Ribollita Soup (Tuscan Bread Stew)
Ribollita soup is a hearty and nourishing soup made with day-old bread, carrots, celery, kale, zucchini, and cannellini beans. Serve with grated Parmigiano Reggiano and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 1/4 pound pancetta diced
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion diced
- 2 ribs celery chopped
- 1 large carrot chopped
- 1 medium zucchini chopped
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 1 bunch Tuscan kale stems removed, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed hot red pepper flakes
- 5 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 16-ounce cans can cannellini beans drained
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken stock plus more as needed
- 1 rind Parmigiano Reggiano
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 1/4 cup minced flat-leaf Italian parsley
- 1 loaf day old bread see notes below
Instructions
- Heat a large heavy pot to medium heat then add the pancetta and cook until crisp and the fat renders (about 5-7 minutes).
- Next, add the olive oil carrot, celery, and onion along with a pinch of salt. Cook until soft (about 10 minutes) then add the zucchini and cook for another 5 minutes. If the vegetables start to burn add a splash of water and/or turn down the heat.
- Add the garlic and cook for another 2-3 minutes or until fragrant. Add the hot red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds. Add the tomato paste and cook for 5 minutes, stirring to coombine. If the paste begins to burn add a splash of water.
- Add the stock, kale, cannellini beans, parmesan rind, and rosemary to the pot. Bring to a boil then lower heat to low and let simmer with the lid cracked for at least 30 minutes.
- Taste test the soup and season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix in the parsley. Ladle the soup over pieces of day old bread in individual bowls. Serve with more bread, grated parmigiano and extra virgin olive oil on the side. Enjoy!
Notes
- Servings. Makes 6 large bowls or 8-10 cups of soup
- Bread. I love to use a loaf of 1-2 day old ciabatta though any bread will work. If using fresh bread, simply cut into pieces and toast in a 300°F oven until hard.
- Parmesan rind. Use a 1/2 cup of grated Parmigiano Reggiano in place of rind if required.
- Make it vegetarian. Simply omit the pancetta and add a bit more olive oil, and sub vegetable stock for the chicken stock.
- Serve with extras. Serve with plenty of bread to thicken, extra virgin olive oil, crushed red pepper, black pepper, and grated cheese on the side.
- Leftovers. Ribollita soup is even better the next day. If too thick, just add some water or stock to thin it out when reheating.
Nutrition
Calories: 475kcal | Carbohydrates: 57.8g | Protein: 21.7g | Fat: 18.1g | Saturated Fat: 17.2g | Cholesterol: 21mg | Sodium: 922mg | Fiber: 10.3g | Sugar: 7.4g | Calcium: 120mg | Iron: 5mg
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