Sausage White Bean Soup

Ingredients:

19 oz spicy Italian sausage (crumbled)
1 small onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tbsp fresh thyme (leaves only)
¼ tsp red pepper flakes (to taste)
2 medium carrots, sliced
15 oz cannellini beans (rinsed, drained)
4 cups chicken stock
5 oz fresh spinach
½ cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper (to taste)
Directions:

In a large pot, cook sausage, onion, garlic, Italian seasoning, thyme, and red pepper flakes over medium heat for 5 minutes until onions soften.
Add carrots and half the beans. Pour in chicken stock, stir, cover, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15-20 minutes until carrots are tender.
Add spinach and the remaining beans. Stir until spinach wilts.
For a creamier texture, blend or mash half the beans with some soup liquid before returning to the pot.
Stir in heavy cream, adjust consistency with stock or cream, and season with salt and pepper. Serve hot, garnished with fresh thyme.
Tip: Use 1 cup of cream for extra richness!