Ribollita
Ribollita is a classic Tuscan winter soup made with stale unsalted bread, cannellini beans, and cavolo nero, traditionally reboiled until thick.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 50 min
- Total
- 70 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 380 kcal
Equipment
- •Heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven
- •Wooden spoon
- •Chef knife
- •Potato masher
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 380 kcal
- fat
- 12 g
- carbs
- 56 g
- fibre
- 11 g
- protein
- 14 g
- calories
- 380 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Warm half the olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat.
- 2
Add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic with a pinch of salt.
- 3
Cook gently for ten minutes until the vegetables soften without browning.
- 4
Stir in the tomato purée, chopped cavolo nero, and shredded Savoy cabbage.
- 5
Purée half the cannellini beans with a splash of broth until smooth.
- 6
Add the bean purée, whole beans, and remaining stock to the pot.
- 7
Simmer uncovered over low heat for thirty minutes until greens are tender.
- 8
Fold in the stale bread slices, pressing them down to absorb liquid.
- 9
Rest for twenty minutes, then reboil over low heat until thick and dense.
- 10
Ladle into warm bowls and finish with a generous drizzle of raw olive oil.
Chef's tips
Ribollita always tastes noticeably better the next day once the starch from the bread has fully bound the soup. Mash half the beans thoroughly to give the broth its signature dense, spoon-standing texture.
Ingredient substitutions
- pane toscano → crusty sourdough or rustic country bread, preferably unsalted or lightly salted
- cavolo nero → curly kale or Swiss chard, though cavolo nero gives the authentic earthy flavour
Storage
Store chilled in an airtight container for up to four days.
Reheating
Reheat gently in a pot over low heat with a splash of water or broth, stirring frequently to prevent sticking.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Serving it immediately as a thin broth rather than simmering until it forms a dense, porridge-like consistency.
- •Using fresh, soft sandwich bread instead of dry, crusty country bread, which dissolves into paste.
Serving suggestions
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