A hearty Tuscan soup packed with vegetables, beans, and rustic bread, Ribollita is a flavor-packed dish that gets even better with time.
“Bread is the staff of life,” or so the saying goes—and I couldn’t agree more! There’s something about good, hearty bread that brings comfort, whether it’s slathered with butter, dipped in olive oil, or, in the case of ribollita, used to transform a simple vegetable soup into something truly special. This classic Tuscan dish started as a way for peasants to stretch a meal, and has become one of the most satisfying and soul-warming soups you can make.
Like so many classic Tuscan dishes, ribollita is bread-based and originated with peasants as early as the Middle Ages. Food historians say that resourceful cooks found ways to use every bit of food, and stale bread was no exception. Rather than letting it go to waste, they simmered it with vegetables, beans, and herbs to create a hearty, nourishing soup that could be reheated over several days. The word ribollita means “reboiled,” a fitting name for a dish meant to be enjoyed more than once.
You’ll want to make a big batch, too, because this delicious, warming, hearty soup is a definite family favorite. Not only does the torn bread provide a thickness to the soup, but it soaks up all the wonderful flavors of the broth made with tomatoes, white wine, and vegetable stock seasoned with garlic, thyme, and crushed red pepper. You can use any kind of stale bread for ribollita, but some of my favorites are Challah (for its rich sweetness in the savory soup) or leftover chunks of salty Focaccia.
Ribollita is also packed with veggies—carrots, celery, onion, parsley, and kale—and made even more satisfying by the addition of creamy white cannellini beans. Topped with extra toasted bread pieces, a swirl of fruity olive oil, and some grated Parmesan cheese, ribollita is the best kind of comfort food.
Benefits Of Using The Parmesan Rind
Did you know that the hard rind on Parmesan cheese is edible? Granted, its texture is pretty hard, which makes it somewhat unappealing, but it is packed with flavor that adds even more depth to ribollita when you simmer the rind in the soup.
The rind is rich, cheesy, and salty and will provide a robust complexity as it softens and breaks down in the hot soup; it will also thicken the broth even more. It’s listed as an optional ingredient in our recipe, but we highly recommend using it. It won’t completely disintegrate so when your ribollita is done, simply fish out what remains of the rind and revel in the deliciousness it has left behind.
How Do I Store Leftovers?
Cool ribollita to room temperature and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days; you may have to add more vegetable stock, as the bread will absorb some of the liquid. You can also freeze ribollita in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Serving Suggestions
Since ribollita already has plenty of bread in it, let’s think soup and salad. I’ll suggest either this old standby House Salad or a classic Wedge Salad. And if you want to add more protein to this soup and salad meal, embellish either of these salads with Baked Salmon, and this Shredded Chicken is delicious in ribollita, too. It’s also wonderful served alongside these fun Caprese Skewers or some Baked Artichoke Hearts.
Ribollita Recipe
Ingredients
- Stale ciabatta or sourdough bread torn into pieces
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus more for serving
- 1/2 large yellow onion diced
- 2 celery stalks diced
- 2 medium carrots diced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 pinches crushed red pepper
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1/3 cup dry white wine
- 1 can diced tomatoes 14 ounces
- 4 1/4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 1/2 cups cooked cannellini beans drained and rinsed
- Parmesan rind optional
- 1 bunch lacinato kale leaves stems removed and leaves roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley finely chopped
- Grated Parmesan cheese for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread the bread pieces on a baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until dry and slightly golden.
- In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, carrots, salt, pepper, dried thyme, and crushed red pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, until the vegetables are soft.
- Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another minute. Add the white wine and let it reduce slightly, then add the tomatoes and vegetable broth. Bring to a simmer.
- Add the cannellini beans and Parmesan rind, if using. Simmer for about 20 minutes. Stir in the kale and continue to simmer until the kale is wilted, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in half of the toasted bread pieces. Let the soup simmer for another 5 to 10 minutes, or until the bread has absorbed some of the soup and thickened it. Stir in chopped parsley.
- Ladle into bowls and top each serving with more toasted bread, a drizzle of olive oil, and grated Parmesan cheese.
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