Tuscan Bean Soup with Sausage and Cabbage

The Tuscan bean soup is a quick and easy chunky soup which is very straightforward. In Italy where it is thickened it becomes as a ribollito.  Forget smooth and clear because it’s all about nice large juicy pieces. It helps to add cabbage leaves such as cavolo nero, curly kale and savoy cabbage.

The whole soup relies to a great extent on the flavour and texture of tomato which lends a particular umami note. I like to try, as in the making of a tomato sauce, a cooking which turns the soup slightly more viscous than it should be. I also add parmesan pieces and rinds which add additional layers of salty flavour. It feels as if this what an Italian nonna would do.

If you want, you can add a couple of broken up pork sausages too which adds another dimension to this hearty feast. With the kale this becomes a Tuscan bean soup with sausage and kale (cabbage). 

Preparation time: 40 minutes

6-8 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp/50ml olive oil
• 25g butter
• 2 large onions, peeled, sliced or roughly chopped
• 3-4 garlic cloves, peeled, sliced or crushed
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 celery sticks (1½ cups), roughly chopped and diced
• 3 – 4 large carrots (just over 1 cup), peeled, roughly chopped and diced
• 5 fresh thyme sprigs, leaves picked
• 4 fresh rosemary sprigs, leaves picked and chopped
• ½ tsp crushed chili or 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
• 2 litres good quality vegetable stock, hot
• 400g tin cannellini beans, drained and  then rinsed
• 2 x 400g tins flageolet beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 small savoy cabbage, cavolo nero or other coarse cabbage, remove the thick stem, finely sliced
• a large handful of Parmesan cheese including the rind
• 2 broken up spicy sausages without the skin.
• Use crusty bread such as a French loaf or even sourdough to soak up the soup drippings.

Preparation:

1. In a large saucepan, Dutch oven or stockpot, heat the oil and butter on a medium heat until there is a slight oily shimmer.
2. If you add the sausages, just make small balls and fry in the oil beforehand – this is an optional part though.
3. Add the onions, garlic, bay leaves, chili and celery. Sauté and sweat gently for 5 minutes until they soften.
4. Add the carrots, garlic, herbs and paprika. Cook, stirring, for 10 minutes more until the carrots begin to soften.
5. Add the tomatoes and stock, bring to a simmer, then add the beans, cheese rinds and any cheese and cabbage. Simmer for 20 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
6. Keep simmering until the soup has thickened slightly. Take out the cheese rinds and bay leaves.
7. Pour half into freezer bags, cool, then seal and freeze for up to 6 months. Defrost in the microwave, or put the frozen soup in the pan and reheat. Spoon the other half into 4 bowls, then serve with a dollop of pesto and crusty bread.