Ribollita

Nutrition · per serving

Steps

1. 1

   Prepare all the vegetables first: finely dice the onion, carrot, and celery, mince the garlic, strip the tough stems from the cavolo nero and slice the leaves. Tear the stale bread into rough chunks so it will soften evenly in the soup.

   120 g yellow onion, finely diced100 g carrot, finely diced100 g celery stalks, finely diced2 cloves garlic cloves, minced180 g cavolo nero, stems removed and leaves sliced180 g stale rustic bread, torn into chunks
2. 2

   Heat the olive oil in a medium soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery with a pinch of the salt and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring often, until softened and sweet but not browned; this soffritto builds the base flavor, so do not rush it. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant and slightly darkened.

   30 ml olive oil120 g yellow onion, finely diced100 g carrot, finely diced100 g celery stalks, finely diced5 g fine salt2 cloves garlic cloves, minced15 g tomato paste
3. 3

   Add the chopped tomatoes, cavolo nero, vegetable stock, black pepper, and about three-quarters of the remaining salt. Bring to a gentle boil, then lower to a steady simmer and cook for 12 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the greens are tender and the broth is flavorful.

   200 g canned chopped tomatoes180 g cavolo nero, stems removed and leaves sliced700 ml vegetable stock1 g black pepper5 g fine salt
4. 4

   Add the cannellini beans. Lightly mash about one-third of the beans against the side of the pot with a spoon to thicken the soup while leaving the rest whole for texture. Simmer for 5 minutes, then taste and adjust with the remaining salt if needed.

   400 g canned cannellini beans, drained and rinsed5 g fine salt
5. 5

   Stir in the bread chunks and simmer for 3-4 minutes, pressing them down so they absorb the liquid. The mixture should become thick, spoonable, and rustic rather than brothy; add a splash of water only if it becomes too tight before the bread softens.

   180 g stale rustic bread, torn into chunks
6. 6

   Turn off the heat and let the ribollita rest for 5 minutes. This short rest helps the bread fully break down and gives the soup its characteristic hearty consistency.

7. 7

   Ladle into warm bowls and finish each portion with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Serve hot.

   10 ml extra virgin olive oil

Origin & History

Ribollita is a traditional Tuscan peasant soup made to use up stale bread, beans, and seasonal vegetables, especially cavolo nero. Its name means “reboiled,” reflecting the classic practice of cooking it once and reheating it the next day, when the texture becomes even richer and more cohesive.