Italian Ribollita Soup

5 from 2 votes

This hearty, thick soup is filled with vegetables, beans and bread cubes that melt in to create a thick, stew-like consistency. Perfect for a cold day when you need something warming, and a great way to use up vegetables and bread in the Italian tradition. For a vegetarian or vegan version, use homemade vegetable broth and skip the pancetta or Prosciutto (or use it as a garnish). Leftovers are great and freeze well.

Prep Time20

Cook Time40

Total Time1

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: Yield 2 ½ quarts

Calories: 315kcal

Author: Sally Cameron

Equipment

Large soup pot or Dutch oven (5 ½ qt)

Ingredients

1 ½ - 2 cups bread cubes sourdough bread, GF or not, day old staled
2 tablespoons olive oil divided use
3 ounces prosciutto, chopped or pancetta
1 large onion diced, 2 cups
3-4 large cloves garlic chopped fine
1 cup diced carrots 2 large
1 cup diced celery 2-3 ribs
1 cup diced fennel bulb 1 medium bulb
1 ½ teaspoons dried Italian herb blend
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 cups chopped kale 5-6 large leaves without center ribs
15 ounces canned cannellini beans rinsed and drained
4 cups low sodium chicken broth preferably homemade
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
¼ cup chopped fresh basil leaves
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese optional

Instructions

Ready the bread

Either stale the bread by leaving slices on the counter overnight uncovered or oven dry it at 300°F, 1503- minutes depending on the bread.

Cook the prosciutto or pancetta

Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a large heavy pot (5½–6 quarts) over medium heat. Add the chopped prosciutto or pancetta and cook until lightly crisp, about 4–5 minutes. Transfer to a small plate and set aside.

Sauté the aromatics

Add the remaining olive oil to the pot. Stir in the onion and cook until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute, stirring so it doesn’t brown.

Add the vegetables

Add the carrots, celery, and fennel. Cook until tender, 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the dried Italian herbs, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.

Add the kale

Stir in the chopped kale and cook 4–5 minutes, until slightly wilted. This step helps the greens integrate into the base rather than floating.

Build the soup

Add the tomatoes with their juices, cannellini beans, and broth. Stir to combine.

Add the bread

Stir in the cubed, day-old bread. It will begin to soften and thicken the soup as it absorbs broth.

Simmer gently

Raise the heat just until the soup is almost boiling, then cover and reduce to low heat. Cook 15 minutes until the kale is tender and the bread has melted into the pot.

Finish soup

Return the cooked prosciutto or pancetta to the soup, stir in the fresh herbs, remove the parmesan rind if using, and taste for seasoning. Ladle into bowls and top with grated Parmesan if desired (and remember parmesan is salty).

Notes

Recipe Notes: This soup is even better the next day. I like it very thick as we had it in Italy. If you want a more brothy soup, add more broth. Leftovers freeze well.

Nutrition