Tuscan Ribollita (also known as Ribollita Toscana) is a hearty, nourishing vegetarian bean and kale soup that will warm you from your head to your toes!
My version of Ribollita Toscana is made with lots of veggies, white beans, sometimes chickpeas (which are not traditional but a nice addition), broth, tomatoes, and kale. Lots of Tuscan kale. The soup simmers with a parmesan rind, which adds so much flavor, then, it’s all thickened up with toasty sourdough cubes and topped with a bunch more.
Get your spoons ready. You’re going to want to dig in to a bowl of this vegetarian ribollita immediately!
Table of Contents
- What Is Ribollita?
- The Story Behind the Recipe
- Ingredients
- Adaptations/Variations
- How to Make Ribollita
- Tip for Success
- More Hearty Italian Soup Recipes
What Is Ribollita?
Ribollita, also known as Ribollita Toscana (or Tuscan Ribollita) is a thick and rustic Italian soup made with beans and veggies, and thickened with leftover bread. It’s cozy, highly flavored, and hearty. And, if you hadn’t guessed, I’m a huge fan.
The word “ribollita,” pronounced “REE-boh-LEE-tah,” literally translates to “reboiled.” Traditionally, it’s made with leftover soup (like minestrone), boiled together with day-old bread to transform it into a new, hearty, nourishing dish. (source)
Tuscan Ribollita is so delicious that in the U.S., it’s often created as the star dish, not an afterthought of leftovers. And that’s what we have here! Whenever I have a half a loaf of sourdough sitting on the counter, on the verge of being neglected, I turn to this ribollita recipe.
The Story Behind the Recipe
I’ve been working on this particular ribollita recipe for years! It’s not that it was overly complicated (quite the contrary), it was just that I would never quite get around to finishing the recipe and photographing it.
Every few months, I’d pull out the draft recipe, dust it off, make a batch, enjoy multiple bowls of coziness, and take notes. And every few months, I’d fall more and more in love with this Tuscan treasure.
The last time I made this Ribollita Toscana recipe, I decided it was finally time already to get this wonderful rustic soup out there into the world.
Ingredients
- Sourdough bread – Any rustic bread will work, but I’m partial to sourdough. You’ll want about half a loaf, around 8 cups of bread cubes.
- Olive oil – For toasting the bread cubes, sautéing the veggies, and I also like to drizzle it over the top, too.
- Onion, carrots, and celery – The classic mirepoix base is the first building block for the backbone of flavor in this Ribollita Toscana.
- Garlic – A must!
- Thyme & rosemary – You can use fresh or dried herbs. This time of year, in the heart of winter, I used dried.
- Vegetable broth – I prefer low-sodium vegetable broth. Make your own homemade vegetable broth using your slow cooker (it’s so easy!) or grab a box from the store.
- Tomatoes – One can crushed tomatoes.
- Beans – For this recipe, I suggest one can of cannellini beans and one can of chickpeas. If you want a more traditional ribollita, leave out the chickpeas and use two cans of cannellinis.
- Kale – Traditionally, Tuscan kale is the type of kale you’ll find in ribollita. This deep blue-green kale is also known as dinosaur kale or lacinato kale. It’s totally fine to swap in another type of kale if you want, though.
- Parmesan cheese – Just as in my minestrone recipe, I like to simmer the soup with a Parmesan rind for max flavor. For a vegan version, you can leave out the Parmesan and the soup still has plenty of flavor without it (or stir in a bit of nutritional yeast to get that lovely added bit of umami flavor!)
- Salt & pepper – Adjust as needed.
- Crushed red pepper flakes – Just a pinch adds a welcome touch of heat.
- Red wine vinegar – I like to finish my ribollita with a splash of red wine vinegar which really brightens and brings out the varied flavors. If you don’t have vinegar or don’t want to use it, it’s okay – the soup will still be great!
Adaptations/Variations
- Vegan option: The only non-vegan ingredient in this Ribollita is Parmesan. Just leave it out or use a dairy-free parm substitute.
- Sub in spinach instead of kale: If you don’t love kale or just don’t have any on hand, spinach makes a nice substitute. It’s not as traditional as Tuscan kale, but just as lovely!
How to Make Ribollita
First, you’ll want to toast your bread. Add the bread to a large baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Toss to distribute the oil, then sprinkle the salt over the top. Bake until golden and crisp.
While the bread bakes, assemble your soup. You’ll start with sauteeing your onion, carrots, and celery, then you’ll add the garlic and herbs.
Stir in the broth, tomatoes, beans, chickpeas, Parmesan rind, some salt and pepper, and the crushed red pepper, then simmer for about 20 minutes to allow the flavors to develop and mingle together gloriously.
After it has simmered, dig out the parmesan rind and discard it; it’s done its job! Stir in the kale just until wilted, then remove the ribollita from the heat.
Stir in the red wine vinegar and a couple of cups of the bread, then let the soup sit for a few minutes, stirring every once in awhile. This helps the bread soften and become one with the soup! Taste your ribollita soup – does it need more salt and pepper? Now’s the time to add it!
Now, it’s time to serve! Scoop ribollita into bowls and top generously with more breadcrumbs. I like to add lots of Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil, and sometimes a bit of parsley for added color.
Tip for Success
- Let the soup “rest” – I find the off-heat time, when you allow it to cool a bit and let the bread hunks soften in the soup, really helps develop the flavors. Plus, the soup isn’t so piping hot when you serve it that you forget to taste it!
I hope Ribollita Toscana becomes a new vegetarian staple for you and your family! We absolutely love ribollita – it’s so cozy, nourishing, and hearty on a cold winter’s night.
More Hearty Italian Soup Recipes
Tuscan Ribollita
Ingredients
For the bread chunks:
- 7-8 cups sourdough bread chunks (about 1/2 loaf, cut or torn into approx. 3/4-inch pieces)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
For the ribollita:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 medium yellow onion (diced, about 1 cup)
- 2 medium carrots (peeled and diced, about 1/2 cup)
- 1 stalk celery (diced, 1/4 cup)
- 3 medium cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme (or 2 teaspoons fresh)
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary (or 1 teaspoon fresh)
- 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 15 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 15 ounces cannellini beans (1 can; 1 1/2 cups; drained and rinsed)
- 15 ounces chickpeas (1 can; 1/2 cups; drained and rinsed [or substitute another can of cannellini beans])
- 1 Parmesan rind
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt + more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper + more to taste
- 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 bunch Tuscan kale (ribs removed, torn or cut into 1-2 inch pieces, 3-4 cups packed)
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
For serving:
- drizzle of olive oil
- grated parmesan
- minced parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper (not required, but makes for easy clean-up). Add the bread in a single layer. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil and toss with your hands to help distribute. Sprinkle on 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Place in oven and bake until bread just begins to crisp and turn golden, 20-25 minutes.
- While the bread chunks bake, make the soup. Place a medium dutch oven or soup pot over medium-low heat. Add the 2 tablespoons olive oil. When hot, add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme, and rosemary and cook, stirring frequently, for one minute. Add the broth, tomatoes, beans, chickpeas, Parmesan rind, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper, and 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low to simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and the flavors have had a chance to develop, about 20 minutes.
- Remove the parmesan rind and stir in the kale. Cook until wilted, 1-2 minutes.
- Remove the soup from heat and stir in the red wine vinegar and 2 cups of the bread chunks. Let the soup sit for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally to help the bread distribute and thicken the soup. Taste and add more salt and pepper if desired.
- Top individual servings with more bread hunks, lots of grated Parmesan, minced parsley if desired, and a generous drizzle of good olive oil.
Hi! I’m Karen – I’m a real person with real recipes. No A.I. here! Since 2009, every recipe on Kitchen Treaty is thoroughly tested and loved before I hit “publish.” I’m a home cook, certified plant-based pro, and mom. I’m a vegetarian married to a carnivore, and my goal is to coexist deliciously.
Just made this tonight-love the flavors! A perfect hardy soup for cold weather. And I love having more ways to use up stale bread!