Description
Ribollita is a traditional Tuscan vegetable and bread soup that is hearty, comforting, and packed with healthy ingredients like kale, cannellini beans, and tomatoes. This rustic soup is perfect for chilly days, featuring slow-cooked vegetables, flavorful broth, and day-old bread to create a thick, satisfying stew. It’s topped with Parmesan cheese and fresh herbs for an authentic Italian finish.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables & Aromatics
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
- 4 medium carrots, peeled and diced
- 3 stalks celery, diced
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, plus more for serving
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- Kosher salt
Liquids & Canned Goods
- 1 (28-oz) can diced tomatoes
- 2 cups vegetable stock or chicken stock
- 1 small Parmesan rind (optional)
- 1 (15-oz) can cannellini beans, drained but not rinsed
Greens & Bread
- 1 bunch Lacinato kale, stemmed and chopped into 1” pieces (about 8 cups)
- 5 cups torn or cubed day-old bread (crusts removed)
Garnishes
- Grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish
- Chopped fresh parsley or basil leaves, for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the aromatics and vegetables: In a Dutch oven or large heavy-bottomed pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced carrots, celery, onion, minced garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, and 2 teaspoons kosher salt. Strip the leaves from the fresh rosemary sprig and add them to the pot. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are very soft and fragrant, about 20 to 25 minutes.
- Simmer with tomatoes and stock: Add the canned diced tomatoes, vegetable or chicken stock, and the Parmesan rind if using. Stir to combine, then simmer the mixture, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes become slightly jammier and the liquid reduces somewhat, approximately 15 minutes.
- Add beans, kale, and bread: Stir in the drained cannellini beans and the chopped kale. Continue simmering until the kale is very soft, about 10 to 15 minutes. Then add the torn or cubed day-old bread and cook until the bread breaks down and thickens the soup, about 10 minutes more. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt or pepper as needed.
- Serve the Ribollita: To serve immediately, ladle the soup into bowls and top with grated Parmesan cheese, a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, chopped fresh parsley or basil, and more crushed red pepper flakes if desired.
- Make ahead and reheat: To prepare in advance, let the soup cool completely in the pot, then refrigerate for up to 3 days. When ready to eat, reheat the soup over medium heat. If it thickens too much after refrigeration, add a splash of water or stock to loosen it before serving.
Notes
- Using day-old or stale bread is traditional and helps thicken the soup properly, but fresh bread can work if torn into smaller pieces.
- The Parmesan rind adds depth of flavor but is optional; omit for a vegetarian or vegan version.
- For a vegan version, use vegetable stock and omit the Parmesan cheese garnish.
- Adjust crushed red pepper flakes to your heat preference or omit for milder flavor.
- Leftovers taste even better the next day as the flavors meld and the soup thickens.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 11 g
- Cholesterol: 5 mg
