Tuscan Ribollita Soup
A hearty Tuscan Ribollita Soup made with cannellini beans, kale, and rustic bread simmered in a rich tomato broth—perfectly comforting and full of authentic Italian flavor.
6 Servings
Ingredients
For the soup:
- 3 tbs olive oil plus more for serving
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 1 medium carrot peeled and diced
- 2 ribs celery diced
- 1 tsp kosher salt plus more to taste
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper plus more to taste
- 2 cloves garlic peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary thyme, oregano, or marjoram
- 1 tbs tomato paste
- 1 14 oz can whole plum tomatoes
- 4 1/4 c vegetable broth
- 2 14 oz cans cannellini beans drained and rinsed
- 5 to 6 oz 150 g Tuscan kale stemmed and roughly chopped
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for serving
For the toast:
- 4 to 6 slices sourdough or country bread
- 1 clove garlic peeled
Instructions
Sauté the vegetables and aromatics:
- In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and salt. Sauté for 2–3 minutes, or until the onions become translucent. Add black pepper, garlic, bay leaf, rosemary, and tomato paste. Stir frequently for about 3 minutes, allowing the mixture to become fragrant and slightly caramelized at the bottom of the pot.
Add the tomatoes and broth:
- Pour in the canned tomatoes and gently press them with the back of a spoon to break them apart. Add the vegetable broth and stir to combine.
Incorporate the beans and kale:
- Mash half of the cannellini beans in a separate bowl with a fork until they form a paste. Add both the mashed and whole beans to the pot along with the chopped kale. Stir and bring the soup to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, or until the broth turns cloudy and the vegetables are tender.
Prepare the toast:
- While the soup simmers, toast the bread slices on both sides using a toaster or under the oven broiler. Rub each warm slice with the garlic clove to impart flavor.
Season and serve:
- Taste the soup and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed. Remove the bay leaf and any herb stems. To serve, place one slice of toasted bread at the bottom of each bowl and ladle the hot soup over it. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Notes
To make this Tuscan Ribollita Soup gluten-free, simply replace the sourdough or country bread with a gluten-free variety or omit the bread entirely. The mashed beans naturally thicken the soup, maintaining its hearty consistency without gluten-based ingredients.