Description
Ribollita is a classic Tuscan soup featuring creamy cannellini beans, hearty kale, and rustic bread, slow-cooked to blend rich flavors. This comforting and wholesome recipe uses simple ingredients, simmered together to create a thick, satisfying meal perfect for any season.
Ingredients
Beans and Purée
- 2 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans or great white northern beans, drained, washed, and divided
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1/4 cup olive oil (plus more for topping)
- 1/2 yellow onion, peeled and minced
- 2 ribs celery, finely diced
- 3 small carrots, peeled, ends trimmed and diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (plus more to taste)
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper (reduce to 1/2 teaspoon if sensitive to heat)
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
Other Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken stock or vegetable stock
- 1 bunch Lacinato kale, ribs removed and roughly chopped
- 1 baguette, cut into slices
- 3 ounces finely grated Parmesan-Reggiano cheese
Instructions
- Prepare Bean Purée: Add half of the drained cannellini beans to a food processor and pulse until smooth. If needed, add some broth from the recipe to achieve a smoother texture. Set this bean purée aside for later use.
- Sauté Vegetables: Heat olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add minced onion, diced celery, and diced carrots. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes until very softened. Stir in minced garlic, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, crushed red pepper, and fresh thyme. Cook together for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add Tomato Paste and Combine Ingredients: Stir in the tomato paste and cook until it darkens to a deep brick red color, about 2 minutes. Add the Parmesan-Reggiano rind, reserved bean purée, remaining whole beans, stock, and roughly chopped kale. Stir to combine.
- Simmer the Soup: Reduce heat to low, cover the pot, and cook the soup for 15 to 20 minutes to allow flavors to meld and the kale to soften.
- Add Bread and Cheese topping: Tear half of the baguette into pieces and place them on top of the soup in the pot. Sprinkle grated Parmesan-Reggiano over the bread pieces.
- Serve: Ladle the Ribollita into bowls. Garnish each serving with a drizzle of olive oil and additional Parmesan, if desired.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container. The soup will keep well refrigerated for 3 to 4 days and reheats wonderfully.
Notes
- Using vegetable stock makes this soup suitable for vegetarians.
- Adjust crushed red pepper according to your preferred spice level.
- The soup improves in flavor when reheated, making it perfect for leftovers.
- Use day-old or slightly stale baguette for better texture when added to the soup.
- You can omit the Parmesan rind if unavailable, but it adds great depth of flavor.
