Ribollita

You'll love this classic Ribollita recipe! This Tuscan white bean soup will be a comfort food favorite with the whole family.

Recipe Inspiration

Ribollita is a Tuscan bean soup that's packed with flavor. It's a classic Tuscan soup that's perfect comfort food. It's one of my favorite soups, and it will soon be one of yours!

When I read about Ribollita recipes online, I knew I had to make my own version. Who wouldn't love a soup that has a whole loaf of bread in it!?

This Tuscan white bean soup has a flavorful broth that makes it a delicious hearty soup. I love making a big batch when it's really cold outside. It's a great way to use up vegetables, beans, and bread and make something deliciously new with them.

This soup was historically made with vegetable and bread scraps. The classic version has black cabbage, while mine has Tuscan kale for flavor and texture.

You could serve this recipe as a main course or side dish. It's very filling!

If you're looking for more soup recipes, check out our Chicken Pastina Soup, Chickpea Soup, and Pasta Fagioli soup.

Jump to:

• Recipe Inspiration
• Why You'll Love this Recipe
• Ingredients
• Directions
• Expert Tips and Tricks
• Kitchen Equipment
• Recipe Substitutions/Variations
• What To Serve With
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Recipe Storage and Reheating
• Other Recipes to Try
• Ribollita

Why You'll Love this Recipe

Delicious - This soup recipe is so delicious. It's cozy and filled with nutritious vegetables and beans.

Approachable - This comforting soup is approachable and is easy to make. You only need a few kitchen tools to make this great recipe, and you can find all of the ingredients at your local grocery store.

Kid Friendly - This is a great recipe for adults and children! It's packed with vegetables.

Ingredients

Here are the ingredients you will need for this recipe:

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil - Use extra virgin olive oil for this recipe to get the most flavor in the dish
• White Onion - Diced
• Carrots - Diced
• Celery - Diced
• Garlic Cloves - Minced
• Salt
• Black Pepper
• Whole San Marzano Tomatoes - I recommend canned tomatoes over fresh tomatoes for this recipe. You can used diced tomatoes as a substitute if needed.
• Red Pepper Flakes
• Cannellini Beans - Or any other white beans
• Chicken Stock
• Tuscan Kale - Also known as Lacinato Kale. Stems removed and chopped.
• Loaf of Bread - Use a crusty loaf of bread, broken in pieces
• Parmesan Cheese - For serving

Directions

Let's make this Ribollita recipe together!

Step 1

Preheat oven to 450F.

Step 2

Heat extra virgin olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, celery, garlic, salt, and black pepper to the pot. Cook until softened, about 8 minutes.

Step 3

Pour tomatoes in a large bowl. Break into pieces with your hands, then add them to the pot. Mix with a wooden spoon and let simmer for 10 minutes.

Step 4

Add red pepper flakes, cannellini beans, and chicken stock to the pot. Bring to a simmer. Add kale and allow it to wilt.

Step 5

Add ¼th of the chunks of bread to the pot and stir. Top soup with remaining bread and drizzle liberally with olive oil.

Step 6

Bake until bread is golden brown, about 10-15 minutes. Top with grated parmesan and fresh herbs serve with a glass of white wine.

Expert Tips and Tricks

Here are some expert tips to make this delicious Ribollita soup recipe perfect.

Use Leftover Veggies - Use leftover vegetables in this soup recipe. Feel free to add in extra veggies like leafy greens, Swiss chard, black kale, or spinach to reduce food waste.

Add Flavor - Add extra flavor to the soup by adding a parmesan rind or bay leaf to the broth while it's cooking. These will add a delicious umami flavor to the soup.

Bread - You can use slightly stale bread from the day before to avoid food waste! I love using stale tuscan bread.

Kitchen Equipment

Here is some kitchen equipment you will need for this recipe. You can find all of these products on Amazon.

Soup Pot - A good quality large soup pot is a must for soup season! This one is great quality.

Soup Bowls - These are my favorite soup bowls of all time. We grew up using similar soup bowls at my grandpa's house and I'll always remember them!

Ladle - This wooden ladle is so pretty and would be a great addition to any kitchen. If you're in need of an upgrade, check it out!

Recipe Substitutions/Variations

Here are some common recipe substitutions and variations for this easy recipe.

Beans - You can use dried beans instead of canned beans if you prefer. Just soak the beans overnight and follow directions on the container to boil before adding them to the soup.

Vegetarian - Make this recipe vegetarian by subbing vegetable stock for chicken stock or chicken broth. If you want to make this recipe vegan, use vegetable stock and vegan parmesan cheese. 

Protein - It's not traditional, but if you want to add extra protein to this dish, you could add leftover shredded chicken or leftover Italian sausage. Pancetta would also be delicious in this soup recipe!

What To Serve With

Here are some suggestion on what to serve this hearty soup with:

• Chicken Limone
• Creamy Kale Gnocchi
• Tuscan Broccoli
• Tuscan Chicken Pasta
• Pasta al Forno
• Simple Charcuterie Board
• Tuscan Chicken
• Italian Chicken Cutlets
• Tomato Crostini
• Cannellini Aglio e Olio

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Ribollita mean?

Ribollita is the name of an Tuscan soup made from vegetables, cannellini beans, broth, and crusty bread.

What region of Italy is Ribollita from?

Ribollita is from Tuscany and is one of the region's most popular traditional soup recipes.

Recipe Storage and Reheating

Here are storage and reheating instructions for this cuppa di ribollita recipe.

Refrigerator Storage: Store in an airtight continuer and eat leftovers within 1-2 days. The soup is best the first day, as the bread will absorb most of the liquid the next day.

Freezer Storage: Freeze in a freezer-safe, airtight container and keep for up to 3 months. When you're ready to use, thaw in the refrigerator and reheat as instructed below.

Reheating Instructions: The best way to reheat this recipe is to heat in a skillet with a little olive oil over low heat until warm.

Other Recipes to Try

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