This recipe falls happily under the category of “silencers,” which is to say that, my whole family gets very, very quiet when they’re eating it. There is zero noise going on, y’all. That alone is reason enough to partake, sure. But the fact that this Creamy Tuscan Ribollita with Sausage is also a one-pot, 30-minute meal that is VERY easy to make (an MKL staple), also really helps to make it one of my favorite things. Read on for a few quick things about this Tuscan classic or simply jump right ahead to the recipe itself.

Table of Contents

What is Ribollita?

A Ribollita is a Tuscan style soup made from vegetables, white beans, staled bread (Tuscan style, of course) and black Tuscan kale (cavolo negro). Similar to a Pappa al Pomodoro (that link is to my favorite very easy version), and a Panzanella salad, which also utilize day-old bread, this soup is a wonderful example of how to use up things you’ve got around. So, feel free to riff on my core recipe here, as you like.

What makes my Ribollita special?

For starters, I’ve added some not so subtle Italian sausage to the soup, which I tend to do pretty frequently. My family enjoys it, and my kids are more likely to eat their veggies if they are swimming in a garlicky, salty, creamy bath and buttressed by some tasty sausage. I suppose that might ring true for the rest of us, too. I dunno. There’s just nothing not to like about this.
Cream. I add just 1 cup of heavy cream to this because I’m smitten with the way it enriches the brothy soup, making it a little more decadent and decidedly more delicious. It just does. Half and half works fine too, fyi.
LOTS of dried herbs. Okay, so I’ve always got a ton of spices and dried herbs lurking in my spice drawer and recently I’ve started using them much more, in just about everything you can think of. Rather than like, a measly little teaspoon of the stuff, I’ve actually called for a heaping tablespoon of Italian seasoning in this ribollita recipe. It’s a massive pot of food, so believe me – it can take it.

What you’ll need to make this Creamy Tuscan Ribollita recipe

My ultimate version of a hearty Tuscan Ribollita soup comes with the added bonus of Italian sausage, lots of garlic and herbs, and a splash of cream for good measure. This version doesn’t have tomatoes, but a can of diced tomatoes with basil would be nice here, as well.

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon olive oil

¾ to 1 lb. mild or hot Italian sausage (removed from casings if in link form)

1 small sweet onion, diced

2 large carrots, thinly sliced

2 celery stalks, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

3 garlic cloves

Two, 14.5-ounce cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

9 ounces tuscan kale or baby spinach (amount can be to taste, roughly chopped if using kale)

½ to ¾ baguette, cut into small, bite-sized pieces (stale bread is best here!)

5 cups chicken stock

1 cup heavy cream

Salt and pepper to taste

How to make my Creamy Tuscan Ribollita with Sausage

One pot, chop and drop.

DIRECTIONS

Add the oil to a large, deep pot set over medium heat. Brown the sausage for about 5 minutes and then transfer to a plate/tray for now (will finish cooking later).

Keep the drippings in the pot and the heat still at medium, and add the onion, carrots, and celery. Season lightly with salt and pepper, and add the Italian seasoning. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 3 to 4 minutes, just until tender. Add the garlic and cook one minute more.

Add the beans, kale/spinach, baguette pieces, stock, and cream and let the soup simmer for at least 10 minutes (lid on!) so the flavors can marry a bit. Season again to taste, as needed.