These cold winter days call for warm tasty soups! Ribollita Soup is a classic Italian soup that is packed with tasty vegetables, herbs and crusty bread. Originally leftover vegetables and bread were used to create this rustic, flavorful soup.
This soup, like the traditional vegetable soups, can be made with the vegetables you have on hand, or your favorite ones. Traditionally you start with onion, carrots and celery, saute those and add some garlic and red pepper flakes. You could also add chopped potatoes, leeks or cabbage.
Then add crushed tomatoes, broth, herbs, Parmesan rind and beans. I used basil and a bay leaf, but you could also add fresh thyme or rosemary. I added two cans of canellini beans, because I like my soups to be thick, but you can just use one can, if you prefer. Simmer about 20 minutes.
Add spinach (or kale or Swiss chard). Stir in.
Stir in about 1 1/2 cups of the bread cubes, reserving remaining for topping. Simmer about 5 minutes, or until the bread starts to dissolve and the soup thickens. Remove bay leaf and Parmesan rind and discard. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Some recipes call for a splash of white wine, chopped parsley or a bit of lemon zest at this stage for additional seasoning.
Ladle the soup into bowls and top with extra bread cubes and Parmesan cheese and serve. I drizzled just a little bit of olive oil over the bread and placed the bowls under the broiler for just a couple of minutes to melt the cheese and toast the bread. So pretty and so tasty! Like most vegetable soups, this tastes even better the next day. Enjoy!
Stay warm and cozy!
Ribollita Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 5 carrots, chopped
- 3 celery ribs, chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 4 cups vegetable broth (or chicken broth)
- 2 1/2 tablespoons dried basil (or fresh basil)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 Parmesan rind, about 4-inch size
- 1-2 15 ounce cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
- salt and pepper
- 3 ounces baby spinach, chopped (or kale, Swiss chard)
- 2 cups cubed crusty Italian or artisan bread, day old, divided
- grated Parmesan cheese, olive oil, extra bread cubes
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onion, carrot and celery and cook for 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are softened. Stir in the garlic and crushed red pepper flakes, cook for 2 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes, broth, basil, bay leaf, Parmesan rind and beans. Season with salt and pepper, stir to combine.
- Simmer the soup with the lid slightly ajar for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are softened. Remove the lid and stir in the spinach (or kale or Swiss chard).
- Add the 1 1/2 cups of the cubed bread and simmer for 5 minutes or until the bread starts to dissolve into the soup and the soup thickens.
- Remove the bay leaf and Parmesan rind and discard. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper. Some recipes also have you add a splash of white wine, parsley or bit of lemon zest for additional flavor.
- Ladle the soup into bowls, and top with reserved 1/2 cup bread cups and extra Parmesan cheese. If desired, drizzle the top of the soup with a bit of olive oil and place under the broiler for just a couple of minutes to melt the cheese and toast the bread crumbs. Watch carefully. Refrigerate leftovers and warm up the next day to enjoy again!
