White Bean And Sausage Soup

• 1 pound navy or great northern beans (I prefer navy), soaked overnight
• 1 large onion, diced small
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cans diced tomatos
• 1 pound smoked sausage, or fresh hot Italian sausage
• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped basil
• 1 tablespoon fresh minced thyme
• 2 tablespoons fresh minced oregano
• salt and black pepper

1. If using fresh Italian sausage, remove it from the casings and brown it, breaking up big chunks. Drain and set aside.
2. Cook diced onion and carrots in olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat, until onions are soft and translucent. Add garlic. Cook another minute or so, until fragrant. If using smoked sausage, slice it in 1/4 inch slices and add it to skillet to brown slightly.
3. Add tomatos, meat (if using the Italian sausage), and beans, and enough water to cover surface of beans by about 2 inches. Stir in oregano and thyme.
4. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low; cover and simmer for about an hour. Add more water if needed. Test and add salt and black pepper if needed.
5. Stir in chopped basil, and cook for another 10 minutes. Serve with a good, crusty Italian bread.

beans, onion, garlic, carrots, olive oil, tomatos, sausage, basil, thyme, oregano, salt

Taken from food52.com/recipes/11843-white-bean-and-sausage-soup (may not work)