Ribollita (Tuscan White Bean Soup)

It doesn't get better than a satisfying pot of Ribollita, a classic Tuscan soup that's made with white beans, vegetables, and hearty day-old bread. Make it stovetop or in your slow-cooker. And you'll love the rich Italian flavors, thanks to a couple of herbs and a little Parmesan cheese magic!

Be sure to read through for tips and watch the video for how to make it below.

Zuppa di ribollita!

Ribollita, pronounced ree-bohl-LEE-tah, is a classic, hearty Tuscan white bean soup (stew) with vegetables, thickened with day-old bread. It's typically seasoned with some herbs (fresh or dried), and in this recipe, an additional secret flavor maker: Parmesan cheese rind!

The word "ribollita" translates from the Italian to "reboiled," as this soup was typically made by reboiling leftover bean and vegetable soups the next day, adding bits of stale bread for a thicker and more filling stew.

It is truly a brilliant warm-your-belly meatless dinner that's meant to use up what you have on hand. And like other centuries-old Italian recipes, including my earlier chicken cacciatore, there are many modern variations of ribollita.

And you can file this under vegetarian recipes, but it's important to remember that not all Parmesan cheese is vegetarian.

This Tuscan ribollita recipe, while not 100 percent traditional, is delicious and satisfying--just the perfect meal to feed a hungry crowd. I can't wait for you to try it!

What beans and vegetables to use?

Classic ribollita ingredients are quite humble: white beans such as cannellini beans, leafy greens like kale, and vegetables like onions, carrots, celery (which make a tasty sofrito, gently sauteed in extra virgin olive oil, to start the soup). Tomatoes (or canned tomatoes as in today's recipe) are also added.

Remember that you can make this recipe your own by adding other vegetables you have on hand. I've often used spinach in place of kale. And an Italian friend of mine tells me that her family makes a summer version with summer squash or zucchini.

What kind of bread to use?

The bread is what separates a ribollita recipe from another white bean soup, vegan white bean soup, or a minestrone (another one you should try, by the way).

You will need some crusty, hearty, day-old bread. I used ciabatta in today's recipe, but another Italian country bread or even something like French boule will work.

Important tips for the bread:

• Cut the bread in large chunks. As you see in the video, I use my hand to tear the bread apart into large chunks. Don't cut it with a knife into small cubes. Small cubes will not give you the right texture here.
  
• Toast the bread in the oven. Drizzle the big chunks of bread with a little bit of extra virgin olive oil and toast in a high-heated oven (400 degrees F) for just 10 minutes or so. The olive oil flavors the bread and it will crsip up just enough in the oven. Although the bread will soften quite a bit in the soup, I think this step does make a difference.
  
• Keep some of the toasted bread to garnish the soup for texture. This way, you'll also have some if you need it later!
  
• When to add the bread to your ribollita soup? In this recipe, I add a portion of the bread to the pot of bean and vegetable soup toward the end of cooking time (or a few minutes before serving) the bread soaks some fo the liquid beautifully. You can also add the bread in the serving bowls directly and ladle the soup on top, give it a few minutes to absorb. But, if you're not serving the soup rightaway, you'll want to hold the bread and add it later (see my make ahead note below).

Flavor makers

Typically, a few fresh or dry herbs are used. In this recipe we have thyme sprigs, bay leaf, and dry oregano. And if you like a bit of heat, add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes.

But the secret flavor maker is: Parmesan rind! If you used to throw away your cheese rind, you need to keep it in your freezer for soup recipes like this one.

As the soup simmers beautifully, the Parmesan rind will dissolve some (or entirely depending on how much you used), imparting richness and flavor. You will take out whatever is left of the rind along with the bay leaf and thyme springs before serving.

Tips for make-ahead ribollita

Yes, this Tuscan white bean soup is even better the next day, remember the beans and vegetables are meant to be reboiled again for even more flavor, but here is what you want to do for best results:

• Cook the soup with the beans and vegetables but leave the bread out.
• When ready to serve, reboil the soup (remember, it's meant to be reboiled).
• Tear the bread apart and toast with a bit of extra virgin olive oil in the oven.
• Add the toasted bread in the boiling soup and give it a few minutes to absorb (and it's always a good idea to leave some of the toasted bread for garnish, this gives some texture)
  

Can I make this soup in the slow cooker?

I'm more of a Dutch oven gal (affiliate link), but if you want to use dry beans for this recipe, the slow cooker (affiliate) is your best bet. You can use 1 cup dry cannellini beans (no need to soak) and leave out the kale and bread until later when the soup is almost ready. Set the slow cooker on high for 6 hours or low for 12 hours (at which point, you can stir in the kale and allow it a few minutes to cook).

Toast the bread and add it to the soup a few minutes before you are ready to serve.

Need more bean recipes? Check out 17 Bean Recipes for any night of the week.

You may also like:

Chunky vegan Lentil Soup

Sweet Potato Stew

Vegetarian Moussaka

Stuffed Eggplant with Chickpeas and Couscous

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