow cooker will do that.
Prepare the beans as directed by mashing some either by hand or in a blender/food processor.
Add all the ingredients to the slow cooker except the salt, pepper, and parsley. Stir well to combine.
Cover and cook on HIGH for 2 hours or on LOW for 3.
When done, stir, taste for seasonings and add the salt/pepper. Add additional cream if desired.
Turn to keep warm for serving directly from the slow cooker.