Hearty Tuscan bread and vegetable soup
Ribollita Toscana
Ribollita Toscana
1hEasy
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
45 min
Total Time
1 hr
Servings
6
8 cups
Difficulty
Easy
Cost
Budget
$
Ribollita Toscana
Hearty Tuscan bread and vegetable soup
A thick, hearty Tuscan soup made with cannellini beans, lacinato kale, and stale bread that absorbs the flavorful broth. This peasant dish is even better the next day when reboiled.
15m
Prep Time
45m
Cook Time
60m
Total Time
6
Servings
Easy
Difficulty
Budget $
Cost
Sarah Chen
(Updated )
Ribollita literally means "reboiled"—this Tuscan classic was traditionally made by reheating leftover minestrone with stale bread. Each reheating only deepens the flavor and thickens the texture.
Ingredients
- 2 cans (15 oz each) cannellini beans, drained
- 1 bunch lacinato kale, stems removed, chopped
- 4 cups stale crusty bread, torn into pieces
- 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
- 1 onion, 2 carrots, 2 celery stalks, diced
- 4 cups vegetable broth
Instructions
- 1
Sauté onion, carrots, and celery in olive oil until tender, then add 3 cloves minced garlic and cook 1 minute.
- 2
Add diced tomatoes, broth, and half the beans. Mash remaining beans and stir them in for thickness.
- 3
Bring to a boil, add kale, and simmer 20 minutes until greens are tender.
- 4
Stir in torn bread pieces and simmer another 15 minutes until soup is thick and bread has broken down.
- 5
Drizzle generously with extra-virgin olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and serve in deep bowls.
Serving Suggestions
Ways to Serve This Dish
Serve with crusty artisan bread for dipping
Finish with a drizzle of high-quality extra virgin olive oil
Pair with a simple arugula salad dressed in lemon vinaigrette
Substitutions
Cannellini beansGreat Northern or navy beans
Any white bean works perfectly in this recipe
Lacinato kaleSwiss chard or savoy cabbage
Cabbage is actually the more traditional choice in some regions
DepthPantry
Test Kitchen Pick
Olive Oil
Helpful Pantry Staple
Why the olive oil matters
On recipes like this, olive oil is not just a background fat. A better bottle gives you cleaner flavor and a better finish.
This is one of the few pantry upgrades that keeps paying off every time you cook in this lane.
- Useful in dressings, sauces, and finishing
- Improves flavor without changing the recipe structure
A good bottle of olive oil is one of the safest pantry upgrades for Mediterranean and Italian cooking.
Shop olive oil for this recipeTips & Storage
Pro Tips
Day-old Tuscan bread or ciabatta works best—soft bread will turn to mush too quickly.
This soup is intentionally thick, almost stew-like. Add more broth if you prefer it thinner.
Storage
Refrigerate for up to 4 days. Ribollita improves with age—it is even better on day two.
Reheating
Reheat over medium heat with a splash of broth. The name means "reboiled" after all.
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (0mg) · 6 servings
Calories280
LowModerateHigh
A moderate-calorie serving · based on a 2,000 cal daily diet
Protein14g
Carbohydrates6g
Fat48g
Fiber580mg
Sugar10g
Sodium6g
Nutritional values are approximate and may vary based on specific ingredients and preparation methods.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I use regular kale?
- Yes, curly kale works too but takes a few minutes longer to become tender.
- What if I don't have stale bread?
- Toast fresh bread in the oven at 300°F for 10 minutes to dry it out.
Explore More
About Sarah Chen
Sarah Chen is a professional recipe developer and food editor with over a decade of experience in test kitchens and food media. She trained at the Culinary Institute of America before spending six years developing and testing recipes for national food publications, where she honed her ability to translate restaurant techniques into approachable home cooking. At RecipePool, Sarah leads recipe development, ensuring every dish is tested at least three times for clarity, accuracy, and genuine deliciousness. When she is not in the kitchen, she is browsing farmers markets and collecting vintage cookbooks.
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