Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Soffritto & Aromatics
- 80 ml extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for serving
- 2 yellow onion, diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 fresh thyme
Soup Base
- 480 g cannellini beans, cooked/canned
- 400 g whole peeled tomatoes, canned
- 300 g cavolo nero (lacinato kale), tough stems removed, leaves roughly chopped
- 250 g savoy cabbage, shredded
- 1500 ml vegetable stock, hot
Bread & Finish
- 350 g stale country bread, torn into large chunks
- salt
- black pepper, freshly cracked
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced onion, carrot, and celery with a pinch of salt.
Add the minced garlic and thyme sprigs. Stir constantly for about 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
Add the hand-crushed tomatoes and their juices along with the cannellini beans. Simmer for 5 minutes.
Remove the pot briefly from heat or lower heat significantly. Use a potato masher to crush about half of the beans directly in the pot. This releases starch to thicken the soup.
Pour in the hot vegetable stock. Stir in the chopped cavolo nero and savoy cabbage. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low.
Cover and simmer gently for 30 minutes until the greens are very tender.
Add the stale bread chunks. Submerge them into the liquid. Cook for another 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally to help the bread break down slightly.
Remove from heat. Discard the thyme sprigs. Let the soup rest for at least 15 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld.
Serve warm, drizzled generously with high-quality olive oil and plenty of black pepper.
Chef's Notes
- The name 'Ribollita' means 'reboiled.' This soup is traditionally made one day, chilled, and reheated the next. The flavor complexity doubles after an overnight rest.
- Do not use sliced sandwich bread. You need a dense, rustic loaf (ideally sourdough or ciabatta) with a thick crust to maintain some texture without dissolving into glue.
- If you have a parmesan rind (and are not strictly vegan), add it during step 5 for a massive umami boost. Remove before serving.
- The quality of the finishing olive oil makes or breaks this dish. Use your best peppery, grassy extra virgin olive oil for the final drizzle.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Flavor improves significantly after 24 hours. The soup will thicken; thin with water or stock when reheating.
Freezer: 3 months — Bread texture may become slightly mushier upon thawing, but flavor remains excellent.
Reheating: Gently reheat on the stove over low heat. If too thick, add a splash of water.
