Ribollita
Tuscan bread, bean & vegetable soup
Bread thickens a Tuscan soup of cannellini beans, kale and vegetables into a soft, substantial bowl finished with olive oil.
Beans & vegetables in a rustic Tuscan soupBeans, greens,
bread to bring them together.
Ribollita combines beans, vegetables and bread in a thick Tuscan soup. Cavolo nero, the dark leafy kale often called Tuscan kale, gives it an earthy flavor. Part of the beans is mashed into the liquid, while the bread absorbs enough broth to become soft rather than remain a crisp topping.
The name means reboiled, a reminder that the soup is reheated after the bread has had time to soak. Recipes differ from kitchen to kitchen. This home version starts with cooked cannellini beans and includes a short standing period before its final heating, rather than requiring an overnight wait.
Explore by food: Bread, pizza & street food · Soups · Vegetables & cheese
Let’s make ribollita.
Cooked beans shorten the preparation; the bread still has time to absorb the soup.
Four substantial bowls; starts with cooked beans.
What you’ll need
- 4 tbspolive oil, divided
- 150 gonion, diced
- 100 gcarrot, diced
- 80 gcelery, diced
- 2garlic cloves, chopped
- 200 gpotatoes, peeled and diced
- 250 gcavolo nero leaves, tough ribs removed, shredded
- 200 gsavoy cabbage, shredded
- 250 gchopped canned tomatoes
- 500 gcooked cannellini beans, drained
- 1 lwater, plus up to 250 ml for reheating
- 200 gstale country bread, torn into pieces
- 1 tspfine salt, or to taste
- ½ tspblack pepper
Stale unsalted Tuscan bread is a good fit. If using salted bread or beans, start with less salt and adjust at the end.
How to make it
- 01
Soften the base
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large saucepan. Cook onion, carrot and celery over medium-low heat for 10 minutes. Stir in garlic for 1 minute, then potatoes, kale, cabbage and tomatoes.
- 02
Simmer the vegetables
Mash half the beans with a little of the measured water. Add mashed and whole beans with the remainder of the measured 1 l water, salt and pepper. Simmer partially covered for 40–45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender.
- 03
Let the bread soak
Stir in bread, remove from the heat and cover for 30 minutes. The bread should soften and thicken the soup.
- 04
Reheat and finish
Reheat gently for 8–10 minutes, stirring from the bottom. Add up to 250 ml extra water if too stiff. Taste, divide into bowls and finish with the remaining 2 tbsp oil.
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