In a large pot, sauté the onion, carrot, and celery (sofritto) in olive oil over medium heat until soft (about 10 minutes). Add the potatoes and cook for another 5 minutes.
Ribollita
- Total time - 2 hours 30 minutes
- Prep time - 30 minutes
- Cooking time - 2 hours
- Servings: 6
- Country: Italy
Ribollita is the queen of Tuscan soups. Its magic lies in the slow cooking process that allows all the flavors to meld into a harmonious whole. The base is a traditional sofritto of onion, carrot, and celery, to which a mixture of seasonal vegetables and beans is added. Unlike other soups, Ribollita is thickened by the soaked and disintegrated bread, which gives the dish its characteristic substantial texture.
It tastes best the day after it's been reboiled, when the flavors have had a chance to develop even further. It is traditionally served with a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a dash of freshly ground pepper.
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 300 g stale Tuscan bread (2-day old)
- 400 g cooked cannellini beans
- 500 g black kale (cavolo nero), chopped
- 1 piece red onion, chopped
- 2 pieces carrot, chopped
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 2 pieces potatoes, diced
- 200 g tomato passata (crushed tomatoes)
- 1.5 l vegetable broth
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Preparing the Base
Cooking the Soup
Add the chopped black kale and tomato passata. Stir and let it simmer to combine the flavors. Pour in the vegetable broth, season with salt and pepper. Cook covered for about 1 hour until the vegetables are tender.
Finishing and Serving
Add the cooked beans (you can mash some of them with a fork to thicken the soup). Add the torn or chopped Tuscan bread. Stir the soup well so the bread soaks up the liquid and disintegrates. If the soup is too thick, add a little more broth.
It tastes best if left to sit overnight and then reboiled. Serve hot, generously drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and freshly ground black pepper.