Ribollita (Tuscan Bread and Bean Soup)
Ribollita is a traditional Tuscan soup that sautees cannellini beans, cabbage, carrot, tomato, celery, and onion in olive oil, simmers them in vegetable stock, and thickens the pot by tearing in stale baguette near the end of cooking. The name itself means 're-boiled,' reflecting its origin as leftover soup reheated with bread. Starch from the beans and the bread's absorption of broth create a hearty body without any roux or cream. The cabbage grows sweeter the longer it simmers, and a finishing drizzle of olive oil adds richness to the otherwise lean vegetable base. Reheating the next day allows the flavors to meld further, which is why this soup traditionally tastes better on the second day.
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Instructions
- 1
Dice onion, carrot, and celery and saute in olive oil.
- 2
Add cabbage and tomato and cook until softened.
- 3
Add beans and stock, then simmer for 25 minutes.
- 4
Tear in bread and simmer 10 more minutes until thick.
- 5
Season with salt and pepper and finish with olive oil.
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