La Ribollita (Vegetarian Tuscan Bread Soup)

Name: La Ribollita (Vegetarian Tuscan Bread Soup)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 2 h
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 10oz bread (such as an Italian loaf, country bread or boule), sliced ¼ inch thick; 1, 15oz can cannellini or other white beans; 6-8 cups vegetable broth, as needed; ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving; 1 small onion, finely chopped; 2 medium carrots, finely chopped; 1 stalk celery, finely chopped; 1 large russet potato, cut into ½ inch cubes; ½ cup canned, whole tomatoes, crushed by hand; 1 bunch (~8oz) kale, preferably lacinato, trimmed and sliced into 1 inch pieces; ½ small (~12oz) napa or savoy cabbage, cored and sliced into ½ inch pieces; 1 sprig fresh rosemary; 1 sprig fresh thyme; Grated parmesan (parmigiano reggiano) cheese, for serving; Salt and pepper, to taste

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La Ribollita is a traditional Tuscan soup, which is thickened with stale bread. My version is vegetarian and includes kale and white beans.

Overhead view of two bowls of Tuscan vegetarian bread soup on a rustic wood surface next to a bowl of parmesan and small pitcher of oil.

If you’re looking for an authentic ribollita recipe, look no further! The only shortcut I took was using canned beans, but you can easily swap out dried beans that you soaked and cooked in advance.

The key to a great ribollita is to allow the bread to soak in the soup overnight for the best flavor and texture. If you don’t want to hassle with that step, you can certainly heat up some fresh, crusty bread and just dip it into the soup instead. This would not be ribollita, which means “reboiled”, but it would still be delicious.

Ingredient Notes

Bread– You can use a traditional Tuscan or other Italian-style bread, a country loaf or a boule. Use the best quality bread you can find, but I would avoid sourdough.

Beans– Any white beans will due, such as cannellini or navy beans. You can used canned or cooked dry beans.

Greens– I like to use a combo of lacinato kale and savoy or napa cabbage. You can also use curly kale or Swiss chard.

Potato- If you want to omit the potato, you can add an extra cup or two of beans instead.

Tomatoes- I used canned, whole tomatoes which I crushed by hand before adding to the pot, but any canned tomato is fine (except paste). You can even use fresh tomatoes.

Vegetarian Tuscan Bread Soup Ingredients including kale, white beans, cabbage, carrots, celery, onion, broth and bread.

Recipe Steps

First, slice the bread and dry it out in the oven (2). Skip this step if your bread is already dry and stale. Then, blend a ½ cup of beans with a ½ cup of broth (1).

Next, sauté the carrots, celery and onion (3). Then, add the potatoes and tomatoes (4). Next, add the cabbage, kale, beans, broth and herbs (5). Bring to a simmer and cook for 45-60 minutes until all the vegetables are very tender (6).

La Ribollita Tuscan Bread Soup, steps 1-6, including drying out bread, blending broth and beans, sautéing vegetables and cooking soup.

The next process involves layering the soup with the stale bread. Scoop a few ladlefuls of soup into a bowl or pot. Top with a thin layer of bread. Repeat until all the ingredients are used (1-7). Allow to sit for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours in the fridge. Then, reheat the portion of ribollita you plan to eat over the stove (8). Add additional broth, as desired. Top with parmesan cheese and olive oil, when serving.

Layering La Ribollita, steps 1-8, showing layering ribollita with stale bread and reheating the ribollita after it soaks.

Recipe Tips and FAQs

Make the soup the day before you plan to eat La Ribollita. It will have the best flavor and texture if it sits overnight with the bread.
If you can’t find napa or savoy cabbage, substitute with more kale or even Swiss chard.

What does ribollita mean in Italian?

Ribollita means re-boiled in Italian. This refers to the process of reheating ribollita after it has sit with the bread for several hours or up to overnight.

Where does ribollita originate from?

Ribollita is an Italian recipe, traditional in Tuscany.

Can you freeze ribollita?

You can freeze ribollita before or after adding the bread. Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

Closeup, angled view of a bowl of Tuscan vegetarian bread soup on a rustic wood surface next to a bowl of parmesan and spoon.

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Overhead view of two bowls of Tuscan bread soup on a rustic wood surface next to a bowl of parmesan and small pitcher of oil.

La Ribollita (Vegetarian Tuscan Bread Soup)

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5 from 1 review

Author: Sabrina Russo
Total Time: 2 hours
Yield: 4 to 6 servings 1x
Diet: Vegetarian

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Description

La Ribollita is a traditional Tuscan soup, which is thickened with stale bread. My version is vegetarian and includes kale and white beans.

Ingredients

Scale

10oz bread (such as an Italian loaf, country bread or boule), sliced ¼ inch thick
1, 15oz can cannellini or other white beans
6–8 cups vegetable broth, as needed
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 medium carrots, finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 large russet potato, cut into ½ inch cubes
½ cup canned, whole tomatoes, crushed by hand
1 bunch (~8oz) kale, preferably lacinato, trimmed and sliced into 1 inch pieces
½ small (~12oz) napa or savoy cabbage, cored and sliced into ½ inch pieces
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 sprig fresh thyme
Grated parmesan (parmigiano reggiano) cheese, for serving
Salt and pepper, to taste

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Instructions

Dry out bread: Preheat oven to 300F. Place slices of bread on a sheet tray. Place on center rack of oven. Cook 20-30 minutes, until dried out but not browned, flipping halfway through. Set aside until ready to use. Skip this step if your bread is already dry and stale.
Make bean broth: Place ½ cup of beans and ½ cup of broth into a blender. Blend until smooth. Set aside until ready to use.
Cook soffritto: Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add in onion, carrots and celery and season with salt and pepper. Cook 7-10 minutes until softened.
Add other vegetables: Stir in potatoes and tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Add greens and beans and season lightly with additional salt and pepper. Add bean broth and another 5 ½ cups or so of vegetable broth. Add herbs.
Cook soup: Partially cover pot. Bring to a simmer and cook about 45-60 minutes, until vegetables are all very tender. Taste and adjust seasoning, if needed. Discard rosemary and thyme stems.
Layer Ribollita: Traditionally, Ribollita is layered in a clay or terra cotta pot that it can be reheated in later. I usually just use a large bowl or pot. Spoon in 2-3 ladles of soup into the vessel. Top with a layer of dried bread. Continue to alternate layering soup and bread until you use all of the ingredients. Cover. Sit out at room temperature for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours in the fridge. The bread should be soft and soak up the broth. The mixture will be quite thick.
“Reboil” Ribollita: Transfer the amount of Ribollita you plan to eat into a pot. Add broth to the pot to create desired consistency. Some people prefer it thick, while others prefer it soupier. Partially cover and reheat until warmed through.
Serve: Scoop into bowls. Top with a drizzle of olive oil and sprinkle of parmesan cheese. Enjoy.