Tuscan White Bean Soup (Ribollita)

Baby, its cold outside!! Well, we can’t think anything better tonight than this...

Bella Buona Calda, Ribollita!!

Tuscan White Bean Soup is for all the bread lovers out there looking for a soul warming bowl of comfort. This hearty rustic soup, known locally as Ribollita, that has been cooked in peasants’ kitchens for centuries, all over Tuscany.

This stew-y thick, rich soup actually includes just humble white beans, some seasonal fall and winter vegetables, and is layered with slices of day old bread. It’s all finished with copious amount of extra virgin olive oil.

This is your cure to the winter blues. Curl up with a book, in your chunky sweater, maybe with a glass of wine and a giant bowl of Tuscan White Bean Soup… Live your best cold weather life…

Ribollita is Italy’s version to their Greek neighbors’ winter warmer, Fasolada. If you follow GypsyPlate, you already know our BIG hit Fasolada recipe, which we love to pieces. It’s another simple, humble bean soup that’s so, so delicious and so comforting.

Now Tuscan white bean soup takes it one notch up with one more ingredient… bread (I know all bread lover’s eyes lit up, including mine). The bread is what immortalizes this soup. It’s going to be your favorite bread soup…

What is Ribollia?

Ribollita, pronounced ree-bohl-LEE-tah, is a classic, robust peasant Tuscan dish that makes the most of two of the humblest ingredients – beans and leftover bread.

Ribollita means “reboiled” in Italian, since it originates from reheating a soup prepared in advance a second time, or even a few times, and adding bread to stretch it longer for a few days.

So you eat the bean soup the first day, then layer bread in the leftovers and eat the bulked up soup for the next few days, reheating it as you go.

One story goes that this white bean soup originated in hilltop villages throughout Tuscany during the Middle Ages. Hungry, hard-working peasants who served to their wealthy landowners would pocket the leftover crusts and bits of meat after abundant feasts, then add these to their soups and stews at home.

Another tale relates ribollita to Catholic tradition. As early as the Middle Ages, books mention a soup prepared on Friday in the kitchens of poor families.

In the Catholic tradition, Friday was a day of penance and Catholics were asked to refrain from eating meat, as well as any food that was considered ‘rich’, like lard, or even dairy products. Ingredients that were ok to use included bread, vegetables, wild herbs, legumes, pasta or polenta. The soup prepared with these ingredients can be considered an ancestor of today’s ribollita.

Historically, stale bread was crumbled and mixed into the soup to turn it nearly into a porridge. Some Italians say this “soup” should be thick enough to eat with a fork. But of course, that’s not always the case from family to family.

Some prefer the toasty bread on top just to sop up the soup. Some like it layered all throughout. Some like to cook the bread till it disintegrates. It’s all good, and down to individual preferences.

What Bread to Use in Tuscan White Bean Soup

This is a hearty, thick soup loaded with veggies and beans, with bread as the star ingredient. Typically any crusty loaf like Italian, French or sourdough will go great in this soup.

We usually use our No Knead Bread or ciabatta for ribollita. Day old or slightly stale bread is what ribollita wants! So now you know what to do with that harder, stale leftover bread.

When to Add the Bread? 

As mentioned above, people use their bread differently. Simply tear the bread into bite sized chunks. Some add the bread chunks to the soup towards the end of the cooking time and simmer it for a few minutes.

We like to add the the bread chunks in the serving bowl, ladle the soup on top and give it a few minutes to absorb. Then we top it with a few more crusty bread chunks, so you get both crusty and soaked bread in one bowl.

What Beans and Vegetables to Use?

Any white beans like Cannellini Beans or great northern beans are most typical in the pot. Leafy greens like kale (believe me, it’s great here), swiss chard or even spinach and cabbage are used in ribollita.

Onions, carrots and celery make the holy trinity that is the base of the soup, along with some tomatoes.

The Secret Ingredient

Well… here is one secret out of Italian kitchens. Using Parmesan rind in soups and stews adds tons of flavor. You will be amazed at what a flavor enhancer it is.

Don’t throw away the parmesan cheese rinds, save them in little freezer bags in your freezer and add them to your soup.

Remove the Parmesan rind before serving, you don’t eat it. Some of the rind will dissolve (or it will dissolve entirely, depending on how much you use), imparting richness and flavor to the soup while it simmers. It’s absolutely phenomenal!

Easy Tuscan Bean Soup Recipe

1. Heat extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat in a soup pot and add the onions, celery and carrots. Sprinkle salt and pepper and cook, stirring regularly, until the veggies are softened. Add the garlic, red chili flakes and cook for a minute, tossing regularly. Add in tomatoes, vegetable (or chicken) broth, along with fresh herbs like thyme, basil, oregano, rosemary. The fresh herbs really give great flavors to this soup, but in their absence you can rely on dried herbs.

2. Add in two cans of cannellini beans. You will mash up one additional can of cannellini beans and add it later, towards the end of cooking, to thicken the soup. Add the parmesan rind and simmer for 25-30 minutes. While it’s simmering, check out our collection of favorite Italian Soups.

3. Stir in your leafy greens! We used kale, but spinach would also be good in this soup! Kale holds great texture in this soup, and the flavor is really nice here. If you love kale, this is your soup. If you are on the border on liking kale, this will make you a new fan.

Add in 1 can of mashed cannellini beans and let it simmer for 10 more minutes. Taste and adjust the seasonings like salt. Remove the parmesan rind, if it has not dissolved completely, along with any big sprigs of fresh herbs.

4. Now the last thing… Adding the signature ingredient, bread, to your soup. We like to layer it in the soup while serving, in a big serving bowl for whole family. Arrange the chunks of bread at the bottom and ladle the soups all over.

Use a heavy hand with extra virgin olive oil drizzled all over. Put some more bread chunks chunks on top along with parmigiano.

Let the bread absorb the soup for few minutes. Then everyone can serve this soup in their individual bowls with some more drizzle of olive oil. YUMMM…

Recipe Tips and Notes

• Choose Quality Ingredients: The secret to elevating this rustic soup lies in the quality of your ingredients. Go for a premium extra virgin olive oil and use good quality fresh veggies for an unparalleled taste.
• Fresh vs Dried Herbs: While fresh herbs provide a burst of flavor, dried herbs are more concentrated. If you’re using dried, stick to the measurements in the recipe for a balanced flavor profile.
• Parmesan Rind Magic: Don’t skip the parmesan rind! It infuses the soup with a nutty, cheesy depth that’s incredibly satisfying.
• Bread Choices: A crusty, rustic bread works best here. The bread chunks not only add body but also soak up all the goodness, turning each spoonful into a mini explosion of flavors.
• Kale Substitution: If kale isn’t your thing, feel free to swap it out with spinach or Swiss chard. These greens wilt quickly and still pack a nutritious punch.
• Make Ahead: This soup only gets better with time. Make it a day in advance to let the flavors meld together for an even more delightful eating experience.

Variations

You can do a million things to this Tuscan white bean soup. Here are a few ideas…

1. Add a half cup or more of Pesto into the soup while it’s simmering, or add it as a topping. It’s absolutely delicious, and adds a whole other flavor profile to the soup.
2. Add in other veggies like zucchini, cabbage (which is quite common) or mushrooms.
3. Adding in ham or some sausage will give so much extra protein and flavor to the soup. More like Zuppa Toscana, but with beans.

Can it be Cooked in a Slow Cooker?

Absolutely! Ribollita is great in a crock pot.

Sauté the onions, celery, and carrots in extra virgin olive oil on the stovetop as per the original recipe. Add the garlic and red chili flakes in the final minute.

Transfer the sautéed vegetables to the slow cooker and add the tomatoes, broth, herbs, 2 cans of cannellini beans, and the parmesan rind. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.

About 30 minutes before serving, add in the mashed cannellini beans from the remaining can and the kale. Remove the parmesan rind and any large herb stems.

Leftovers and Storage

The best way is to stretch it longer and keep on reheating it for many days like the Tuscans. You can just make bean soup without adding the bread and let it sit in the fridge, developing more and more flavors, for 3-4 days. Add in bread every time you reheat the soup… Classic Tuscan style!

It also freezes well in an airtight container for about 3 months. Simply thaw in the fridge overnight before enjoying.

Reheat on stovetop over medium heat.

So, how about comfort food, Tuscan style? Put that stale bread to good use… well, here it is!

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Today’s forecast for most of of you: Cold with a chance of Ribollita! Try it… You are going to love it!

Tuscan White Bean Soup, on our Gypsy Plate… enjoy!

Try these other cozy soup recipes!
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Ham Bone Soup
Albondigas Soup
Sopa de Fideo
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Greek Lemon Chicken Soup
Egg Roll Soup
Hungarian Goulash