Description
Ribollita is a traditional hearty Tuscan bean, bread, and vegetable stew featuring a medley of fresh vegetables, kale, beans, and rustic bread simmered together to create a rich, comforting dish perfect for chilly days.
Ingredients
Vegetables
- 3 medium cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 medium red onion, diced (about 7 ounces; 200 g)
- 1 large leek, white and light green parts only, diced (about 13 ounces; 370 g)
- 4 large carrots, peeled and diced (about 1 1/4 pounds; 525 g)
- 2 1/2 cups peeled, seeded, and diced butternut squash (about 12 ounces; 360 g)
- 1 turnip, peeled and diced (about 8 ounces; 240 g)
- 3 large celery stalks, diced (about 8 ounces; 240 g)
- 1 bunch lacinato kale, stemmed, leaves roughly chopped (about 6 ounces; 170 g)
Other Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- Water, about 6 cups (1.5 L) plus additional as needed
- 1 bouquet garni (sprigs of parsley, oregano, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf)
- 2 cups cooked beans (cannellini, navy, or cranberry), plus 1 cup bean-cooking liquid or water if canned
- 1/4 pound (110 g) fresh or stale rustic crusty bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Grated Parmigiano Reggiano, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Sauté the Aromatics and Vegetables: In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, heat 3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add the thinly sliced garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant and lightly golden. Add the diced onion, leek, carrots, butternut squash, turnip, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes until the vegetables soften slightly without browning.
- Simmer the Vegetables: Pour in enough water—approximately 6 cups—to just cover the vegetables. Add the roughly chopped lacinato kale and the bouquet garni. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook uncovered for about 25 minutes until all the vegetables are very tender.
- Add Beans and Bread: Stir in the cooked beans along with their cooking liquid or 1 cup of water if using canned beans. Add the crusty bread cubes to the pot and stir well. Continue simmering for about 15 minutes, allowing the bread to soften and break down, thickening the stew. If the stew becomes too thick or dry, add water in 1/2 cup increments to achieve your preferred consistency.
- Season and Adjust Consistency: Season the stew generously with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. You may serve it as a chunky, broth-like soup or cook it further to thicken it into a porridge-like consistency. For an optional finishing touch, ladle some stew into a small nonstick skillet with 1 tablespoon olive oil, cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently until it forms a dense mass, turning it like a pancake if desired, then slide onto a plate.
- Serve: Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and freshly ground black pepper, and if desired, sprinkle with grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. Serve hot for a comforting, delicious meal.
Notes
- You can adjust vegetables based on seasonality or preference, but at least keep onion (or leek), garlic, carrots, and celery for authentic flavor.
- Lacinato kale is also known as dinosaur kale, cavolo nero, or black kale.
- If possible, use dried beans cooked with aromatics for deeper flavor, but canned beans are a convenient alternative. Two 15-ounce cans yield slightly more than 2 cups cooked beans. About 1/3 pound dried beans equals approximately 2 1/2 cups cooked.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 50 mins
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian, Tuscan
