Portuguese Bean Soup Jalapeno Sausage
Living on the mainland can be difficult to find Hawaii ingredients. Portuguese sausage is what makes this soup, but I'm lucky to find a good substitute with Jalapeno sausage, it has a slower spicy burn and just as ono! I tweaked Mom's recipe with extra smoked ham hocks, tomato sauce and crushed tomatoes. I almost don't miss the Hawaiian chili peppers. Will need to stock up on Portuguese sausage next time for the freezer, grateful to find options in Texas, love my HEB!
This soup makes a lot and freezes well. It has just the right balance of vegetables to protein and carbs.
It's worth having this cook all day, just stir occasionally to keep the beans from sticking to the bottom and add more water if it gets too thick. A heavy cast iron pot helps to keep the heat for hours!
Ingredients
- 3 lbs. smoked ham hocks or 1.5 pound boneless
- 12 oz Portuguese sausage, hot or other spicy sausage like jalapeno
- 2 cups dried red kidney beans, pressure cooked
- 5 medium red potatoes, chopped about 2 pounds
- 2 large round onion, chopped
- 3 stalks of celery chopped
- 3 carrots, diced
- 3 - 4 T garlic minced
- 1 small head cabbage, chopped
- 16 oz tomato sauce
- 16 oz crushed tomatoes
- 6 T Worcestershire sauce
- 2 C uncooked elbow macaroni
- 2 t sea salt
- Hawaiian chili pepper, if you're lucky to have :-)
Directions
- Place beans and ham hock in large pot and add water to cover
- Bring water to boil then lower to medium about 2 hours until meat is tender
- While the ham hocks are simmering prepare the sausage and veg
- Brown sausage over med high heat, set aside
- Sautee onions, celery, carrots to soften over medium heat, about 5 minutes, set aside.
- Add garlic, tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce and salt
4. Bring to boil for a few minutes and then lower to simmer for 1-2 hours
5. An hour before serving, add macaroni, potatoes and head cabbage
6. Add 2 Hawaiian Chili Peppers, crushed if more heat is needed