Ribollita – Tuscan Bread Soup with White Beans and Savoy Cabbage

Tuscan Ribollita is a hearty vegetable soup with beans and stale bread, a relative of minestrone that is especially warming in winter. Reheated the next day, it often tastes even better.

By yumbelo · 4 servings · 50 minutes

Ingredients

• 200 g Day-old white bread, sliced
• 3 tbsp Olive oil
• 1 pc Onion, finely diced
• 2 pc Garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 pc Carrots, diced
• 2 pc Stalks celery, thinly sliced
• 1 pc Stalk leek, sliced into rings
• 1 pc Zucchini, diced
• 250 g Savoy cabbage, finely shredded
• 1 can Can white beans (400 g, drained weight about 240 g), rinsed
• 1 can Can chopped tomatoes (400 g)
• 1 l Water
• 2 pc Bay leaves
• 1 pc Rosemary sprig
• 1 tsp Dried thyme
• 40 g Parmesan, in one piece, plus rind optional
• Salt
• Pepper

Method

1. Sauté the onion, garlic, carrots and celery in olive oil in a large pot over medium heat for about 8 minutes, until the vegetables are soft.
2. Add the leek and zucchini and sauté for another 3 minutes.
3. Stir in the tomatoes, water, bay leaves, rosemary, thyme and the Parmesan rind (if using) and bring to a boil.
4. Simmer the soup over low heat for about 20 minutes.
5. Add the savoy cabbage and beans and cook for another 10 minutes, until the cabbage is tender.
6. Remove the rosemary sprig, bay leaves and Parmesan rind. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Add the bread to the soup and let it sit for 5 minutes, until it softens and thickens the soup.
8. Shave Parmesan over the top and serve immediately.