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    Home » Soups & Stews » Ribollita (Tuscan Bread and Vegetable Soup)

    Ribollita (Tuscan Bread and Vegetable Soup)

    Published: Nov 7, 2021 · Modified: Sep 25, 2022 by Jessica Montanelli · This post may contain affiliate links.

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    Total time to make this recipe: 2 hours 30 minutes
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    overhead shot of two bowl of tuscan bread and vegetable stew

    Ribollita is a traditional Tuscan soup (or stew) made with stale bread, white beans, cabbage, and more vegetables. It's a simple healthy vegan soup from peasants' origins but at the same time, it's comforting and delicious. This is the authentic recipe of Ribollita Toscana, the way it's been made in Tuscan households and Trattorias for centuries.

    terracotta bowl with ribollita soup with a spoon

    I'd probably define Ribollita more as a vegetable stew than a vegetable soup because it's very dense with not much liquid and lots of chunky veggies.

    It's definitely a winter meal, because it's warm and comforting, but also because it has winter vegetables like cabbage and kale. Although I remember my grandfather enjoying it in summer too as it was his favorite dish.

    Jump to:
    • What is Ribollita soup and where does it come from?
    • Ingredients
    • How to make the authentic Ribollita
    • FAQ & Tips
    • Related Recipes you might like
    • 📖 RECIPE

    What is Ribollita soup and where does it come from?

    Ribollita (read ree-bohl-lee-tah), also called Ribollita Toscana, Ribollita Senese, or simply Zuppa di Pane (Bread Soup), it's an ancient Tuscan recipe with peasant origins in Medieval times.

    It's popular throughout Tuscany and there are several versions of this soup recipe. This is the Senese version, from Siena, the city I was born and raised.

    The name Ribollita literally means re-boiled. This describes the traditional process of cooking and reheating this soup. See below notes for the authentic cooking process.

    In Medieval times, most of the Tuscan population were peasants and lived in poverty. That's why most of the traditional Tuscan recipes are made with vegetables, legumes, and bread, which were the only ingredients available to peasants.

    Ingredients

    ingredients list to make ribollita

    This recipe has many ingredients and some may be difficult to find in some areas, so here's a list of suggestions to substitute some ingredients.

    • Bread: The traditional recipe uses Tuscan bread, which is crusty sourdough bread, it's unsalted. Since this can only be found in Tuscany, you have the option to make the Tuscan bread yourself or substitute it with a different type of bread. Any type of good-quality bread will do, I suggest using crusty sourdough bread.
    • Beans: The beans in this recipe should be Cannellini, preferably dried ones. But I usually use canned ones to speed up the cooking time. If you cannot find canned Cannellini, you can also use other white beans.
    • Cavolo Nero: Cavolo Nero or Lacinato Kale, is very popular in Tuscany and therefore used in many soups. If you cannot find Cavolo Nero, you can use the standard Kale.
    • Savoy Cabbage: This is my favorite cabbage but if you cannot find it, you can use Green or Napa Cabbage.
    • Tomato Paste: You can skip the tomato paste altogether or add a couple of chopped tomatoes together with the vegetables.

    How to make the authentic Ribollita

    Ribollita is fairly straightforward, but to make the recipe the authentic way, takes a lot of time. Here I'll describe the authentic cooking process and in the recipe card below you'll find the easier speed-up process.

    • The first step is to soften the Cannellini beans by soaking the dried beans in a bowl of water overnight.
    cannellini beans next to a bowl of pureed beans

    Boil the beans in lightly salted water for about 1 hour (use 3 cups of water for each cup of beans). If you use canned beans, skip this first step.

    Set aside ½ cup of beans and blend the rest together with their water until you get a smooth cream.

    onions frying in a skillet with a wooden spoon

    While the beans cook, start cleaning and chopping all the vegetables. Remove the thick central stem from the cabbage and kale and chop the leaves roughly.

    In a large pot, drizzle some olive oil and sauté the onion for a couple of minutes.

    vegetables and potatoes added in a large pot with a wooden spoon

    Then add the tomato paste, cook for another minute, then add the beans cream, and the whole beans, mix with a spoon then add all the other chopped veggies. Season with salt, black pepper, and thyme.

    large pot of vegetables and broth to make ribollita

    Simmer at low heat for about 2 hours. Check it once in a while and add a bit of water if it's too dry.

    hand rubbing a garlic clove on bread slices

    Rub a garlic clove on the slices of bread.

    bread is added to the pot with the vegetables to make ribollita

    After the 2 hours, take a large terracotta casserole or dutch oven and layer the bottom with bread, then add a layer of vegetables, another layer of bread, and so on until the pot is full.

    Let it rest covered for a few hours or overnight. When it's time to eat it, reheat it in a pan with some olive oil and add a bit of water if it's too dense.

    I usually skip the resting time and add the slices of bread to the casserole halfway through the cooking so I can serve it the same day, topped with a drizzle of good olive oil and chili pepper flakes.

    spoon taking some ribollita from a bowl

    FAQ & Tips

    Can you make Ribollita in a pressure cooker?

    Yes, you can definitely make Ribollita in a pressure cooker. Just make sure you add enough water and cook at high pressure for 30-40 minutes. The final result will be more liquid so you can either reduce it at high heat for 10-15 minutes or keep it as it is.

    Is this recipe vegan?

    Yes, it's optional to add a Parmesan rind to the stew but if this is skipped, the Ribollita is completely vegan.

    Can I freeze the leftovers of Ribollita?

    Yes, this is what I always do! Since this recipe makes a big batch, I'll always portion the leftovers and freeze them in airtight containers for up to 6 months.

    hands holding a terracotta bowl or ribollita stew

    Related Recipes you might like

    If you like this recipe, try also these other hearty soups:

    • Pumpkin Sausage Soup
    • Healthy Tuscan Peasant Soup (with grains and legumes)
    • Sweet Potato Soup with Bacon and Gorgonzola
    • Garam Masala Vegetable Soup

    If you like this recipe, you can leave a comment and a star rating to support me. ★★★★★
    Thank you so much!

    📖 RECIPE

    overhead shot of two bowl of tuscan bread and vegetable stew

    Ribollita (Tuscan Bread and Vegetable Soup)

    A hearty and healthy stew made with bread, beans, and lots of vegetables. A classic Tuscan recipe perfect for a cold winter night.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 20 minutes
    Cook Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
    Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
    Servings: 6 people
    Author: Jessica Montanelli

    Ingredients

    • 1 can Cannellini beans
    • 1 cup Carrot
    • 1 cup Celery
    • 1 Red Onion
    • 1 cup Frozen Spinach
    • 4-5 large leaves Savoy Cabbage
    • 1 Cavolo Nero, Lacinato Kale
    • 3 small Potatoes
    • 1 clove Garlic
    • 1 teaspoon Thyme
    • 1 tablespoon Tomato Paste
    • ½ loaf stale Bread, see notes
    • Salt
    • Black Pepper
    • Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

    Instructions

    • Clean and chop the carrots, celery, onion, and potatoes. Thaw the spinach. Remove the thick central stem from the cabbage and kale and chop the leaves roughly.
    • Set aside ½ cup of beans and blend the rest together with their water until you get a smooth cream.
    • In a large pot, drizzle some olive oil and sauté the onion for a couple of minutes, then add the tomato paste, cook for another minute, then add the beans cream, and the whole beans.
    • Mix with a spoon then add all the other chopped vegetables. Season with salt, black pepper, and thyme.
    • Add enough water to barely cover all the vegetables and simmer at low heat for about 2 hours. Check it occasionally and add a bit of water if it's too dry.
    • Halfway through the cooking, rub a garlic clove on the slices of bread. Chop the bread slices in large chunks and add them to the stew. Mix well so they get covered.
    • Serve the Ribollita in bowl adding a drizzle of olive oil on top.

    Notes

    Tip: If you have it available, you can also add a Parmesan rind to the stew to give it more depth of flavor.
    Notes about Bread: The traditional recipe uses Tuscan bread, which is crusty sourdough bread and it's unsalted. But any type of good-quality bread will do, I suggest using crusty sourdough bread. The bread should also be stale, so it will soften in the stew without falling apart. Alternatively, you can toast the bread slices.
    Notes about Storage: You can keep leftovers in an airtight container in a fridge for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 6 months.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 249 kcal | Carbohydrates: 52 g | Protein: 12 g | Fat: 1 g | Saturated Fat: 1 g | Fiber: 9 g | Sugar: 4 g

    Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

    Course: Main Course, Soup
    Cuisine: Italian
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