How to make it
6 steps. Take it one step at a time.
Heat the olive oil
Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced onion, carrot, and celery. Sauté for about 8-10 minutes until the vegetables are soft and the onion is translucent.
10 minStir in the minced garlic and tomato paste
Stir in the minced garlic and tomato paste. Cook for another 2 minutes until fragrant and the tomato paste has darkened slightly.
2 minAdd the chopped kale and half of the cannellini beans
Add the chopped kale and half of the cannellini beans to the pot. Using a fork or a potato masher, roughly mash the remaining half of the beans before adding them to the pot (this helps thicken the soup).
Pour in the vegetable broth
Pour in the vegetable broth. Season with salt and pepper. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes.
20 minAdd the torn pieces of stale bread
Add the torn pieces of stale bread to the soup. Stir well and simmer for another 10 minutes, or until the bread has absorbed enough liquid to make the soup very thick, almost stew-like.
10 minRemove from heat
Remove from heat. For the most authentic experience, let the soup sit for 1 hour or refrigerate overnight and 'reboil' it before serving. Serve with a generous drizzle of olive oil on top.
1 hr
A little kitchen wisdom
Ribollita literally means 'reboiled'. Historically, it was made by reheating leftover minestrone or bean soup from the day before with stale bread. For the best flavor, use high-quality extra virgin olive oil and Lacinato kale (also known as Cavolo Nero).
