Did you know that Ribollita means means ‘reboiled’ in Italian? It’s a Tuscan vegetable soup using a brilliant concept. Make a large pot of soup at the beginning of the week and then, all week long, add leftover meat, vegetables, beans, and bread or pasta from other meals. The soup becomes an ever evolving dish, ready any time for lunch, dinner or a snack.
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I’ve made ribollita in a dozen ways: sometimes with potatoes, sometimes without any meat, always with whatever vegetables are in season. This recipe is a good place to start, but then adjust it to make it your own.
Recipe Tips and Options
- Allow this ribollita soup to change with the season (as I do with other Italian soups like Pasta e Fagioli and Pappa al Pomodoro): asparagus and artichokes in the spring; zucchini and green beans in the summer; butternut squash and fennel in the autumn; and, in the winter, cabbage and kale or Swiss chard.
- The hot Italian sausage adds richness and spice, but it’s easy to make a vegetarian version. Just omit the sausage, swap in vegetable broth and add a hearty pinch of red pepper flakes with the garlic in step 3 and finish with a generous drizzle of olive oil.
- If you’re serving this over several days, feel free to add more broth if the soup is getting too thick and adjust the seasoning as needed.
Give it a try and I predict that, as in many homes in Italy, this ‘reboiled’ gem will become a regular item on your weekly menu.
Ingredients
- 3 cups coarsely torn day-old bread sourdough or other crusty bread
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil divided plus more for drizzling at the end
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 3 medium carrots finely chopped
- 3 medium celery ribs finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 pound hot Italian sausage uncooked, casings removed if necessary
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 bunch lacinato kale ribs removed and sliced crosswise into 1/2-inch ribbons (also called Italian Kale, Cavolo Nero, and Tuscan Kale)
- 1 15-oz can diced tomatoes with liquid
- 14 1/2 ounce can cannellini beans drained, or 1 1/2 cup home cooked cannellini beans
- 8 cups chicken broth or chicken stock
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 3 ounces Parmesan cheese shaved
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Place torn bread on rimmed baking sheet in a single layer. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons olive oil and toss with your hands to coat. Bake until golden brown, tossing a couple of times, about 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery; cook and stir until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, sausage and white wine; cook and stir until sausage has cooked through. Add kale, tomatoes, beans, and broth; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Divide croutons among 6 bowls and ladle soup over. Serve topped with Parmesan shavings and drizzled with olive oil.
Notes
- If you prefer a milder soup, use sweet Italian sausage and add red pepper flakes to taste when you add the garlic, sausage and white wine in step 3.
- For a vegetarian version, skip the sausage and use vegetable broth.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Your ribollita looks delicious, Marissa! My favorite part of this soup (aside from the taste) is how it’s so customizable! I’m loving that you loaded yours with tons of veggies and sausage! I can’t wait to try yours!!
Thank you, Cheyanne! I hope you love it.
A meal in a bowl Marissa! I know Tom and I would both enjoy this one. Adding to out fall comfort food menu ASAP!
I love to hear that, Mary Ann! Thank you.
I love simple and comforting soup like this! And I’m so agree that “reboiled” soup gets better and better. The soup pictures are so beautiful and inspiring. Sharing of course 🙂
Thank you, Maggie!
Oh Marissa! I need a giant bowl of this right now! I love every single ingredient in this dish, combined together and it’s like a symphony.
How sweet, Kathleen. Thank you!
It is perfect soup weather right now. This looks like one big bowl of comforting deliciousness.
Thanks, Thalia!
Love hearty soups like this one! Never made ribolita , but will definitely try this one 🙂
I think you’ll love it, Mira! 🙂
What a gorgeous meal, and I love how adaptable it is! The photos are stunning!
Thank you so much, Allie!
What a wonderful idea, Marissa! I have never heard of it. I bet that soup just gets tastier and healthier as the week goes on!
It really does get tastier after a couple of days!
Now that it’s fully Autumn down here, this soup would be 100% welcome on my table. Today. It looks really good.
I wish I could make a bowl for you, Maureen!
It was cold when we visited Florence so I completely dived in a big bowl of this soup! It’s so delicious and your version looks fantastic Marissa! I made one after we got back and I loved being able to use up stale pieces of bread.
I love that too – it’s amazing how good stale bread is in soup!
Marissa, I love ribollita! Never knew what it meant but totally love it! I love the concept!!! you are right! it’s brilliant!! and I love this ribollita with hot italian sausage! Looks soooo good!
Thank you, Alice!!
Wow! That is a gorgeous bowl of soup Marissa! Not only does the recipe look amazing, but your photos are phenomenal! Pinned!
Thank you so much, Kristi!
You can’t go wrong with a huge pot of hearty soup! This sounds so warming and comforting.
Thanks, Eileen. 🙂
This sounds so good and the anchovy inclusion is yum. Lovely photo with the shaved cheese on top, too. 🙂
I’m glad you noticed those, Kevin! It’s not that the soup tastes like anchovies at all, but they definitely add a depth of flavor.
Marissa, this looks so great! I love hearty soups like this!!! YUM!
Thank you! 🙂