This Italian Ribollita soup recipe is so thick and hearty, it's practically a stew. Brimming with vegetables, beans, herbs, and a savory broth, it's incredibly satisfying. I've included easy variations for grain-free, dairy-free, and vegan diets so everyone can enjoy this classic soup. I've included simple variations for grain-free, dairy-free, and vegan diets so everyone can enjoy this classic Tuscan dish.
We ffell in love with ribollita (also known as ribollita toscana) in Siena, Italy-a stunning medieval city steeped in history. This hearty vegetable soup is a staple throughout Tuscany. The name ribollita means "reboiled," reflecting the tradition of thrifty Tuscan cooks who repurposed leftover vegetables, beans, and bread from the week into a rich, comforting soup. A meal in itself, make a flavor-filled pot for your family.
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Why You'll Like This Recipe
- It's hearty and satisfying.
- Can be made ahead and re-heated.
- It's filled with vegetables, beans, and herbs.
For another hearty Italian-inspired soup, try this chicken minestrone soup recipe.
Recipe Ingredients
Don't let the long list scare you; a lot of it is vegetables and some prep work but it's worth it.
- Oil: Extra virgin olive oil.
- Meat: Prosciutto or pancetta.
- Onion: For depth of flavor and sweetness.
- Garlic: Got to have garlic in an Italian soup! Fresh cloves.
- Carrots: Orange, for sweetness and flavor.
- Celery: Part of the vegetable base of the soup.
- Fennel: For another dimension of flavor and vegetables, widely used in Italian cooking.
- Herbs: Dried Italian herb blend.
- Greens: Tuscan or Lacinato kale (the big flat crinkly leaves).
- Beans: Canned cannellini beans.
- Broth: Chicken broth, low sodium vegetable broth, or turkey broth all work. Use homemade if possible or a high quality refrigerated or frozen store brand.
- Bread: Regular sourdough, gluten-free sourdough, or other artisan bread.
- Tomatoes: Canned diced tomatoes, petite diced if available.
- Herbs: Fresh basil leaves (skip if it's not available).
- Cheese: Grated parmesan cheese for garnish (optional).
Please see the recipe card for measurements, salt, black pepper, and red pepper.
For another hearty dish with lots of veggies and beans try this hearty vegetarian chili.
Substitutions and Variations
- Omit the the meat.
- I use this gluten-free sourdough If you use regular sourdough the slices are much larger, so start with half the slices.
- For grain-free, skip the bread cubes, it is just not as thick.
- If you have mixed dietary preferences in your home, you can use the crisped Prosciutto as a garnish instead of cooked in so each person can choose. Same for the cheese.
- Add a parmesan rind to the simmering soup for more flavor (and remove before serving).
Recipe Instructions
There is a bit of prep work to making ribollita with chopping all of the vegetables, but think of it as great knife skills practice. You can do your prep ahead and cook when ready. Originally I used pancetta, but prosciutto is easier to find; use either.
- Chop the meat and all of the vegetables. Drain and rinse the beans and open the tomatoes.
- Brown the meat briefly until crisped, remove, then saute the vegetables.
- Add kale, tomatoes, beans, broth and bread, then simmer until thickened.
- Add the fresh basil before serving and enjoy ladled into shallow wide bowls and sprinkle with Parmesan.
Serving Suggestions
Ribollita is a hearty, rustic Italian soup that is traditionally served as a stand-alone meal, but there are plenty of ways to complement your meal. Here are some serving suggestions:
- Serve with toasted crusty bread or garlic-rubbed crostini.
- Drizzle the top with a little good olive oil.
- The salty finish of grated Parmesan cheese or Pecorino Romano cheese is delicious.
- Garnish with freshly chopped parsley or basil for a pop of freshness.
Storing and Freezing
Ribollita keeps in an airtight container in the refrigerator 3-4 days. If you won't finish it by then, freeze it.
Ribollita freezes well overall, especially if you freeze it without the bread. Even with the bread, it can still be delicious-just expect a thicker consistency that may need some adjustments (like extra broth) during reheating.
The best way to freeze ribollita is before adding the bread. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight then simmer on the stovetop until hot and add the bread.
Freeze ribollita up to 3 months.
- Cool Completely, then transfer to airtight containers.
- Portion: Freeze in individual portions or family-sized batches for easy reheating.
- Leave Space: Leave about an inch of space in the container to allow for expansion during freezing.
- Label: Add a label with the date and contents for easy identification.
Recipe FAQs
The best greens for ribollita include lacinato kale (aka Tuscan kale or dino kale), Swiss chard, or spinach.
To make ribollita vegan or vegetarian, skip the meat (pancetta or prosciutto), use vegetable broth, and omit any grated cheese for garnish. You can also use a vegan, plant-based parmesan. Try topping it with a sprinkle of nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavor. Make these simple changes and you'll love the vegan or vegetarian version of ribollita.
Good substitutes for Parmesan cheese include Pecorino Romano (sharper, saltier Italian cheese made from sheep's milk), Grana Padano (similar to Parmesan but milder and less expensive), Manchego (a Spanish cheese with a rich, buttery taste), or Asiago (with a nutty, slightly tangy flavor.)
More Hearty Soup Recipes
Did You Make This Recipe?
If you make ribollita, please add your comment. I appreciate your feedback and enjoy hearing from you. They really help other readers. If you loved it, please give it a 5-star rating.
📖 Recipe
Italian Ribollita Soup Recipe
Equipment
- Large sop pot or Dutch oven (5 ½ qt)
Ingredients
- 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
- 1 15-ounce can cannellini beans rinsed and drained
- 4 cups low sodium chicken broth preferably homemade
- 4 slices gluten-free sourdough bread, cubed small crusts removed (1 ½ -2 cups)
- 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
- ¼ cup chopped fresh basil leaves
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese optional
Instructions
- Heat 1 teaspoon of the oil in a large heavy pot (5 ½ quarts) over medium heat. Add Prosciutto and cook until crisped, 4-5 minutes. Remove Prosciutto from the pot and set aside to be added back later.
- Add the rest of the oil to the pot and add the onion. Cook until tender and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute, stirring. Add the carrots, celery and fennel and cook until tender, 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the dried herbs, then stir in the kale, salt, and black and red pepper, cook 4-5 minutes. Add tomatoes with their juice, beans, broth and bread cubes. Turn heat up and bring soup to almost a boil, then put a lid on the pot and turn the heat to low. Add the Prosciutto back in and cook for another 15 minutes. Kale will be tender and bread cubes will melt into the soup. Remover lid, stir in basil, and serve. Ladle into bowls, top with Parmesan to serve if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
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Laura says
I’m making this soup right now! Can’t wait to taste. I’m a little confused about the prosciutto though as I don’t see where it comes back into the pot. I’ve added a diced zucchini and some Italian chicken sausage too.
Sally Cameron says
Really? I'll check that out right away, thanks. Add it in towards the end to heat through. Hope you enjoy it!
Patty says
I’ve been making Ribollita (based on Ina Garten’s recipe) for the last few years, and it’s a favorite. I add the (optional) cabbage that her recipe calls for, and as with every recipe, I increase the amount of garlic! ☺️ I also include red and yellow bell pepper (and sometimes leeks) when sautéing the carrots, celery, etc.. In the last boil/simmer, I include Parmesan rinds, and instead of putting bread in to cook, I make a mess of croutons (sourdough garlic/jalapeño/cheese loaf from our farmer’s market!) and put them in the bottom of the bowl. Pour the soup on top of croutons, grate more cheese, drizzle with good olive oil—holy cow! I think I’ll try your fennel bulb next time.
Sally Cameron says
Sounds delicious Patty. I sometimes do the Parmesan rinds too as it adds that "umami" flavor. Leeks, absolutely! Love them. Fun idea with the croutons!
Clarence wilson says
This recipe is absolutely delicious! I’m will make very soon coz of i love it, Thanks for sharinng
Sally Cameron says
Hope you enjoy it Clarence! We just finished a big pot.
Sasha says
This soup is best for the winters and good for us also.
Sally Cameron says
Totally agreed Sasha.
Brenda says
Today I'm buying the ingredients to make this. One question though...if freezing half and serving the other half over several days, should it add the bread cubes all at once, or when I am reheating the soup in small batches? Thanks.
Sally says
Hi Brenda. That is a good question! My first thought was to add them when you re-heat the soup, but that would kind of be a hassle and extra step when you just want a quick meal. So I froze some with the breadcrumbs in, then thawed and heated and it was great. No problem. Freeze it with the breadcrumbs in. They do melt away and disintegrate into the soup when cooking anyway. Hope this helps.
Heather says
Loved this soup and so did my family!
Sally Cameron says
Thanks Heather! So glad to hear that.
Gillian says
This recipe is absolutely delicious! I'm making it again today. Hubby loves it 🙂
Sally says
Love to hear that Gillian. Thanks for commenting back. Always makes me happy to know my recipes are helping people!
Christine says
FYI...of all the recipes I found for ribollita...yours is the best. However, I made a change of my own which you would probably love. I used Italian flavored chicken sausage and swisschard instead of kale and pancetta. I'm in love with this soup and have made it three times since September. It's a total winner!!!!
Sally says
Thanks Christine! Excellent changes! Thanks for reporting back so everyone can try it this way. I love using chicken sausage and always have it in the fridge or freezer. Good job!
Chef Debbie of Yummy~issimo! says
This soup is fantastic! I typically look at recipes and change a lot of things but this is one that I made exactly as written and have shared (with Chef Sally's permission) on the radio. Thanks Chef Sally for always offering us great recipes that are easy to prepare, healthy and tasty!
Nan says
I think this soup looks so good! I've been making a fair number of soups this winter and think this ribollita should go into the line up.
Beautiful photos of Italy!