White Bean and Sage Sausage Gratin Recipe

White Bean and Sage Sausage Gratin Recipe:

4 cups of pre-cooked white beans (I use Great Northern beans)

2 cups homemade chicken broth

1 onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, pressed

1 1/2 tsp dried sage leaves or 1 Tbl finely chopped fresh sage leaves

2 bay leaves

1 Tbl sea salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp ground rosemary

1 Tbl lemon zest

2 Tbl olive oil or bacon grease

1 cup homemade Italian bread crumbs

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

sage breakfast sausage, slice links

1. In a medium pot or dutch oven, heat oil or bacon grease and saute chopped onion until just tender, then add garlic saute another two minutes.

2. Add cooked beans, chicken broth and all spices. Add water until bean mixture is covered, stir, bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes, blending flavors. 

3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. 

4. Fish out the bay leaves, then blend half the bean mixture, adding water if you need to get it to blend. Return blended bean mixture to the pot with the other beans. If it looks dry, add water until it looks nice and moist and liquidy. The water will soak up as it cooks or sits.

5. Pour beans into a 3 quart casserole or gratin dish. Sprinkle with 1 cup of Italian bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, sliced sausage links. 

6. Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly and top is browned.

You could easily make this recipe dairy free or vegetarian. The picture above is without sausage but my family of meat eaters liked it better when I added the sausage and Parmesan. This makes a great side dish or main dish. It kind of reminds me of a hearty stuffing. It is easy to double and freezes well uncooked. 

Enjoy, Jackie