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Overhead close up of a bowl of La RIbollita Tuscan soup.
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Tuscan Ribollita

Ribollita is a hearty, nourishing soup originating from Tuscany made with beans, kale and bread. You’ll love how easy it is to make and how perfect this soup is for leftovers – it tastes better and better each day!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 40 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 784kcal
Author: Nicole Gaffney

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling
  • 4 ounces pancetta (¼ lb) diced (optional)
  • 1 large onion finely diced
  • 1 cup celery finely diced
  • 1 cup carrots finely diced
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 3 cloves garlic minced, plus 1 whole clove
  • ½ teaspoon crushed red chili flakes optional
  • 28 oz whole peeled tomatoes with juice (1 can)
  • 2 quarts chicken stock (8 cups) homemade or low sodium if possible (substitute vegetable stock)*
  • 1 lb dried cranberry borlotti beans or cannellini beans or other white beans, soaked overnight*
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 sprig fresh rosemary
  • 1 parmesan cheese rind optional
  • 1 large bunch Tuscan kale ribs removed and roughly copped
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley finely chopped
  • 1 loaf crusty Italian bread sliced
  • grated Parmesan or pecorino Romano cheese, for serving

Instructions

  1. Pour the olive oil in a large heavy bottomed pot and set it over medium heat.
  2. Add the pancetta and saute until it starts to give up its fat, about 4-5 minutes.
  3. Add the onions, celery and carrots, season with a generous pinch of salt and cook, while stirring, until translucent, about 8 minutes.
  4. Add the minced garlic and crushed red chili flakes and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  5. Add the tomatoes and chicken stock, then use the back of a wooden spoon to break up the tomatoes a bit.
  6. Drain the beans and add to the pot along with the bay leaf and rosemary sprig.
  7. Bring up to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until the beans have softened, about 2 hours, supplementing with water if it starts to become too thick.
  8. Add the kale, stir, then simmer for about 10 minutes more, or until the kale has fully softened.
  9. Taste, then adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, then stir in the parsley.
  10. Preheat the oven to 350℉.
  11. Drizzle the sliced bread with olive oil, then arrange it in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes.
  12. Remove the bread form the oven and immediately rub the remaining raw clove of garlic on all sides while the bread is still warm. 
  13. Place a piece of toasted bread in each bowl, then ladle the soup on top.
  14. Drizzle with olive oil and top with grated parmesan or pecorino Romano.
  15. Serve extra garlic toasts on the side. 

Notes

  • *Substitute 4 15-ounce cans of beans for dried. Make sure to drain and rinse them before adding to the pot, and reduce the chicken stock by half (one quart).
  • If using dried beans, make sure to let them soak overnight. If you don't have time, you can use the "quick soak" method by pouring boiling water over them and letting them sit for one hour before padding them to the recipe.
  • You can use any beans you’d like for this recipe, but white beans are traditional to Italian-style soups, so cannellini, navy, great northern, or cranberry beans are ideal.  
  • This soup is even better the next day, but the beans will continue to absorb liquid as it sits. Add water when reheating and adjust the seasoning to keep it at a soupy consistency.

Nutrition

Calories: 784kcal | Carbohydrates: 80g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 1081mg | Potassium: 1252mg | Fiber: 13g | Sugar: 34g | Vitamin A: 4761IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 134mg | Iron: 6mg
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