Ribollita
Tuscany's thick reboiled soup of cannellini beans, cavolo nero, and day-old bread.
Ribollita means 'reboiled.' It started as a way to use yesterday's bread and vegetables, and it tastes better the next day.
The key: let the bread melt into the soup so the texture turns thick enough to stand a spoon in.
By Lucia Moretti
More soups to cook next: Authentic Cacio e Pepe Recipe, Risotto alla Milanese, Caponata Siciliana.
Step by step
These photos follow the method in order, from the first prep step to the plated dish.
Where It Goes Wrong
Soup is watery Mash more beans and add bread until it thickens
| Symptom | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Soup is watery | Not enough bread or beans mashed | Mash more beans and add bread until it thickens |
| Bitter greens | Cavolo nero undercooked | Simmer the greens long enough to turn silky |
| Flat flavor | Finished oil skipped | Add a thread of raw extra-virgin olive oil at the table |
| Bread turned gummy | Too fresh a loaf | Use genuinely stale, crusty bread |
Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- 1
Warm the olive oil in a heavy pot and soften the onion, carrot, and celery over medium heat for 10 minutes.
- 2
Add the tomatoes and cook 5 minutes until slightly reduced.
- 3
Stir in the cavolo nero and let it wilt.
- 4
Add the beans and enough water to cover, then simmer for 30 minutes.
- 5
Mash about a third of the beans against the pot to thicken the base.
- 6
Stir in the torn bread and simmer 10 more minutes until it melts into the soup.
- 7
Rest off the heat for 15 minutes, then finish each bowl with a thread of raw olive oil.
FAQ
Can I use canned beans? Yes. Cooked-from-dry beans have more flavor, but good canned cannellini work well.
Can I use canned beans?
Yes. Cooked-from-dry beans have more flavor, but good canned cannellini work well.
Is it better the next day?
Yes. Ribollita is meant to be reboiled, and a night in the fridge deepens it.
What bread should I use?
A rustic, unsalted Tuscan-style loaf is traditional, but any stale crusty bread works.
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