Smoked Paprika Butter Beans and Sausage

Dice the onion and bell pepper. Mince the garlic. Slice the sausage into rounds or break it into chunks—your preference. Chop the parsley for finishing.

In a heavy Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add the sausage in a single layer. Let it brown undisturbed for 3-4 minutes per side until nicely caramelized. Remove the sausage to a plate and set aside.

Reduce heat to medium. Add the diced onion and bell pepper to the sausage drippings in the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-6 minutes until the vegetables soften and begin to caramelize.

Add the minced garlic, paprika, cayenne, black pepper, and thyme. Stir everything together and let the spices bloom in the heat for about 1 minute until fragrant.

Pour in the chicken broth and add the butter beans. Stir well to combine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.

Return the browned sausage to the pot. Bring everything to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until the beans are tender and the broth has thickened slightly.

Stir in the butter until it melts and incorporates into the sauce. Taste and adjust salt as needed.

Remove from heat and fold in the fresh parsley. Serve hot, with plenty of crusty bread to soak up that smoky, peppery broth.