Description
An extra-flavorful take on Ribollita, the iconic Tuscan soup! Hearty white beans & kale simmer with carrots, celery & onion in an aromatic tomato broth infused with fresh herbs, loads of garlic, & a parmesan rind for bold flavor. But ribollita’s key ingredient is bread, which simmers in the broth to create an extra-cozy & hearty soup. Finish each bowl with crispy toasted croutons & a generous sprinkling of parmesan for the most flavorful, cozy, feel-good meal on a cold winter day.
Ingredients
Scale
- 6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 4 medium carrots, peeled as desired & diced
- 2 ribs celery, diced
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 (one) 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes with their juice
- 32 ounces low-sodium vegetable stock or broth
- 2 cups water
- 1 head garlic, halved crosswise & excess paper removed
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 (one) 0.75-ounce pack “poultry blend” fresh herbs (or approx. 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, 2 sprigs fresh sage, & 10–12 sprigs fresh thyme), tied into a secure bundle with kitchen twine
- optional: parmesan rind (see Recipe Notes)
- 12 ounces sourdough or hearty bread of choice, cut or torn into 1/2-inch pieces & divided
- 2 (two) 14-ounce cans cannellini beans, drained & rinsed
- 1 bunch kale, destemmed & finely shredded (approx. 2 cups packed)
- kosher salt & ground black pepper, to season
- for serving, as desired: extra virgin olive oil, shaved parmesan, ground black pepper
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Gather & prep all ingredients according to Ingredients List, above.
- Cook the aromatics: Add 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) of the olive oil to a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven (at least 5-qt capacity) over medium heat. Once hot, add in the carrot, celery, & onion. Season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt & ground black pepper as desired. Stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the veggies have softened slightly, 6-8 minutes. Add the Italian seasoning, stirring to combine. Toast until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Deglaze the pot by slowly pouring in the white wine, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits that have formed on the bottom of the pan. Let the wine simmer, reducing by half.
- Build the ribollita: Add the whole peeled tomatoes, vegetable stock or broth, garlic, bay leaves, fresh herbs, & parmesan rind (if using) to the pot. Stir to combine, using a wooden spoon to roughly break up the whole tomatoes. Season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt & additional ground black pepper as desired. Increase the heat to medium-high to bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to maintain a steady simmer. Partially cover the pot (place the lid on the pot such that it’s just partially covered, allowing some steam to escape as the soup cooks) & simmer for 20 minutes.
- Toast the bread: Meanwhile, as the soup simmers, toast the bread. Place 2/3 of the torn bread on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Season with a good pinch of kosher salt & ground black pepper. Toss to coat well, arranging the seasoned bread in an even layer across the baking sheet. Transfer to the oven & toast 10-12 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oven & set aside for serving.
- Finish the ribollita: Once the ribollita has simmered, add in the reserved 1/3 of the torn bread, cannellini beans, & kale. Stir to combine well. Cook an additional 5 minutes, until the beans are warmed through & the kale is wilted. Taste & season with additional kosher salt & ground black pepper as needed. Remove from the heat & discard the bay leaves, herb bundle & parmesan rind. You can also remove & discard the garlic – but I like to carefully squeeze the cooked cloves of garlic out of the bulb & into the soup…so good!
- Serve immediately: Portion the ribollita into soup bowls, topping with a good handful of the toasted bread cubes. Finish with a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil & a sprinkling of grated parmesan. Enjoy!
Notes
- Parmesan rind: A parmesan rind is the tough outer edge of a wheel of Parmigiano Reggiano, & it’s my absolute favorite soup season secret. Toss a parmesan rind into any cozy soup you make this cold-weather season; as it simmers, it infuses a rich, parmesan-y flavor into the broth. It’s an easy way to add an extra depth of flavor to soups, stews, & sauces, especially when the recipe comes together quickly. Parmesan rinds are usually sold at cheese shops or grocery stores with a more curated cheese selection (I buy mine at Whole Foods). Store them in your freezer all soup season long!
- Storage, Reheating, & Freezing:
- Storage & Reheating: This ribollita soup is incredibly make-ahead friendly – it stores so well & it’s one of those things that gets even better as it sits & its flavors meld together. Transfer the cooled soup to an airtight container & store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Store any leftover toasted bread croutons in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Reheat the soup on the stovetop or in the microwave until warmed through. Serve with toasted bread cubes.
- Freezer Instructions: This ribollita soup is also incredibly freezer-friendly. Transfer the cooled soup to a freezer container or divide between multiple freezer containers for smaller portions. Freeze for up to 3 months. To thaw, place the frozen tomato soup in the refrigerator overnight or submerge the freezer container in room temperature water for a quicker thaw. Easily reheat on the stovetop.
- 20-Minute Meal Prep: All of the prep work involved in this recipe is chopping veggies. Chop them all in advance, storing in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. When you’re ready to prep your soup, all you have to do is get cooking – seriously so easy!:
- Dice 1 large yellow onion, 4 medium carrots (peel as desired), & 2 ribs celery. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. (10 minutes active prep)
- Destem & finely shred 1 bunch kale. Transfer to a zip-top bag, removing as much air as possible. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. (5 minutes active prep)
- Dice or tear 12 ounces bread into rough 1/2-inch pieces. Transfer to a zip-top bag, removing as much air as possible. Store at room temperature for up to 5 days. (5 minutes active prep)