Italian · Free
Ribollita
A thick Tuscan soup of cannellini beans, kale, and vegetables thickened with day-old bread -- ribollita means reboiled, a frugal country dish that only gets better the next day.
****+
Prep 20 min · Cook 50 min
Method
Warm the olive oil in a large 6-quart pot over medium heat, then add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until softened and sweet.
Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, then stir in the diced tomatoes with their juice and cook for 5 minutes.
To thicken the soup, mash about half of the beans with a fork, then add all the beans (whole and mashed) to the pot along with the salt and pepper.
Add the chopped kale and sliced cabbage in handfuls, stirring so they wilt down and make room in the pot.
Pour in the vegetable broth and bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium-low and simmer gently, partly covered, for 25 minutes until the greens are very tender.
Stir the torn day-old bread into the soup and simmer for another 10 minutes. The bread will soften and break down, thickening the soup into a hearty, almost stew-like texture.
Stir well to help the bread dissolve, then taste and adjust the salt and pepper. The soup should be thick enough that a spoon almost stands up in it.
For the most authentic flavor, turn off the heat and let the soup rest for at least 30 minutes, or cool and refrigerate overnight, then gently reheat -- this reboiling is what gives ribollita its name and depth.
Ladle into bowls and finish each serving with a generous drizzle of good olive oil.
Top with grated Parmesan and an extra grind of black pepper, then serve warm.
Chef's tips
- Stale, sturdy bread works best; fresh soft bread turns to mush, while day-old crusty bread thickens the soup beautifully.
- Ribollita genuinely tastes better the next day, so it is a great make-ahead dish -- just reheat gently and add a splash of broth if too thick.
- A generous drizzle of your best olive oil at the table is traditional and lifts the whole bowl.
Cooking times vary by equipment -- cook to temperature and to taste.
