Tuscan Ribollita
A Tuscan dish that celebrates seasonal vegetables and the first press of extra virgin olive oil. Adding bread turns this soup into a main course.
Ingredients
- 2 cups dry cranberry beans or pinto beans
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 stalk celery, chopped
- 2 med carrots, chopped
- 1 med white onion, chopped
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 head savoy cabbage, cored and chopped
- 1 bunch Swiss chard (or kale), stemmed and chopped
- 5 cups water
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- 6 slices Italian bread, torn into pieces
- 6 tsp olive oil (for drizzling over the top of each bowl of soup)
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
Directions
- In a large pot cover the beans with water and soak overnight.
- Drain the soaking liquid, cover the beans with water, and cook the beans with the bay leaves and 2 of the garlic cloves over medium heat until they are soft, about 60 to 90 minutes. Strain the beans, reserving 1 cup of the liquid to add to the soup.
- In a food processor, shred the remaining 2 cloves of garlic with the celery, carrot, and onion until very finely chopped. You want tiny pieces of the vegetables, not a purée.
- Sauté the vegetables in ¼ cup of extra-virgin olive oil on medium-low heat, about 10 minutes, or until they are fragrant and slightly colored.
- Add the cooked beans and the 1 cup cooking water, cabbage, chard (or kale), and water. Bring to a simmer and cook for approximately one hour. Season with salt and pepper.
- Crumble the bread into small chunks and place a handful of the bread in each bowl. Ladle the soup over it and let it sit for a few minutes for the bread to soften and the broth to be absorbed.
- Finish each bowl with a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil and a few teaspoons freshly grated Parmesan.
Nutrition Facts
Calories 420
Calories from Fat 142 (34%)
(25%)Total Fat 16g
(14%)Saturated Fat 3g
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
Monounsaturated Fat 11g
(1%)Cholesterol 4mg
(20%)Sodium 479mg
(38%)Potassium 1321mg
Total Carbohydrate 53g
(76%)Dietary Fiber 19g
Sugars 3g
Sugar Alcohols 0g
(39%)Protein 20g
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Nutrition facts are calculated by a food expert using nutritional values provided by the USDA for common products used as recipe ingredients. Actual nutritional values may differ depending on the amounts or products used and can be affected by cooking methods.
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The information presented here is for informational purposes only and was created by a team of US–registered dietitians and food experts. Consult your doctor, practitioner, and/or pharmacist for any health problem and before using any supplements, making dietary changes, or before making any changes in prescribed medications. Information expires December 2025.