Name: Ribollita
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 65 min
Total time: 90 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 60 ml Olive oil (divided); 1 piece yellow onion (finely chopped); 2 pieces carrot (finely chopped); 2 stalks celery (finely chopped); 3 cloves Garlic (thinly sliced); 400 g canned crushed tomatoes (with juices); 1.2 l vegetable stock; 800 g cannellini beans (canned, drained and rinsed); 300 g Tuscan kale (stems removed and leaves roughly chopped); 400 g Savoy cabbage (cored and thinly sliced); 250 g stale country bread (torn into bite-size pieces); 1 tsp fine sea salt (plus more to taste); 1/2 tsp Black pepper (freshly ground)

Come preparare

Warm 45 ml of the olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, and salt, then sauté for 10 to 12 minutes until the vegetables are soft, glossy, and lightly golden.

Stir in the tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pot, until the tomatoes darken slightly and smell sweet.

Add the stock, beans, kale, cabbage, and black pepper. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the greens are tender and the broth is richly flavored.

Stir in the torn bread and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring twice, until the bread is saturated and the soup is thick enough to mound slightly on a spoon. Taste and adjust the salt.

Thick ribollita with softened bread, beans, and greens

Immagine generata dall'IA

Remove the pot from the heat and rest for 15 minutes so the bread can finish absorbing the broth. For the traditional second-day texture, cool the soup completely, cover, and refrigerate overnight.

Reheat the soup gently over medium-low heat until steaming throughout, adding a little water if needed. Ladle into warm bowls, drizzle with the remaining olive oil, and serve hot.

A bowl of finished ribollita drizzled with olive oil

Immagine generata dall'IA

Perché questa ricetta funziona

Slowly softened vegetables and beans create a naturally creamy broth without blending, while stale bread absorbs the seasoned liquid and gives ribollita its distinctive spoon-standing body.

Conservazione e riscaldamento

Come conservarla

Cool within two hours, refrigerate in a covered container for up to 4 days, or freeze without the bread for up to 3 months.

Come riscaldarla

Reheat gently in a saucepan over medium-low heat until steaming throughout, adding a splash of water or stock if the soup has thickened too much. Add fresh bread when serving.