Ribollita: Tuscan Bean Soup Recipe
Tuscan Bean Soup, otherwise known as Ribollita, is a 15th-century traditional fall and winter soup, brimming with seasonal healthy superfoods like kale and squash. And incredibly soul-satisfying and delicious!
Servings: 10 to 12 servings
Calories: 467kcal
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups dried cannellini beans soaked overnight (see notes for canned beans)
- 2 medium carrots chopped
- 2 ribs celery chopped
- 1/2 yellow onion chopped, plus rings for garnish
- 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic 3 minced, 1 halved
- 10 oz. butternut squash peeled and cut into 1/2″ cubes about 2 cups
- 1 small zucchini cut into 1/2″ cubes
- 4 large kale leaves stemmed and chopped
- 1 medium waxy-style potato peeled and cut into 1/2″ cubes
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 15-oz can diced tomatoes (or a handful of cherry tomatoes halved)
- 2 quarts chicken or vegetable stock reduced-sodium, plus extra water if needed
- 1 – 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes optional
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves 1 teaspoon dried
- 8 thick slices country-style bread
- Parmesan Cheese freshly grated
Instructions
- Drain beans and transfer to a 3-qt. saucepan and add 4-5 cups water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low; simmer, covered, until beans are tender, 40–45 minutes. If using canned beans, skip this step.
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add carrots, celery, onion, and minced garlic and cook, stirring often, until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the squash, kale, potato, tomatoes with liquid, chicken stock, and bay leaf. Season with salt, pepper, and red chili flakes.
- Bring to a boil, and reduce heat to medium-low; cook, covered, until the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Add zucchini and cooked beans (or canned beans) and simmer another 5-10 minutes or until both the beans and veggies are soft. Stir in the fresh thyme leaves.
- Meanwhile, toast the bread and rub it with the cut end of the halved garlic clove. Drizzle each toast with 1 tbsp. oil. To serve, place 1 to 2 pieces of toasted bread in the bottom of soup bowls and ladle soup over the top. Drizzle soup with remaining oil and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Notes
- Beans: To use canned beans, substitute 2 to 3 cans of cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 467kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 102mg | Sodium: 253mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 4g