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overhead high angle view of a bowl of ribollita with a spoon in it

Tuscan Ribollita Soup


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4.4 from 14 reviews

  • Author: Katie Webster
  • Total Time: 1 Hour 40 Minutes
  • Yield: 12 cups 1x
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

Ribollita soup is a classic velvety Tuscan winter soup full of hearty veggies, creamy cannellini beans, Tuscan kale and, thickened with stale bread.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 whole cloves garlic, peeled
  • 2 large carrots, trimmed, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
  • 1 stalk celery, cut into 2-inch chunks
  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
  • 1 sweet onion, peeled, cored and cut into eighths
  • 1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt, or to taste
  • 1/4 cup dry white wine, preferably Tuscan such as Vernaccia di San Giminano
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes, crushed by hand
  • 2 cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 medium thin-skinned red or gold potatoes, peeled and diced (about 1 pound)
  • 3 cups savoy or green cabbage, chopped
  • 3 cups chopped Tuscan Kale (lacinato kale or Cavolo Nero)
  • 7 ounces stale firm white bread or sourdough, cut into cubes
  • 1/2 cup chopped parsley
  • 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
  • 1 teaspoon chopped rosemary
  • 1/4 cup chopped basil
  • Freshly ground pepper and Pecorino or Parmesan (optional) for serving

Instructions

  1. Fit food processor with the steel blade attachment. With the motor running, drop garlic through the feed tube and allow it to mince. Drop in carrot and celery and allow to finely chop. Pieces should be the size of a pea or smaller. Set aside. Return the food processor bowl to the machine and add the onion chunks. Close the lid and pulse only until the onion is roughly chopped into medium-small pieces like a rustic dice.)
  2. Heat ½ cup olive oil in a large heavy soup pot over medium- high heat. Add the chopped carrot mixture, chopped onions and salt and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables and onions are starting to take on brown color and the bottom of the pot is forming a golden browned patina (fond), 8 to 12 minutes. 
  3. Increase heat to high and add in wine and bring to a simmer. Reduce the wine until it almost evaporates, 1 to 2 minutes. 
  4. Pour in broth, water and tomatoes. Stir in cannellini beans, potatoes, cabbage and kale and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently until the potatoes are fork tender, 50 to 70 minutes.
  5. Stir the breadcrumbs into the soup along with the parsley, thyme and rosemary. Simmer again, pressing the potatoes and bread into the side of the soup pot to mash them with the spoon. Cook until the bread has almost dissolved, and the soup is very thick, about 15 minutes. 
  6. Remove the soup from the heat. Stir in basil. 
  7. Ladle ribollita into bowls and top with pepper and Pecorino. Serve with extra-virgin olive oil drizzled on top.

Notes

  • If you do not drink or cook with alcohol the wine can be omitted completely. Just skip ahead to step 4. The tomatoes add plenty of acidity.
  • Tip: In Tuscan Trattorias the Ribollita is often cooked so long that there are no discernable chunks of bread which make the soup very luscious and velvety. If your bread is at all squishy, you can dry it out in 300° oven. You can also tear the bread into chunks and pulse it in the food processor to make rustic bread cubes. This will result in Ribollita more like that found in a Trattoria.
  • Make Ahead: This reheats beautifully in the microwave. If heating on the stove, stir often so that it doesn’t burn. It will be thick!
  • Prep Time: 40 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
  • Category: Soup
  • Method: Stove Top
  • Cuisine: Italian

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups
  • Calories: 440
  • Sugar: 8 g
  • Fat: 19 g
  • Carbohydrates: 54 g
  • Fiber: 9 g
  • Protein: 13 g
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