Ribollita

Name: Ribollita
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 120 min
Total time: 150 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: Dried cannellini beans 2 cups; Stale bread Tuscan (wood-fired) 2.3 cups; Verza (savoy cabbage) (to clean) 10.5 oz; Italian kale (cavolo nero) (to clean) 6 cups; Chard (to clean) 8.3 cups; Potatoes 0.7 lb; Peeled tomatoes 1 ¼ cup; Carrots 0.44 cup; Celery 1 cup; Onions 1; Garlic 1 clove; Thyme fresh to taste; Extra virgin olive oil to taste; Fine salt to taste; Black pepper to taste

it es br de fr

Lactose Free
Vegetarian
Vegan

Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 2 h
Serving: 6
Cost: Low
Note + 1 night of soaking for the cannellini beans and 2 hours of resting in the fridge

PRESENTATION

Bright colors and homey appeal make Ribollita stand out in any lineup of traditional American cooking. Families looking for easy dinners with comfort value often turn to Ribollita for its hearty, soft texture and rich flavor—kids usually go for seconds, and adults love how satisfying it is. This soup boasts chunky, wholesome veggies, bits of bread that soak up all those deep flavors, and a nice balance that feels just right for cool evenings. Dusty gold, green, and orange colors look inviting in the bowl, making it a dish that looks just as welcoming on a weeknight table as during Sunday supper. Since it fits right in with easy American meals, homes with busy schedules or lots of hungry mouths can keep dinner relaxed but still really nice with big servings of this soup. Simple bowls bring people together, and the flavor works for all ages, so it’s food everyone can feel EXCITED to eat—packing so many nice tastes into one pot definitely wins over regular eaters, too.

Families who rely on weeknight recipes find Ribollita dependable for those times when dinner needs to happen without a lot of hassle. Serving up as a great choice for one-pot meals, this soup brings warmth, nutrition, and easy cleanup in one fell swoop—not to mention it’s usually pretty good for the wallet, making it a favorite among budget-friendly meals. Adaptability is really key here; whatever veggies are left in the fridge often work, so it’s cozy and clever all at once. For a savory finish, people sometimes add extra cheese or drizzle a little olive oil on top...little tweaks keep it feeling fresh and new. Feed everyone around the table with DELICIOUS results, since flexible crowd-pleasers like Ribollita have a way of making simple nights feel special. Works for potlucks, big family gatherings, or just lunch the next day—kids, parents, and grandparents usually agree it’s a great, comforting choice. Strong American recipe traditions meet Italian charm right in your kitchen, so dinner stays happy and everyone leaves the table smiling (that’s why this one stays on the favorites list).

How to prepare Ribollita

To prepare ribollita, start by soaking the beans overnight in cold water 1. Then drain, rinse them, and place them in a large pot with plenty of unsalted cold water 2. Bring to a boil and cook for one hour. Meanwhile, prepare the aromas and vegetables for the soup: cut the celery into dice about 1/8 inch 3.

Do the same with the carrot, then peel and chop the onion 5 and garlic 6.

Peel and cut the potatoes into chunks of about 3/4 inch 7. Now move on to the leafy greens: cut the savoy cabbage into strips of about 1/2 to 3/4 inch, after removing the central core 8. Also, cut the Swiss chard into small pieces 9.

Remove the woody base of the black cabbage head, then cut the rest into strips 10. If the stems are too tough, you can strip the leaf from the stem and discard it. Crush the canned tomatoes with a fork 11. When the beans are cooked, take about half of them and set them aside 12.

Blend the rest along with their cooking water using an immersion blender 13. In a very large pot, pour some olive oil and add the onion 14, celery, carrot, and garlic 15.

Season with thyme (pepolino) 16 and sauté gently for about 10 minutes over low heat. Now add the potatoes 17 and the leafy greens 18.

Salt 19, pepper, and mix well, stewing everything for a few minutes. At this point, pour in the crushed tomatoes 20 and the bean broth 21, adding more water if needed to cover all the vegetables.

Bring to a boil and let cook over medium-low heat for 45 minutes 22. After this time 23, add the cooked beans you set aside 24.

Cut the stale Tuscan bread into slices 25 and immerse them in the pot, pressing them well into the broth with the help of a ladle 26. When all the slices are well immersed, cover with a lid 27 and let cool at room temperature, then place in the refrigerator for another 2 hours, or better yet, overnight.

After the cooling time, retrieve the soup 28, stir it, and put it back on the heat 29. Bring it to a boil, adjusting the thickness with additional water if needed. Serve and finish with a drizzle of raw olive oil 30.

Pepper 31, flavor with thyme 32, and serve your ribollita immediately 33!

Storage

The ribollita can be stored for 1-2 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container. It can be frozen if you have used all fresh non-defrosted ingredients, although the taste may suffer.

Advice

If desired, you can garnish the soup with raw chopped onion.

For a good result, we recommend using bread with a thick crust, so it won't become excessively mushy during cooking.

If you like spicy food, you can certainly add some fresh or dried chili pepper to your ribollita, but do so sparingly, so it doesn't overpower the taste of the other ingredients.

Don't have enough time and looking for a black cabbage recipe that's quicker to prepare? Try the pasta with black cabbage!

For the translation of some texts, artificial intelligence tools may have been used.