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Well, aren’t you glad it’s time for a little Italian?
Cause um, I SO am.
Gnocchi with ragu? Yes, please.
Am I totally annoying you now? SORRY. I have kind of been in this mood lately where I am saying weird things and acting all funny. My random texts are even better. Pretty sure my brother thinks I am going through an early twenty’s life crisis.
Pretty sure I just really like messing with him. I think it may be all these paint fumes, they are starting to get to my brain. UGH. Workers need to be done working already. Yes, yes, yes!!
See, what I mean? It’s all just getting to me. Like my mind needs a little time without hammers and saws and paint smells. Soon though…or hopefully soon!!
Ok, so now that we have all officially witnessed my craziness let’s talk about some Italian goodness! This crockpot Tuscan sausage and white bean ragu with buttered gnocchi is definitely going to make your favorites list.
Honestly, I do not know why on earth I don’t make more dishes like this. Ragu sauces are just so good, and a giant bowl of buttered gnocchi can almost NEVER be beat. It’s incredibly cozy and delicious.
Oh and SO easy!! You do not even need to brown the sausage before adding it the crockpot. Yes, I am serious, and I promise you will not end up with a clump of sausage because instead of browning the meat, I rolled the sausage into tiny little meatballs. I do this a lot with sausage, especially when I make another recipe we all simply call Penne. Normally I would recommend browning the meat first, it just gives the meat a great caramelization, but in this case, adding the meat directly to the crockpot adds so much flavor to the sauce because all the juices drip off directly into the ragu.
Also, I totally just did not want to dirty a pan, and even worse – dirty up my new stove! What? Well, it was cold and snowing, and I believe it was also a Saturday, I just wanted to toss everything in, forget about it and go back to sleep…gosh I love cozy winter days.
Double also, I have to say a huge thank you to everyone who left a comment on my Sunday post. I have slowly been working my way through each comment and trying to respond to everyone. Sorry if you have yet to receive a response, the way my comments work is pretty wacko and it’s hard to keep track of where I left off. Anyway, I just wanted to say THANK YOU to everyone, in case I missed ya. Your kind words and your tips all put a big smile on my face.
I feel a whole lot less embarrassed now, just excited to slowly make this place my own and show you guys what I come up with along the way! So thanks again!
Anyway, this ragu is perfect for a busy weekday or even a casual Saturday night of entertaining. I would definitely grab some extra crusty bread to mop up all that extra sauce. I’d also load up on the parmesan because, well that’s just me lovin’ my cheese, and hey, it’s winter and cheese just makes a dish that much cozier.
And even though I love gnocchi and highly recommend you use it, you can also use pasta. I think the gnocchi is spot on perfect here, but if you’re not a big gnocchi fan, like my dad (are you guys crazy?!?), or you just don’t have gnocchi on hand, any cut of pasta, or even a creamy polenta (YUM!), would work awesome.
Crockpot Tuscan Sausage and White Bean Ragu with Buttered Gnocchi.
Ingredients
- 1/2 of a sweet onion, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- 2 (28 ounce) cans whole san marzano tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/2 cup red wine
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 leaves bay
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and pepper
- 1 pound ground spicy Italian sausage
- 1 bunch Tuscan kale, roughly chopped
- 3 cups cooked white beans
- 1 pound gnocchi
- 2 tablespoons butter
- fresh basil and parmesan cheese, for topping
Instructions
- Using your hands, crush the tomatoes over the bowl of a 4-8 quart crockpot. Add the onion, garlic, tomato paste, red wine, dried basil, dried oregano, bay leaves, salt and pepper. Give everything a good stir.
- Now grab the sausage and roll it into very tiny, bite size balls, adding the to the crockpot as you go. The smaller you can roll the balls, the better. Gently stir the sausage into the sauce. Cover the crockpot and cook on low for 6-8 hours. 30 minutes before serving, stir in the kale and white beans. Crank the heat up to high, cover and cook another 20-30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook the gnocchi according to package directions and then toss with 2 tablespoons butter and a little fresh basil + parmesan.
- To serve, divide the gnocchi among plates or bowls. Top with the ragu and then garnish with basil and parmesan. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
Just promise me one thing. You will not, for any reason, skimp on the parmesan. K? GOOD. Now let’s make some ragu!
Looking forward to making this! I don’t eat pork, do you have a recommendation for the ground Italian sausage? Thanks:)
Hey Melissa,
Thanks so much! You could use a turkey sausage, that will work nicely for you! Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
Hi, I love the sound of the recipe, but, can you do this in the oven in a cast iron pot with tight fitting lid?
I don’t have a crock pot.
Hey John,
Totally, that will work nicely for you! Please let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xT
Hi Teigen, I am having trouble with the website. It glitches and crashes. I have high speed internet. My daughter and friend doesn’t have trouble with this. Any idea
Hi Robbin! Oh no I’m so sorry about that! Have you tried relaunching your browser? xT
Is there a reason you don’t have the beans cook along with the other ingredients?
Hi Joni,
I just had better results cooking them on the side, I find they get mushy in the crockpot. Let me know if you give this recipe a try! xx
I have several of your cookbooks and follow you on Instagram – love your ideas – very creative and your recipes are always very flavorful. Of the many I have made, this recipe is one of the easiest to throw together. I made as written and it was excellent – thank you! As others have said, there is a lot of sauce, perfect for leftovers or for anyone who prefers a pasta instead of gnocchi!
Hey Larissa,
Happy Wednesday! I really appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your review, so glad it was a winner! 🤩
Can I make this in the crockpot on high to cut time? How long if so?
Hi Christian,
Sure, I would do 3-4 hours on high in the crockpot! I hope you love this recipe! xTieghan
I just made this recipe in the instant pot and it turned out fantastic. I cooked it for 10 minutes at high pressure and it was perfectly cooked. I hope this helps out.
Hey Leim,
Awesome!! Thanks for giving the recipe a try, I love to hear that it was a hit!! xxT
Loved this! I used double the amount of gnocchi ? and spinach instead of kale. Of course added lots of cheese too!
Hey Delaney,
Awesome!! Love to hear this recipe was a winner, thanks for making it. Have the best week:) xT
The recipe was easy and yummy. The proportion of gnocchi to ragu is way off. You will need at least 3 lbs of gnocchi for this amount of ragu. I also found the ragu to be watery. I would suggest draining some of the juice from the canned tomatoes or boiling for awhile after cooking.
Hey Stephanie,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try and sharing your feedback, love to hear that it was enjoyed! xTieghan
Yep! I’ve made this one, and it’s another delicious recipe from HBH. I loved the addition of the white beans. The whole family enjoyed this one. Make it!
Hey there,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled it was a hit! Happy New Year! xTieghan