Ribollita

Name: Ribollita
Cook time: 150 min
Total time: 150 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 300g Dried Cannellini Beans; 400g Cavolo Nero, tough stems removed, leaves chopped; 400g Tuscan-Style Country Bread, stale, torn into chunks; 1 Onions, large, finely chopped; 2 Carrots, diced; 2 stalks of Celery, diced; 3 cloves of Garlic, sliced; 1 Potatoes, large, peeled and diced; 400g Canned Peeled Tomatoes, crushed by hand; 1.2 l Vegetable Stock; 1 sprigs of Rosemary, fresh; 4 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil, plus more for finishing; 1 Parmigiano Reggiano Rinds, simmer with the soup, then discard

Ribollita is a rustic Tuscan bread-and-bean soup that’s hearty, comforting, and full of savory depth. Slow-simmered beans and vegetables are enriched with tomato and Parmigiano rind, then thickened with torn country bread and tender cavolo nero for a silky, stew-like finish. It’s perfect for a cozy dinner and even better the next day after the flavors have melded.

Ribollita is a rustic Tuscan bread-and-bean soup that’s hearty, comforting, and full of savory depth. Slow-simmered beans and vege... Show more

Traditional Italian Recipe

Health Grade

S · Outstanding

Rating

4.0

Time

2 hrs30 min

Price

1,49 €

Calories

503 kcal

vegetarian

low calorie

healthy

meal prep

Method

Soak the beans

Put the Dried Cannellini Beans in a large bowl and cover them with plenty of cold water by several inches. Leave them to soak overnight, or until they have swelled up and look plump and hydrated.

Prep the vegetables

Wash the Cavolo Nero, strip out the tough stems, and chop the leaves. Finely chop the Onion, dice the Carrots, Celery, and Potatoes, slice the Garlic, and tear the Tuscan-Style Country Bread into rough chunks so it can soak up the soup later.

Cook the beans

Drain the soaked beans and put them in a large pot with plenty of fresh water. Bring the water to a boil, then lower it to a gentle simmer and cook for 50 minutes, or until the beans are tender but still holding their shape. Skim off any foam that rises and keep the simmer gentle so the skins stay intact.

Drain the beans

Drain the beans, reserving a mugful of the cooking liquid in case you need to loosen the soup later. Set the cooked beans aside while you start the base.

Soften the base

Warm the Extra Virgin Olive Oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, sliced garlic, and the Rosemary sprig, along with the optional Parmigiano Reggiano Rind if you're using it. Cook, stirring often, for 10 minutes, until the vegetables are soft and fragrant and the onion has turned translucent.

Build the soup

Tip in the Canned Peeled Tomatoes and crush them by hand straight into the pot. Add the potatoes, drained beans, and the Vegetable Stock, then pour in enough reserved bean liquid to just cover everything. Bring it up to a boil, then drop it to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes, crushing a few beans against the side of the pot so the broth starts to turn thick and creamy. If you used the parm rind, lift it out and discard it at the end.

Add greens and bread

Stir in the cavolo nero and half of the bread, making sure the leaves are tucked under the liquid. Simmer for 10 minutes until the greens are wilted, then add the remaining bread and keep simmering for 5 minutes more, stirring now and then, until the soup is very thick and the bread is starting to break down into the broth.

Reboil the soup

Turn off the heat and let the soup stand for 10 minutes so the bread can fully absorb the broth. Bring it back to a gentle simmer for 5 minutes; that reboil is what gives ribollita its signature texture.

Serve hot

Ladle the ribollita into warm bowls and finish each one with a generous drizzle of olive oil. Serve it right away while it is thick, glossy, and spoonable.