Slow-Cooker White Bean-Kielbasa Soup with Spinach

White Bean-Kielbasa Soup with Spinach

April is a cool month in Wisconsin with long twilights redolent with fresh earth and woodsmoke. We come inside from yard and garden chores, seeking warmth and a satisfying meal. It's not yet time for picnic fare, or even grilling: We've worked up an appetite for something a bit heartier.

This tasty soup, from Kalyn at Kalyn's Kitchen fills the bill - and the tummy.


I had all the ingredients on hand, and it was an opportunity for me to use up the better part of a bag of Great Northern Beans.

Because I know how long it takes for this particular bean to become tender, I soaked the beans in water overnight. (Next time, I'll use Navy Beans.) Otherwise, I followed instructions to the proverbial T. Great Northern Beans are a bit stubborn, so the entire meal remained in the slow cooker a bit longer than Kalyn's recipe recommends.

It was worth the wait! And it felt very healthy, too. I love soup with kielbasa, but usually add cabbage. Spinach was a nice change.