Tuscan Ribollita
A classic Tuscan soup made with inexpensive vegetables, canned beans, and thickened with stale bread. This rich and satisfying dish is a great way to use up leftover bread and gets even better the next day.
Servings: 4 large servings (or 6 small)
Calories: 333kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil plus extra for drizzling on top
- 1 large onion, chopped (1 ½ cups)
- 2 carrots, peeled and chopped (¾ cup)
- 2 celery stalks, chopped (¾ cup)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ⅛ - ¼ teaspoon red chili flakes
- Salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 bunch (about 10 oz) Tuscan kale, chopped (stems and ribs removed)
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
- 4 cups low sodium vegetable or chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 parmesan rind*
- 1 can (15.5 oz) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups cubed, firm bread such as Tuscan bread, ciabatta, whole wheat or multigrain loaf
- Optional: grated parmesan cheese and olive oil for topping the soup
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a wide based pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic and chili flakes and cook 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until partially softened. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper.
- Add the tomato paste and cook another 1-2 minutes until darkened. Stir in the kale and cook until it starts to wilt, 3-4 minutes. Add the diced tomatoes, stock (or water), thyme, bay leaf and parmesan rind and raise the heat to bring to a simmer.
- Meanwhile, pour a few tablespoons of the cannellini beans into a small bowl along with a little of the cooking liquid, and mash them together with a fork to form a paste. Pour the paste into the soup along with the remaining whole beans. Stir to combine. The mashed beans will help to thicken the soup as it cooks.
- Simmer the soup with the lid slightly ajar, about 25 minutes until the vegetables are softened but still al dente. Stir in the bread and simmer another 4-5 minutes. The bread will start to dissolve into the soup and thicken it further. For a thicker porridge-like consistency, simmer the soup even longer until the bread breaks down almost completely.
- Before serving, remove the thyme sprigs, bay leaf and parmesan rind. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Spoon the ribollita into bowls and top with grated parmesan cheese and a drizzle of olive oil, if desired.
Notes
- *Don't skip the parmesan rind. Adding the rind from a block of parmesan cheese is a traditional Italian method of adding flavor to soup. It infuses the soup with deep, umami flavor and takes it to the next level! Remove the rind before serving.
- The next time you buy fresh parmesan cheese, save the rind, which is normally discarded. Wrap it in plastic wrap and store it in the freezer to use in dishes like this.
- Traditional Tuscan bread is classic in this dish but you can use any crusty bread or stale bread. Best results come from using stale bread rather than fresh.
- Adding some mashed white beans to the soup adds creaminess and helps thicken the soup.
- You can simmer the bread until it is mostly dissolved and the soup has a porridge-like consistency or simmer it for just a few minutes to leave some chunks for texture.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Ribollita is even better the next day!
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving (¼ of the recipe) | Calories: 333kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Sodium: 407mg | Potassium: 1388mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 12515IU | Vitamin C: 83mg | Calcium: 339mg | Iron: 6mg
