Ribollita Recipe

A classic Tuscan Ribollita soup recipe made with seasonal vegetables, creamy white beans and kale then thickened with chunks of garlic bruschetta instead of the stale bread. It's best made ahead a day or two so the deep flavors get a chance to marry before reheating into a delicious meatless pot of goodness.

Course Soup

Cuisine Italian

Keyword bread soup, ribollita, vegetable soup

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 50

Total Time 1

Servings people

Calories 499kcal

Author Florentina

Ingredients

1.5 lb leeks
2 celery stalks chopped
1 carrot peeled & chopped (optional)
1/2 red chili pepper or red pepper flakes to taste
28 oz canned San Marzano tomatoes whole
15 oz canned cannellini beans (or home cooked leftover beans)
1 bunch Tuscan Lacinato kale stemmed & chopped
2 sprigs rosemary
8 sprigs thyme
2 bay leaves
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast optional but recommended
6-7 cups water
1/2 cup Italian parsley roughly chopped

Bruschetta

6 slices crusty bread 1 inch thick
2-3 cloves garlic whole
1/4 cup olive oil
sea salt to taste

Instructions

Chop the leeks and add them to a large bowl of cold water. Allow all the sand and grit to sink to the bottom of the bowl. Using your hands or a slotted spoon scoop out the leeks, transfer to a colander and allow them to drain well.
1.5 lb leeks
Preheat a heavy bottom soup put over medium heat. Add a light drizzle of olive oil and saute the leeks with a pinch of salt until wilted and all the moisture has evaporate. Add another light drizzle of olive oil and continue cooking until the leeks start to show a little caramelization around the edges. Stir in the chili pepper / chili flakes if using.
1.5 lb leeks, 1/2 red chili pepper
Add the celery (+ carrot if using) and saute a few minutes until it starts to soften.
2 celery stalks, 1 carrot peeled & chopped
Meanwhile open the San Marzano tomatoes, transfer to a bowl and using your hand crush them just until a rustic texture is achieved. Add to the pot with the leeks together with the rosemary, thyme and bay.
28 oz canned San Marzano tomatoes, 2 sprigs rosemary, 2 bay leaves, 8 sprigs thyme
Open the can of beans, drain and rinse and lightly crush about half of them before adding to the soup pot together with the nutritional yeast and a good pinch of sea salt.
15 oz canned cannellini beans, 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
Pour in the water and bring to a gentle boil. Partially cover with a lid and cook for a good 35 to 45 minutes.
6-7 cups water
Stir in the chopped kale and cook a few more minutes just until wilted. Remove from heat and adjust seasonings to taste with more sea and chili flakes. Discard the sprigs from rosemary and thyme at this point.
1 bunch Tuscan Lacinato kale, sea salt to taste

Make the Bruschetta

Grill your bread slices on a hot cast iron skillet until nice grill marks show on both sides. Generously rub both sides with the garlic clove and brush with olive oil. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt.
6 slices crusty bread, 2-3 cloves garlic, 1/4 cup olive oil, sea salt to taste
Tear a couple of slices of the bruschetta over the pot of soup and let it soak some of the broth while infusing it with a garlicky salty layer of flavor. Sprinkle with the fresh parsley.
6 slices crusty bread, 1/2 cup Italian parsley
Ladle the ribollita into bowls then tear a few more pieces of bruschetta on top of each individual bowl. Serve hot!

Notes

The Bread - I'm here to encourage you to stray a little bit from tradition and swap the authentic stale bread for classic bruschetta. Thick slices of crusty bread are grilled and rubbed with garlic on both sides then brushed with olive oil and seasoned with salt. Tear into bite size pieces straight into the soup just before serving, you want the bottom half to soak up the broth while the very top stays nice and crunchy. This is what really makes an exquisite ribollita soup in my honest opinion.
Add Ins - There are many directions you can take this soup so don't feel like you must adhere to the exact recipe. During the colder months I love adding roasted broccoli florets, sweet potato or butternut squash. Roasted spaghetti squash is really nice here too, so are roasted heirloom carrots and shredded cabbage, go for whatever is in season in your area. For a summer version think yellow squash, zucchini, bell peppers and Italian yellow flat beans. Add more water if you like a more broth-y version or if you end up using way more veggies.
Storage + Reheating - A great soup for the freezer but hold off on the bread. I prefer to only add as much bread/ bruschetta as we are going to eat at once. Reheat the leftover soup on the stovetop and as soon as it comes to a boil add your bread and serve. If refrigerating leftovers with the bread mixed in, it will soak up all or most of the broth and you'll have to eat it with a fork. Much like a bread stuffing this version will need to be reheated in the oven and you should place it under the broiler for a few minutes to crisp up the top. Alternatively you can literally make some pancakes in a hot cast iron skillet with a little olive oil. In any case all leftovers make a spectacular new meal no matter how you go about it.

Nutrition