Tuscan Ribollita Italian bean and bread soup
Tuscan Ribollita is a traditional Italian bean and bread soup made with cannellini beans, kale, vegetables, and crusty day-old bread. This hearty Tuscan soup has a rich, rustic flavor and a thick, stew-like consistency. It's even better the next day when reheated, making it a comforting and satisfying meal.
Ingredients
- 4 Tbsp. olive oil
- 2 Tbsp. minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp. red pepper flakes
- 1 cup each chopped onion + celery+ carrots
- 1 cup white wine
- 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 8 cups vegetable or chicken stock
- 2 tsp. each dried thyme and oregano
- a few bay leaves
- parmesan rind
- 2 cups diced potatoes
- 2 15 ounce can drained and rinsed cannellini beans
- 1 bunch of kale de-ribbed and roughly chopped
- 4 cups stale Italian bread
- Parmesan cheese for serving
Instructions
- Sauté the aromatics. Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Sauté until softened and just beginning to brown.
- Cook the vegetables. Add the celery and carrots and continue to sauté until softened.
- Add the wine. Pour in the wine and cook until it has mostly evaporated and been absorbed by the vegetables.
- Build the soup. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, broth, thyme, oregano, bay leaves, and Parmesan rind. Bring the soup to a gentle simmer.
- Add the potatoes. Stir in the potatoes, cover the pot, and simmer until they are fork-tender about 10 minutes
- Blend part of the soup. Remove the Parmesan rind and bay leaves. Transfer 2 cups of the soup and 1 cup of the cannellini beans to a blender. Blend until smooth, then stir the purée back into the pot to thicken the soup.
- Add the remaining beans and kale. Stir in the remaining cannellini beans and kale. Simmer for another 10–15 minutes, until the kale is wilted and tender and the flavors have melded. Taste and adjust the salt and black pepper as needed.
- Serve. Tear or cut the day-old bread into bite-sized pieces and place a handful in the bottom of each serving bowl. Ladle the hot soup over the bread and finish with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Serve warm.
Notes
For the best texture, use day-old crusty Italian bread. Add the bread gradually until the soup reaches your preferred consistency. Ribollita thickens as it sits, so keep extra vegetable broth or water handy when reheating.